Grade Level

Kindergarten

Heel, place, stay, and free, the behavioral foundations that anchor everything that comes next.

In Kindergarten, dogs learn to be mindful of thresholds, stay focused through turns, hold steady in place, and understand the concept of being free. The curriculum builds on Pre-School with lessons on manners, socialization, and proper play while continuing to boost confidence and exposure to various sights and sounds.

This is where most dogs land after graduating from a Partners board-and-train Camp. The foundations built here — heel, place, stay — anchor every higher-level behavior your dog will learn.

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Who This Level Is For

Is Kindergarten the Right Fit for Your Dog?

Dogs who have completed Pre-School, graduates of any Partners board-and-train Camp, or dogs who already have basic manners and need structured foundation work.

Kindergarten — What You'll Focus On

In Kindergarten the dog will focus on Heel, place, stay, and free, the behavioral foundations that anchor everything that comes next.

Kindergarten Syllabus

The Kindergarten Curriculum

Every manner, behavior, trick, and tool introduced at this level — each tracked individually in PD360 with explicit success indicators.

Introduced New skills your dog meets for the first time at this level. Reinforced Carried over from the previous level and strengthened with reps. Proofed Tested against real-world distraction, distance, and duration. Maintained Kept sharp from earlier levels so the foundation never slips.

Introduced 5 New skills your dog meets for the first time at this level.

Play Guidance Introduced

Structured rules of engagement during play sessions.

Mastery: Dog can settle on a cue during high-arousal play.
Hand Off Introduced

Calm transfer of the leash and the dog's focus between handlers.

Mastery: Dog accepts a new handler without anxiety or reactivity.
Desensitize Introduced

Gradual exposure that reduces over-arousal to specific stimuli.

Mastery: Dog can be exposed to a known trigger without reactivity.
Impulse Control Introduced

Wait before acting on a temptation — the building block of obedience.

Mastery: Dog can hold a Sit with food in front of them.
Thresholds Introduced

Pause at doorways and transitions instead of bolting through.

Mastery: Dog waits at thresholds for a release cue.

Reinforced 5 Carried over from the previous level and strengthened with reps.

Confidence Reinforced

Build a baseline of confidence so your dog can engage with the world calmly.

Mastery: Dog approaches novel sights and sounds without flight or freeze.

First introduced in Pre-School
Etiquette Reinforced

Learn the day-to-day etiquette that makes your dog a great neighbor.

Mastery: Dog greets calmly without jumping or mouthing.

First introduced in Pre-School
Socialize Reinforced

Structured exposure to other dogs and people in a controlled setting.

Mastery: Dog can be near other dogs without overreacting in either direction.

First introduced in Pre-School
Cues Reinforced

Build awareness that handler cues mean something is about to happen.

Mastery: Dog orients toward the handler when a cue is given.

First introduced in Pre-School
Gentleness Reinforced

Soft-mouth taking food and toys without snatching or nipping.

Mastery: Dog takes treats gently from hand.

First introduced in Pre-School

Introduced 5 New skills your dog meets for the first time at this level.

Heel Introduced

Walk at your side, matching your pace.

Mastery: Dog maintains heel position for at least 10 steps.
Turns Introduced

Maintain heel position through left, right, and about turns.

Mastery: Dog stays in heel through directional changes.
Stay Introduced

Hold a position until released — duration over distance.

Mastery: Dog holds Stay for 30 seconds with mild distraction.
Place Introduced

Go to a designated spot (mat/bed) and settle there.

Mastery: Dog goes to Place from across the room and settles.
Free Introduced

The release cue — your dog is officially off-duty.

Mastery: Dog clearly distinguishes Free from a continued command.

Reinforced 5 Carried over from the previous level and strengthened with reps.

Name Reinforced

Your dog learns that hearing their name means look at you.

Mastery: Dog turns head and makes eye contact when name is said.

First introduced in Pre-School
Sit Reinforced

The foundational position command — rear on the ground.

Mastery: Dog sits within 2 seconds of verbal cue without lure.

First introduced in Pre-School
Markers Reinforced

Marker words (Yes / Good / No) that tell your dog exactly what worked.

Mastery: Dog clearly responds to marker words by holding or releasing behavior.

First introduced in Pre-School
Crate Reinforced

Calm, quiet acceptance of crate as a safe resting place.

Mastery: Dog enters crate on cue and settles within 5 minutes.

First introduced in Pre-School
Down Reinforced

Elbows on the ground — the second foundational position.

Mastery: Dog goes down within 3 seconds of verbal cue.

First introduced in Pre-School

Introduced 3 New skills your dog meets for the first time at this level.

Training Collar Introduced

A flat or slip-style collar used during structured training sessions.

Mastery: Dog accepts training collar and works in it confidently.
Harness Introduced

Body harness for dogs who need different leash pressure than a collar.

Mastery: Dog walks comfortably and predictably in harness.
Treadmill Introduced

Indoor exercise tool for structured energy outlet.

Mastery: Dog walks calmly on treadmill at handler-set pace.

Reinforced 3 Carried over from the previous level and strengthened with reps.

Slip Lead Reinforced

A simple looped lead used for quick, low-pressure leash work.

Mastery: Dog accepts slip lead and walks without panic.

First introduced in Pre-School
Martingale Reinforced

Limited-slip collar that tightens gently to prevent backing out.

Mastery: Dog wears martingale comfortably during class.

First introduced in Pre-School
Treats Reinforced

High-value food rewards used to mark and reinforce correct behavior.

Mastery: Dog takes treats gently and pairs them with marker words.

First introduced in Pre-School

Visual Syllabus

View the Kindergarten Syllabus

Trouble viewing? Open the Kindergarten syllabus in a new tab →

Where This Level Sits

Your Progress at Kindergarten

Each row represents a grade level. The bar shows the cumulative number of behaviors your dog will have learned by the end of that level. Kindergarten is highlighted below.

Total cumulative behaviors learned

Graduation Criteria

When Do Dogs Move From Kindergarten to Elementary?

Dogs graduate to Elementary once they can heel, place, stay, and release on a free cue with light distraction, and demonstrate impulse control around thresholds.

PD360 Pet Progress

Every Skill at Kindergarten is Tracked in PD360

The curriculum is cumulative on purpose. A behavior taught at Elementary is reinforced in Middle School and proofed in High School, with each behavior moving through at least four stages of learning — introduced, reinforced, proofed, and maintained. You'll see exactly which behaviors your dog has been Introduced to, Reinforced on, and Proofed against. The same record follows them into DaySchool, Camps, private lessons, and grooming. One profile, one progress story, one team.

300+ Tracked variables per dog
8 Grade levels & curriculum tracks
120+ Behaviors across the journey
Years Of continuous progress data

Behavior-Level Detail

Every command, manner, and trick is tracked through Introduced → Reinforced → Proofed stages.
Programs Stay in Sync

Progress in Group Class flows into DaySchool, Camps, and private lessons. Trainers see the same record.
Honest Recommendations

Your dog moves up when the data says they're ready — not when a calendar says so.
Years of Continuity

Whether your dog is in Pre-School or Dogtorate, the full history travels with them.