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Puppy training in Murfreesboro, TN.

The easiest training you will ever do is the training you do first. We start your puppy in the window when they learn fastest — potty routine, crate, socialization, leash manners and an end to the needle-sharp nipping — right here in Murfreesboro and across Rutherford County.

Book your free puppy evaluation Take the Free Assessment Quiz Call 629-772-3647

Puppies from 8 weeks Free evaluation In-home & on-location Flexible financing Whole family included

Puppy trainers in Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Start your puppy right, before the habits set.

Talking Tails is a local, Murfreesboro-based training team — not a franchise and not a call center. We work with puppies across Murfreesboro, Smyrna, La Vergne, Christiana, Rockvale, Eagleville and the wider Rutherford County area, in the places your puppy actually has to behave: your living room, your front door, your neighborhood sidewalk.

Puppyhood is short. Between roughly eight weeks and six months your puppy is deciding what the world is, how people behave, and what works to get what they want. Training in that window is less about correcting problems and more about never having them — and it is the single biggest predictor of what the next decade with your dog looks like.

Every puppy starts with a free evaluation. We meet your puppy, watch how they respond to you and to a stranger, talk through your routine and your goals, and then tell you honestly which program fits, how long it should take and exactly what it costs. There is no obligation to sign up.

Bring everyone who lives with the puppy. Puppies generalize badly — they need to hear the same rules from every person in the house.

Request your free puppy evaluation

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The curriculumWhat your
puppy learns

Red toy poodle puppy sitting and looking up at its handler during a puppy lesson in Murfreesboro

Puppy sessions are short, gentle and upbeat — built around a young dog's attention span, not an adult dog's curriculum. We teach the handful of things that make the first year easy.

House and crate manners, plus a potty-training routine that fits your actual schedule
Name recognition, attention and the beginnings of a reliable recall
Loose-leash walking, taught before your puppy is strong enough to pull
Bite inhibition and an end to needle-sharp nipping on hands, sleeves and ankles
Confident socialization — controlled exposure to people, dogs, surfaces and noise, not a free-for-all
Handling and grooming tolerance, so the vet visit isn't a wrestling match
Settling on cue, so a busy house doesn't mean a frantic puppy

Best for puppies roughly 8 weeks to 6 months. Older than that? The obedience program is the better starting point — and it works just as well.

How it works

Four steps from new puppy to good dog

No mystery, no long contracts before anyone has met your puppy. Here is the whole process, in order.

Free evaluation

About an hour. We meet your puppy, see how they behave when nobody is performing, and hear what your days actually look like — the 5am whining, the shredded rug, the walk that isn't working.

A plan built for your puppy

We recommend the format that fits: private puppy lessons, a hybrid program, or group class once the foundation is there. You get the timeline and the price before you decide anything.

Training you can do too

Your puppy learns the skills; you learn the timing, the handling and the body language that keeps them. Everyone in the household gets coached, because the puppy has to listen to all of you.

Proofing and follow-up

New places, new people, new distractions — until the cue means the same thing on a Murfreesboro sidewalk as it does in your kitchen. Then you still have our number when something new comes up.

Sound familiar?

The puppy problems we solve every week

None of these are signs of a bad puppy. They are signs of a young dog with no rules yet — and every one of them is easier to fix now than at eighteen months.

Potty accidents Crying in the crate Nipping & biting Chewing furniture Jumping on guests Pulling on leash Not coming when called Barking at everything Counter surfing Door dashing Shy or fearful puppies Resource guarding

Potty & crate training

A schedule you can actually keep, a crate your puppy chooses to rest in, and a plan for the nights — so the house stops being a guessing game.

Socialization done right

Quality of exposure beats quantity. We build a confident puppy through controlled, positive introductions — not by dropping them into chaos and hoping.

Manners that last

Four paws on the floor, a leash with slack in it, and a puppy who can settle while you eat dinner. Ordinary things, taught properly.

Client reviews

Murfreesboro puppy owners on working with us

5.0 — 288+ verified Google reviews

Kortnie Schmidtke Posted on Google

“When picking a dog trainer it's important to remember the time and money you invest now dictates the next 8–13 years of your life. Teddy makes every session so productive and I can see results instantly. I would recommend Talking Tails to anyone with a dog!”

✓ Verified Google review

Megan H. Posted on Google

“Teddy was amazing to work with. We started seeing real progress and better communication with our dog within the first few sessions. Highly recommend Talking Tails to anyone considering training.”

✓ Verified Google review

Jason B. Posted on Google

“The training has helped our family so much. Our dog is more confident, obedient and easier to manage. The team is professional and truly invested in your dog's success.”

✓ Verified Google review

Where we train

Puppy training across Rutherford County

We are based in Murfreesboro and train throughout the surrounding communities. Sessions can happen where the behavior actually occurs — a puppy who only loses it at your front door needs to be worked at your front door.

Murfreesboro Smyrna La Vergne Christiana Rockvale Eagleville Blackman Walter Hill Rutherford County

Not sure whether you're in range? Call 629-772-3647 — we'll tell you straight away.

Puppy training FAQ

Before you call

Anything not covered here, ask at the evaluation — that's what it's for.

How old does my puppy need to be to start training in Murfreesboro?

As soon as your puppy is home and your vet has cleared them — usually around 8 weeks. Waiting until six months means unlearning habits instead of installing them, so earlier is always easier.

Does my puppy need all their shots before the first session?

No. We work around your puppy's vaccination schedule, starting in low-risk environments such as your own home and yard, and expanding to busier Murfreesboro locations as your vet gives the all clear.

How long does puppy training take?

Most families see meaningful change in the first two or three sessions — usually in potty routine, nipping and leash pressure. Reliable, distraction-proof behavior develops over the following weeks and depends heavily on the practice you do between sessions.

Can you help with potty training and crate training?

Yes. Potty training and crate training are part of every puppy program. We build a realistic schedule around your household's actual routine rather than an ideal one nobody can keep.

How do I stop my puppy from biting and nipping?

Bite inhibition is taught, not waited out. We show you how to redirect the behavior, when to end play, and how to teach your puppy that teeth on skin stops the fun — consistently, so it sticks.

What does puppy training cost in Murfreesboro?

It depends on your puppy and the program that fits, which is why we quote after the free evaluation rather than before. Flexible financing is available and we're happy to walk you through it.

Do I need to be there for the sessions?

Yes, and so should everyone else who lives with the puppy. Your puppy will learn the skills either way; the point of training is that you can use them.

Which areas do you serve?

Murfreesboro and the surrounding Rutherford County communities, including Smyrna, La Vergne, Christiana, Rockvale, Eagleville, Blackman and Walter Hill.

Your puppy will never be this easy to train again.

Book the free evaluation while the window is open — or take the two-minute quiz and we'll tell you where we'd start.

Book the free evaluation Take the Free Assessment Quiz Call 629-772-3647