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Dog Training

Puppy Enrichment: Taking Your Puppy’s Education to the Next Level

June 17, 2025
by Hillary Alexander

Enrichment is more than just playtime. It’s a purposeful way to meet your puppy’s emotional, physical, and mental needs through stimulating activities that mimic their natural instincts.

From sniffing and scavenging to climbing, problem-solving, and social play, enrichment helps puppies engage with the world in a way that builds confidence, resilience, and calm behavior. It’s not just about keeping your pup busy. Enrichment is about helping them thrive.

At Hillary’s Hound House, we believe enrichment is essential. By creating daily opportunities for puppies to learn, explore, and express their instincts in a safe and supportive environment, we lay the foundation for well-adjusted, happy dogs.


P.S. Follow us on Instagram—and reach out if you’re ready to begin your next chapter together.

Latest Blog Posts:

A Day in the Life of a Jumpstart Puppy

What is it like to be a puppy in the Jumpstart Program at Hillary’s Hound House? You’re about to find out. Meet Bill, a 14-week-old English Cream Golden Retriever puppy in his second week of Jumpstart. On any given day you’ll find Bill alternating between training...

Puppy Adolescence: The Bridge Between Babyhood and Bravery

If you’ve ever raised a puppy, you know the early days are filled with wonder. Wiggly tails, floppy ears, clumsy paws—and that sweet innocence that melts your heart. But just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, something shifts. Suddenly your puppy starts...

Part 3: Calming Trifecta; Sniffing, Licking, and Chewing

There are three habits native to all dogs. I call them, “The Calming Trifecta; Sniffing, Licking, and Chewing.” Sniffing, Licking, and Chewing are three activities that help puppies stay grounded in busy places with lots of distractions. They do this by lowering a...

Part 2: Preparing Your Puppy for the Great Outdoors

We’ve talked a bit about creating an optimal environment for your puppy at home. What about outdoors, where all bets are off? This is an important question because every puppy is unique. In my Nursery we have puppies of all ages, sizes, and breeds and it is important...

Part 1: Creating an Optimal Learning Environment For Your Puppy

In my quest to create the optimal puppy environment, I have discovered that cultivating a calm, predictable environment is key to everything from potty training to a puppy’s ability to focus, to learn and retain new skills – even to rest properly. “And yet, visit the...

A Reunion with Luna. Working with Shy or Fearful Puppies

Meet Luna, a Jumpstart Puppy graduate who mastered several challenges we frequently see with shy and fearful puppies. Join us as we practice, "Go Say Hi!" - first in the Nursery, then in a mall. To meet Luna today you’d never guess how fearful she was during during...

The Talk. A Primer on Potty Training

Welcome to The Talk, a conversation about Potty Training, how to set up your puppy at home and more important - ensure her success! Join us along with Katie and Coco, a 9 week old doodle puppy on their Visit to the Jumpstart Nursery in April, 2024. I also would like...

Multi-Dog Households and Puppies

It is important in multi-dog households that each puppy or dog has a quiet place of his own (more on this in another chapter). Puppies and even dogs can easily become competitive for attention, food, treats, toys, even formerly unimportant items can become the focus...

More Ways to Learn

Schedule a Visit to the Jumpstart Nursery.

If you live in or near Marin, California this is a great way to socialize your puppy. Nursery Visits are by appointment only and take place on Wednesday at 3:00PM.

Learn More About Our Programs

  • Jumpstart is a daylong, 4-week program for puppies 8 weeks to 6 months old, specializing in socialization, training, and potty skills. You can learn more about the Jumpstart Puppy Program HERE.
  • Teen Tune-Up is a 4-week, small group training experience that blends obedience refreshers, enrichment, play, and real-world practice to keep training relevant, effective – and fun! You can register for Teen Tune-Up HERE.

  • Live near Marin, California? We invite you to visit with your puppy. You can schedule your visit to the Nursery here.

  • Live far away? You can still join us in the Jumpstart Nursery via online Puppy Boot Camps and Courses.

A Day in the Life of a Jumpstart Puppy

A Day in the Life of a Jumpstart Puppy

by | Jun 30, 2025 |

What is it like to be a puppy in the Jumpstart Program at Hillary’s Hound House? You’re about to find out. Meet Bill, a 14-week-old English Cream Golden Retriever puppy in his second week of Jumpstart. On any given day you’ll find Bill alternating between training...