FAQ

Puppies up to 5 months of age should join our Virtual Puppy School, pups from 6 - 18 months of age should join our Virtual Teenage Puppy School and dogs over 18 months of age should join our Virtual Dog School. If your pup is on the cusp between the Puppy and Teenage Puppy options, join the Virtual Puppy School and we can transfer you over to the Virtual Teenage Puppy School whenever you’re ready.

We offer one-hour in-person consultations for those who need a bit more guidance with their technique, along with a full three-week Behaviour Clinic service for dogs with serious behavioural issues to resolve. Learn more about the Behaviour Clinic.

We don’t have contracts. You can cancel your subscription to our Virtual School at any time.

Yes, our Virtual Puppy School can replace an in-person puppy school, but there are advantages to doing both.

With our Virtual Puppy School, you get a comprehensive video programme covering everything you need to know about raising and training your puppy. We cover much more than you would ever get in a physical puppy school or even a series of one-on-one sessions with a professional trainer.
With our Virtual School, you can re-watch videos to ensure you have mastered the training techniques, and you have information at your fingertips on how to manage behavioural issues if and when they arise. 

The two main benefits of a physical puppy school are the socialisation opportunities and the ability to practise basic commands with distractions, but it’s hard for your puppy to achieve much more than that in such a highly stimulating environment. Puppies need a quiet, distraction-free environment to truly learn. Physical puppy schools also must be run by skilled trainers in order to be beneficial for your puppy, otherwise they can have the opposite effect and create traumatic experiences.

If possible, we suggest enrolling in both. Our Virtual Puppy School gives you the skills you need to train a happy, healthy, well-behaved dog for life; a physical puppy school gives you a fantastic opportunity for socialisation and practising a few basics in a distracting environment. However, if you’re happy to find your own puppy socialisation opportunities, a physical puppy school isn’t essential.

No. Our video-based course is hosted on our website. We also have a private Facebook group where you can connect with other members taking the same course or ask our dog training team questions, but it’s not essential. Our dog trainers can answer your questions via email, too.

Yes. For as long as you’re a member of our Virtual School, you can re-watch any video as many times as you like. Re-watching the videos is important to make sure you really learn the techniques and apply them effectively.

Yes. We cover all common behaviour issues along with basic training in each of our Virtual Schools. See our Virtual Schools page for more info about which issues are covered, or contact us and we’ll be happy to confirm if we cover the issue you’re experiencing, and let you know which course is right for you.

No. All of our training videos are pre-recorded, so you can watch the entire course as soon as you join, and train your dog when it suits you. Our Live Coaching Sessions happen on Monday evenings (New Zealand time), however if you can’t make it, you can submit a question in advance then watch the recording later.

When you join, you get access to the entire course so you can watch videos on demand at your own pace. For most people training puppies or managing mild-to-moderate behaviour issues with older dogs, we recommend staying in the Virtual Training School for three months. You can cancel your subscription any time.

Go to Members Login, enter your email then select “Forgot Password” and follow the instructions to reset it. If you continue having trouble logging in, email support@dogzen.com

All of our course videos can be found through our learning platform, Thinkific. Log in here. 

To ask our trainers questions, join the Live Coaching Sessions and connect with our training community, go to our members-only Facebook pages:
Virtual Puppy School    Virtual Teenage Puppy School     Virtual Dog School

You can log in to any of our Virtual Schools here. If your log in isn’t working, please check you’re using the email address you originally signed up with and the password you chose at the time. If this doesn’t work, try resetting your password and if you still have no luck, email us on support@dogzen.com.

As a member of our Virtual Training Schools, you can ask our dog training team an unlimited number of questions. Just post them in our members-only Facebook group, and we’ll get back to you with personalised guidance (from a real dog trainer who knows your history, not a bot!).

At any time, you can send us a video of your puppy or dog’s behaviour or your training session for assessment or feedback.

You can also join weekly Live Coaching Sessions and get real-time responses to your questions from Mark Vette.

Don’t use Facebook? Don’t worry - our trainers are on email too.

It depends on the age of your dog, and what challenges you’re working on. But with daily training, most people will start seeing positive results within a week and significant results within a month.

When you join any of our Virtual Training Schools, you get access to the entire course so you can watch videos on demand at your own pace.

You’ll also be invited to join our members-only Facebook group, where you can connect with others taking the same course as you. In the group you’ll get tips and advice from members, join live coaching sessions with Mark to get expert responses to your questions in real time, and post questions any day of the week to get personalised training guidance from our dog training team. 

You can cancel your membership at any time.

Most dogs don’t.

Our Virtual Schools are as effective as in-person training because we teach you to be the trainer. No dog trainer can create lasting change in your dog’s behaviour in a session or two, or even through a board-and-train programme unless it has intensive at-home support. Real change happens at home through the way you train and interact with your dog on a daily basis. To succeed, you simply need to know how to train well. Our videos guide you through the process step-by-step to ensure you feel confident and ready.

In some cases, such as serious aggression or predatory behaviours, dogs do require professional treatment.

If you’re not sure, get in touch and we’re happy to help you decide.