Phase 1: Foundations for Future Service Dogs
Every Northwest Elite service dog starts here — 16 weeks of intensive socialization, home manners, and basic obedience designed to prepare your puppy for real service work with the AKC STAR Puppy and AKC Canine Good Citizen tests.
Phase 1 Overview
Phase 1 at Northwest Elite Working Dogs is a 16-week, 200-hour foundational training block that focuses on socialization, house manners, vet manners and basic obedience. Puppies typically start between 8–12 weeks of age, and this phase concludes with testing for the AKC STAR Puppy and Canine Good Citizen (CGC) title under a third-party AKC evaluator.
At a Glance:
Phase: 1 – Foundations
Length: ~16 weeks
Active Training Hours: ~200
Age Range: Typically 8–12 weeks at start
Primary Focus: Socialization, home life, basic commands
AKC Title Tested: AKC STAR Puppy and AKC Canine Good Citizen
Investment for Phase 1: $12,000
Includes: Puppy purchase, training, daily care, socialization, vet care and boarding.
What to Expect in Phase 1
Phase 1 is the foundation of our Calm Progress™ Training System — where confidence and structure begin. From day one, puppies experience safe exposure, gentle socialization, and guided success.
During this 16-week period, your puppy will:
Start our program between 8–12 weeks of age
Begin structured socialization and environmental exposure
Learn core house manners and crate skills
Practice basic obedience on leash and off leash in progressively more challenging environments
- Work towards earning AKC STAR Puppy
Work toward earning the AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) title
Socialization & Neutrality: Seeing the World with Confidence
One of our highest priorities in Phase 1 is socialization done right. We want dogs that can walk into any environment—busy streets, stores, schools, medical offices—and remain neutral, focused, and safe.
In Phase 1, your puppy will:
Go around town regularly to see new people, places, surfaces, and sounds
- Learn calming, resting and decompression techniques
Practice calm behavior around other dogs, children, wheelchairs, carts, and crowds
Learn that new experiences are safe and positive, not overwhelming
Be closely monitored for body language and comfort, so every exposure is a good one
Our trainers read each puppy carefully, adjusting the difficulty so confidence stays high while still gently stretching their comfort zone.
House Training & Home Manners
Service dogs don’t just work in public—they live at home with families. Phase 1 includes real-life home skills so your dog is pleasant, predictable, and easy to live with.
We focus on:
House training and reliable potty routines
Kennel/crate training for safe rest and travel
Calm behavior inside the home (no door rushing, no constant pacing)
Learning to settle on a bed/place when asked
Practicing polite greetings with humans and other dogs
These skills are essential for families with children, busy homes, and handlers who need a dog that can both work and relax on cue.
Basic Obedience in Increasingly Harder Environments
Throughout Phase 1, your puppy learns and practices:
Sit
Down
Stay
Come
Heel / With Me
Place / Bed
Load Up (vehicles, crates)
Kennel (entering crate calmly)
Polite Greetings (no jumping, no mouthing)
Training begins in quiet, controlled settings and gradually moves into busier environments as your puppy shows readiness. We’re not just checking boxes—we’re building habits that will carry into public access and task work in later phases.
Daily Workload:
Roughly 1–2 hours of active training per dog per day
Additional “passive training” throughout the day—learning to coexist calmly in a human world
Reading Natural Behaviors for Future Tasks
Phase 1 isn’t just about correcting behavior—it’s also about seeing potential.
Our trainers continually evaluate each puppy for natural tendencies that could later become useful service tasks.
For example:
A puppy that naturally jumps up might later be shaped into turning on lights or grabbing items from counters.
A puppy that follows closely and checks in frequently might excel at mobility assistance or tethering.
Instead of simply punishing behaviors like jumping, we often redirect and manage them now so we can put them on cue later if they’re helpful for service work.
This thoughtful approach keeps the dog’s enthusiasm intact while building a strong foundation for future task training in later phases.
Health, Care & Veterinary Coordination
During Phase 1, our trainers are responsible for daily care and monitoring so your puppy stays healthy and thriving.
This includes:
Day-to-day oversight from experienced trainers
Coordination of vet visits and vaccinations as needed
Monitoring growth, diet, and overall wellness
Communicating any health concerns promptly
- Practicing vet skills (exams/shots) and grooming care (nail trimming / baths) Making visits easy and stressless
All veterinary care, food and boarding is coordinated by Northwest Elite and Included in Program Cost, so you have a clear record of your dog’s medical history and costs.
AKC STAR Puppy & Canine Good Citizen Testing & Graduation
During Phase 1 your dog is tested for the AKC STAR Puppy title. At the end of Phase 1, your dog will be evaluated for the AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) title.
Testing is performed by a third-party AKC evaluator
The evaluation takes place in a busy environment to ensure real-world readiness
- STAR Puppy makes sure we are on our way to success and have a great foundation started
Passing CGC is a strong indicator that your dog can move confidently into higher-level service work
Earning both STAR Puppy and CGC are important milestones—for your dog and for you as a future handler.
Phase 1 Summary & Pricing
Phase 1 is the first of four phases in the full program. Total program investment typically ranges from $35,000 to $40,000 across all phases. Each phase is outlined with its own cost breakdown so you always know what to expect.
Phase One – Foundations Overview
Cost of Phase 1: $11,667
Training Length: ~16 weeks
Training Hours: ~200 active training hours
AKC Title Tested: AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC)
Primary Focus: Socialization, home life, basic obedience, and temperament development
- Includes: Food, boarding, vet care, grooming and associated costs.
Financing:
Financing and payment options are available for qualified clients. Our team can walk you through possible funding strategies, including fundraising and personal financing options.
Where Phase 1 Fits in the Bigger Picture
Phase 1 is just the beginning of your dog’s journey at Northwest Elite Working Dogs.
After completing this stage, most dogs move on to:
Phase 2: Advanced obedience and public-readiness work (including busier, more complex environments)
Phase 3: Task-specific training and Team Training with the handler
Phase 4: Post-placement support (first 4–6 months at home)