Wonder Puppy

Wonder Puppy’s core curriculum runs through three levels, Good, Great, and Wonder, each combining a Social class, a Calm + Focus class, and a Basic Skills class. Social 1 (10 weeks to 6 months) focuses on direct-contact play and socialization using WoGo training, grouped by puppy size into Tiny, Lil, and Big Tykes. Social 2 (6 months to 1 year) and Social 3 (1 to 2 years) build on that foundation with indirect-contact exposure to people, dogs, and worldly sights and sounds while dogs learn to settle and stay connected to their handler.

New clients typically start with a free Orientation session, where a trainer helps decide the right starting point. Private sessions are available for owners who want individualized coaching outside the group class format.

Pricing Summary

Social classes are sold as single sessions for $40 or as a 4-session package for $150, with the same pricing across Social 1, 2, and 3. A private session is listed as a $165 value.

Policies

Cash refunds are only given if requested within 72 hours of purchase and at least 12 hours before the scheduled class. Canceling more than 12 hours in advance credits the class back to the client’s account, and credits expire 4 months after purchase. Puppies must be up to date on age-appropriate vaccines, have lived in the home at least 10 days, and be symptom-free for 24 hours before class, and dogs that attend dog parks or non-puppy daycare cannot enroll.

Wonder Puppy is closed for several holidays each year, including Thanksgiving weekend and the winter break from December 24 through January 1.

Wonder Puppy is a puppy training and socialization center in Portland, Oregon, working with puppies and their families from the earliest weeks through adolescence. The team runs small group classes and private sessions out of their studio in the Northwest District, focusing on confidence, calm behavior, and safe social skills.

They train with reward-based clicker training, teaching owners to mark and reinforce good behavior instead of correcting unwanted habits. Their signature WoGo training method is built into the socialization classes so puppies learn to play appropriately, read body language, and settle down around people and other dogs.

Classes move through three levels, Good, Great, and Wonder, each pairing a Social class with Calm + Focus and Basic Skills coursework. Puppies typically start with a free Orientation, then join Social 1 and Calm + Focus 1 together, working up through impulse control, handling, and worldly socialization as they grow into adolescence. Private sessions are available for owners who want one-on-one coaching.

Founder Casey Newton started Wonder Puppy more than a decade ago to make puppyhood easier for new owners, and the studio has since worked with a large number of puppies in the Portland area. Classes are grouped by age and size, kept small, and led by trainers who track each puppy’s progress from session to session.

Accomplishments

Wonder Puppy’s training approach references position statements from the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, and the site displays logos for the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, the Pet Professionals Guild, the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, AKC Star Puppy, and Canine Good Citizen. Founder Casey Newton has run the business for more than a decade.

How to Get Started!

New clients can start with a free Orientation session, then book classes online or call to find the right starting level for their puppy.