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In-home puppy training

Puppy Training
in Singapore.

In-home, 1-on-1 puppy training across Singapore from a former Singapore Police K9 handler. No treats. No group classes. The Baby Puppy Class — four sessions for S$720 — builds foundation, socialisation, and recall before bad habits form.

By Shawn K · Last updated 8 May 2026

16+ five-star reviews on Google. Most enquiries get a reply the same working day.
Shawn walking a calmly-trained Golden Retriever on a loose lead through a Singapore HDB void deck — the result of foundation puppy training

The short version: DOGPAPA is in-home puppy training in Singapore by Shawn K, a former Singapore Police K-9 Unit handler. Sessions happen in your home — your HDB flat, condo, or landed property — not in a group class. Indoor foundation work can start as soon as your puppy is home; outdoor work (corridor, lift, void deck, parks) begins once your puppy is fully vaccinated. The Baby Puppy Class is S$720 for four sessions: foundation, heel work, stay and recall, off-leash readiness. The method uses no food rewards and is taught to the owner so the foundation stays for the puppy's whole life.

The basics

What puppy training actually is.

Puppy training is the foundation of every behaviour your dog will have for the next ten to fifteen years. Start early and you set the wiring before bad habits form. Start later and you spend twice as long undoing things you didn't have to undo.

The three things to get right in the first six months: socialisation (so the puppy learns the world is safe), potty training (so they know where to go), and foundation obedience (so they trust you to lead). Recall, off-leash readiness, calm greetings, lift behaviour — they all build on those three. The DOGPAPA Method covers all three in the four-session dog obedience training framework, tuned to a puppy's pace.

Why DOGPAPA

Ditch the treat.
Build a puppy who listens
because they want to.

Three principles

Foundation that lasts.

I don't train your puppy. I train YOU to train your puppy. Three ideas behind everything I do.

01

No treats. Real communication.

Treats teach a puppy to work for food. I teach puppies to work with you. Building respect early — before food becomes a habit — means your dog doesn't need a biscuit to behave at the lift door, on the void deck, or with guests at the door.

02

Train the owner.

You live with your puppy. I train you for four sessions. By the end, you are the trainer. The skills stay with you for the rest of your dog's life — no monthly classes, no ongoing retainers.

03

Start early. Stay consistent.

The first six months shape the next ten years. A puppy that learns clear boundaries, a routine they can rely on, and what calm looks like becomes a dog that listens later. The earlier the foundation goes in, the easier everything else is.

The Baby Puppy Class

Four sessions.
One trained puppy.

S$720 for four sessions — same four-session structure as the Adult Class, tuned to a puppy's pace. Valid 6 months from the first session.

Session 1

Foundation

Overview and assessment of your puppy. Potty training routine, sleep schedule, and the first piece of structured obedience. Crate work and settle-on-cue.

Session 2

Heel work

Reinforce what is working from session one. Introduce heel work and auto-sits — the bedrock of a calm walk through the corridor, void deck, and park.

Session 3

Stay & recall

Build sit and down into implied stay positions. Introduce recall — the foundation of off-leash readiness later in life.

Session 4

Off-leash

Advance to off-leash recall and obedience. The skills that let you take your dog anywhere as they grow — calmly, on a slack lead or no lead at all.

See full Baby Puppy Class details & book
What we work on

The puppy issues
Shawn solves most.

Most puppy problems in Singapore come down to three things — knowing what to do, giving the puppy clear leadership, and keeping the routine consistent. Shawn covers all three in the first session.

Common issues he works on:

  • Potty training. The HDB version — balcony tray, bathroom mat, or void-deck routine. Schedule, signs, and the consistency that makes it stick.
  • Biting and mouthing. Normal at this age — but the way you respond now sets whether it stops at 5 months or carries on into adolescence.
  • Crate training. A puppy that settles in their crate sleeps better, travels better, and is calmer at the vet.
  • Socialisation. Not the same as meeting other dogs. It's exposure to people, sounds, surfaces, and situations — managed by the owner, not freelanced at the dog park.
  • Lift and corridor manners. The HDB-specific work most owners didn't realise they needed until day three.
  • Recall foundations. The earlier this goes in, the easier off-leash later. Built up across the four-session programme.
  • Settle on cue. A puppy that can switch off when you're working from home is a puppy you can live with.
  • Jumping on guests and door manners. Cute at 8 weeks. Not cute at 8 months and 30kg.

The method is the same across all of them. Same principles, applied consistently — which is why owners who learn it once can keep applying it for the rest of their puppy's life. The same approach scales into adult dog training in Singapore once the puppy grows up.

Shawn K, founder of DOGPAPA, holding a training lead
The trainer

From Police K9 to your home.

Shawn K is a former handler with the Singapore Police K-9 Unit, where he handled Narcotic Detector Dogs. He trained under his uncle, who taught Singapore Police K9 handlers for 40+ years.

Police dogs do not work for treats. They work for the relationship. The same principles that keep a working dog focused under pressure are what build reliable behaviour in a family dog — and the earlier you start with a puppy, the deeper they go.

Read Shawn's story
Common questions

Puppy training, answered.

What age should my puppy start training?

Indoor foundation work can start the moment your puppy is home — usually from 8 weeks. Outdoor work in shared spaces (your corridor, lift, void deck, and the parks you walk in) waits until your puppy is fully vaccinated. The Baby Puppy Class is built for puppies under 6 months — there's plenty of time to build a strong foundation before bad habits form.

Do I need to wait until my puppy is fully vaccinated?

Not for indoor work. Sessions inside your home — foundation training, settle on cue, crate work, basic obedience — can start as soon as your puppy is home from the breeder. Outdoor work (your corridor, lift, void deck, and the parks you walk in) waits until your puppy is fully vaccinated for safety, since these are shared spaces where unvaccinated dogs may have been.

How long does puppy potty training take?

Most puppies become reliably potty trained over 4 to 6 months with a consistent routine. The DOGPAPA Method covers potty training in the foundation session — schedule, designated spot (balcony, bathroom, or pee tray), reading the signs, and the HDB-specific challenges. Many owners see meaningful change within the first two weeks of consistent practice.

How much does DOGPAPA charge for puppy training?

A single in-home consultation is S$250 (around 60 minutes). The Baby Puppy Class (4 sessions for puppies under 6 months) is S$720. The package saves S$280 against single-session pricing and is valid for 6 months from the first session.

Do you train puppies without treats?

Yes. The DOGPAPA Method uses no food rewards. A puppy trained on treats listens while food is present. A puppy trained on respect listens because they trust the owner. The training tools are clear leadership, body language, calm energy, and play — not a treat pouch.

What about socialisation?

Socialisation is the priority of the first six months. It is not the same as meeting lots of dogs — it is exposing your puppy to people, sounds, surfaces, and situations in a controlled way so they learn the world is safe. The DOGPAPA Method socialises through the owner's leadership, not through dog-park free-for-alls.

Where do puppy training sessions happen?

In your home and the environment around it — your corridor, lift, void deck, balcony, and the parks you walk in. Training happens where your puppy actually lives. Shawn travels island-wide across Singapore (HDB, condo, landed).

Is the Baby Puppy Class right for my puppy?

The Baby Puppy Class is built for puppies under 6 months. It covers the four-session foundation programme: foundation, heel work, stay and recall, off-leash readiness. If your puppy is older than 6 months the Adult Class (S$880) follows the same structure. If you want a single session for one specific issue (e.g. potty training, biting), the in-home consultation (S$250) is a low-commitment way to see how Shawn works.

How do I book?

Send a WhatsApp message to +65 9813 2756. Tell Shawn your puppy's age, breed, and what you'd like to work on. He replies personally — usually the same working day.

Tell me about
your puppy.

Send a WhatsApp message. I'll ask one or two questions, then tell you honestly what I'd do — single consultation or full Baby Puppy Class. No pressure either way.

Start the conversation
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