Can You Buy a Pre-Trained Puppy? Yes, Here’s Why You Should
- JennaLeeDesignerDoodles
- Sep 23, 2024
- 7 min read
Updated: Jul 2
One frequent request as doodle breeders is, “Do you have any adult dogs available?” There are many people who would love a doodle but are overwhelmed by the thought of a puppy.
But what if you can buy a puppy pre-trained? At JennaLee Designer Doodles, you can.
Some breeders offer training programs that allow puppies to stay beyond the typical 8-week go-home date. Depending on the breeder, these programs may include potty training, crate training, socialization, leash walking, basic obedience, and confidence building.
While no 12-week-old puppy is fully trained, bringing home a puppy that's already had several weeks of professional training can make the transition much easier for first-time owners, busy families, and anyone hoping to skip the toughest part of puppyhood.
Buying a Pre-Trained Puppy: What to Look For
In this article we draw mostly on our own experience with our training program at JLDD so be sure to ask your particular breeder about the nuances of their training program so you know what to expect when your pre-trained pup comes home! (Learn how to find a good puppy breeder here.)
In general most breeders send their (untrained) puppies home at 8 weeks of age (some smaller breeds may need to stay with mom an extra week or two).
While breeders can and should be training their litters prior to this 8 week mark by introducing potty and crate training, extensive socialization and shaping certain behaviors, an 8 week puppy will by no means be officially trained.
Even the very best breeders and trainers would be hard-pressed to produce a fully house trained 8 week old pup! So be wary of any breeder who claims their 8 week old pups are fully trained.
An 8 week old pup is just not developmentally mature enough to achieve certain training milestones. For example, most of the time their bladders are just not physically large enough to make it through the whole night.
Fortunately, puppies develop very quickly - much faster than a human baby so within a few short weeks they can make leaps and bounds with their training. By 12 weeks of age, a puppy can be potty-trained or very nearly so if following a schedule and being let out frequently.
Interested in adding a new puppy to your family?
Are You a Good Candidate for a Pre-Trained Puppy?
Good candidate if... | Maybe not if... |
You dread potty training | You enjoy training puppies |
You work full time | You're on a tight budget |
You have young kids | You specifically want an 8-week puppy |
You want an easier transition | You want to train every behavior yourself |
If You Buy a Pre-Trained Puppy, What Can You Expect?
Skill | 8 Week Puppy | 12 Week Puppy | 16-20 Week Puppy |
Sleeps through night | Sometimes | Often | Usually |
Potty training | Beginning | Mostly reliable | Much more consistent |
Crate training | Introductory | Comfortable | Established |
Basic commands | Very limited | Sit, Down, Come | More reliable |
Leash walking | Rare | Beginning | Moderate |
Socialization | Started | Extensive | Extensive |
Most breeders who have a training programs will start the one-on-one intensive training of a pup at around this 8 week mark. Most programs aim to address the worst of the puppy stage and place a heavy focus on potty training and crate training since these are two of the greatest concerns facing new puppy owners.
An emphasis on socialization should also be a part of any training program for a young puppy as beginning at around 8 weeks is a very critical stage in their social development and is often referred to as the first fear period as your pup is particularly sensitive to new stimuli.
In fact, 9-12 weeks of age is often considered the “Golden Window” of puppy training when your dood is actively working on social skills and is still in a very eager-to-please mindset as they are looking to other pack members (older dogs and confident humans) for guidance at this age.
In addition to crate and potty training, most puppy training programs will also teach your pup a few basic commands and social skills including bite inhibition, not jumping up, etc. Every breeder and training program is different so be sure to ask questions to get a clear understanding of what your pup will be learning during his training.
Most training programs stop short at teaching your pup specific working tasks such as those needed by a service dog. If you are wanting more advanced training then you will want to pursue a specific service dog training program, most last 1-2 years!
The length of each puppy training program is different. At JLDD we offer three different options: a 4 week program, an 8 week program and a 12 week program. Most puppy training programs will fall within this same window.
Of course the longer the training program, the older (and more developmentally mature) your pup will be upon coming home and the more time he has had to practice his manners with a professional trainer.
Still, with any length of time spent in training, you can expect a transition period when your puppy comes home. At the end of the day, your puppy is still a puppy, albeit a pre-trained one!
This means that he should respond to commands and overall have a much easier transition into your family as compared to an 8 week old pup, but it is up to you as the owner to continue reinforcing the training he has already received.
Your puppy will still make mistakes. He or she will likely still play-nip and chew or jump at times despite working with a professional trainer. The reason is that these types of behaviors are hard-wired into the puppy brain and take more than a few weeks to fully work through.
So be prepared to still have a bit of a goofball on your hands when you receive your pre-trained pup as he/she is still very much like a human toddler developmentally. However, you will be much more likely to be able to enjoy his antics after getting full nights of sleep!
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Why Do Pre-Trained Puppies Cost More?
One of the first questions families ask is whether a pre-trained puppy costs more than an 8-week-old puppy. In most cases, the answer is yes—but there's a good reason for it.
A puppy that stays with the breeder for an additional month or two requires significantly more time, care, and resources than one that goes home at eight weeks. You're not simply paying for a few training sessions; you're paying for weeks of individualized care during one of the most important developmental periods of a dog's life.
Here's where those additional costs typically come from:
Expense | Why It Adds to the Cost |
Professional training | Daily one-on-one sessions teaching potty training, crate training, manners, leash skills, and basic obedience. |
Trainer salaries | Experienced trainers spend hours working with each puppy, reinforcing good habits every day. |
Food and daily care | Growing puppies eat more each week and require ongoing feeding, cleaning, enrichment, and supervision. |
Housing | The breeder continues providing a clean, safe living environment while the puppy remains in their care. |
Veterinary care | Additional vaccines, deworming, wellness exams, and other routine healthcare may be needed before the puppy goes home. |
Socialization outings | Responsible programs expose puppies to new people, sounds, surfaces, car rides, and age-appropriate experiences to help build confidence. |
One-on-one attention | Individual training sessions, handling exercises, grooming practice, and personalized enrichment all require dedicated time. |
Delayed placement | Keeping a puppy longer means the breeder is covering all of the puppy's daily expenses for several extra weeks instead of placing them in their new home at eight weeks. |
While every breeder structures their program a little differently, reputable training programs involve much more than simply keeping a puppy for a longer period of time. The goal is to give each puppy a strong foundation before joining their new family.
For many owners, the value isn't just in teaching a puppy to sit or sleep in a crate—it's in avoiding some of the most challenging parts of early puppyhood. Coming home to a puppy that's already making progress with potty training, comfortable in a crate, and familiar with basic routines can make those first few weeks feel much less overwhelming.
That said, it's important to have realistic expectations. A pre-trained puppy is still a puppy.
You'll need to continue practicing the skills they've learned and reinforce those good habits once they're in your home. Think of breeder training as giving your puppy—and your family—a head start rather than a finished product.
Buying a Pre-Trained Puppy Helps You Avoid the Toughest Part of Puppy Parenting
What if you are just dying to get your hands on your adorable bundle of fluff, can you just get him trained later? Yes and no. Of course you can train your puppy yourself, we have many training tips to help guide you on this endeavor, too! (See what makes a good puppy owner.)
However, if you are looking to avoid the worst of the puppy stage as far as sleepless nights and potty training, then a puppy training program offered by your breeder is your best option.
Most board and train programs will not take on a puppy under 16 weeks of age. The reason is that puppies are not considered fully vaccinated or fully immune to various canine diseases (including rabies) until this age.
Veterinarians also often warn against taking your puppy to socialization classes (such as those offered by your local Petco or Petsmart) before 16 weeks as again there is risk of your puppy developing parvovirus or another serious disease before he has been fully vaccinated.
For this reason, opting to have your puppy trained by his/her breeder is often a safer choice. Most breeders work hard to maintain a safe environment for their puppies and are very selective on where they take their pups and who they allow to see them while still being strategic about their socialization!
If you wait until 16 weeks to enroll your pup in training, he/she can certainly still benefit from the professional training and hone his skills, but you will have already dealt with the worst of the puppy stage!
To further clarify, if learning specific high-level tasks or really sharpening your dog’s manners is the most valuable aspect of training for you, then hiring a professional trainer after you’ve have your doodle pup for a couple months may work best for your family.
If, however, the basics of potty training and crate training are your biggest concern when it comes to getting a pup, then you will benefit from finding a breeder who offers a training program straight out of the gate for your new family member.
Authored by the JLDD Team. Learn more about what makes us premium puppy breeders here.