A happy chocolate Labrador Retriever puppy with a pink collar sitting on a pink and black place board in a grassy field with trees in the background.

Puppy Head Start Program

Our Puppy Head Start Program is designed for puppies between 8 and 24 weeks old and provides early, positive foundations for training and socialization. While staying at Riptide Thunder Kennels in South Carolina, your puppy becomes part of our family. Puppies live inside our home, sleep in a safe, climate-controlled kennel, and receive multiple one-on-one training sessions each day as part of their personalized puppy training plan.

Outside of training, your puppy enjoys plenty of indoor and outdoor playtime, structured socialization, and downtime in a calm, family-style home environment. During their stay, puppies learn essential basic obedience commands such as name recognition, sit, down, place, kennel, here, and loose-leash walking. Our program also includes crate training and potty training, helping your puppy develop strong habits early.

A major focus of the program is socialization, which may include exposure to other dogs, car rides, boat rides, nature walks, public outings, golf cart rides, a variety of sounds, and even water exposure. For families interested in a future hunting or working dog, we also offer early hunting introductions, including bumpers, birds, whistles, leashes, wingers, holding blinds, decoys, and controlled gunfire.

Training is fully customizable based on your goals, with a minimum four-week stay required for best results.

This program is not exclusive to retrievers. The Puppy Head Start Program is open to all dog breeds and sizes.

If your puppy hasn’t completed all of their vaccinations before starting the Puppy Head Start Program, we’ll arrange the remaining vet appointments with our veterinarian. All vaccinations and health related expenses are the responsibility of the puppy owner.

Puppy head start Request

Three dogs sitting on green grass, two brown and one white, all with tongues out and smiling.

Golden retriever puppy sitting on green grass, wearing a blue bandana with red and white stars, in a park with trees and bushes in the background.

A brown dog with floppy ears lying on a plush gray bed in front of a fireplace, surrounded by various colorful chew toys. The dog is holding a pink pacifier with a braided handle in its mouth.

A happy yellow Labrador retriever puppy sitting on the floor of a liquor store next to shelves filled with bottles of alcohol.

Black Labrador Retriever puppy with purple collar sitting on green grass holding a fabric toy in its mouth outdoors.

A tan, curly-haired dog sleeping on a gray elevated dog bed with a black corner in a room with hardwood flooring and a yellow wall.

Two chocolate Labrador puppies sitting on a concrete patio with their tongues out.

A happy yellow Labrador retriever sitting on a small outdoor dog bed, panting with tongue out, on grassy ground under bright sunlight.

A happy, chocolate Labrador Retriever puppy sitting on green grass with its mouth open and tongue out.

White fluffy dog lying on a dog step on a wooden porch, with a green yard and trees in the background.

A tan, curly-haired dog with a red collar standing in a lush, green grassy field under a partly cloudy sky.

Black Labrador puppy sitting on green grass next to a decorative blue heron statue, with ducks and more grass in the background.

A yellow Labrador Retriever puppy sitting in the grass with its eyes closed.

A chocolate Labrador puppy lying on concrete ground next to a pink water bowl with some water inside, and water droplets scattered around.

A brown dachshund laying on a black raised dog bed in a grassy outdoor area with trees in the background.

A black Labrador Retriever puppy sitting on a gray small elevated bed outdoors near a tree, with its mouth open and tongue out, looking happy.

A brown dog with a pink collar and leash sitting on the floor in a liquor store, next to a blue mat and a social distancing floor sticker. Behind the dog, there are shelves filled with various alcohol bottles.

A playful yellow Labrador puppy running in a backyard with a toy in its mouth, under a bright blue sky with spring trees in the background.

A brown and black small puppy sitting on an elevated dog bed in a field.

A chocolate Labrador Retriever puppy sitting inside a pet crate or carrier with a metal door open.

A black dog with upright ears running through tall green grass in a rural field with trees and wooden fences in the background.

A brown puppy is lying on a fluffy beige dog bed, surrounded by various dog toys on a hardwood floor.

A chocolate Labrador Retriever puppy lying flat on a wooden floor, gazing at the camera with a relaxed expression.

A cute yellow Labrador puppy sitting on a grassy patch with a blue and white chew toy in its mouth.

A black puppy with its tongue out standing on a black textured platform outdoors on green grass.

A brown puppy lying on a white surface next to a white locker, looking up with light-colored eyes, with a red collar and a rope leash.

A brown dog with a black face standing in a grassy field with other dogs in the distance and trees in the background.

Cute yellow Labrador puppy sitting on dry grass with some green patches, looking directly at the camera.

A cute white fluffy dog lying in green grass, smiling with its tongue out and eyes closed.

Happy brown puppy sitting on a black and red skateboard on green grass

A happy yellow Labrador Retriever sitting on a black platform outdoors with fallen red and orange leaves around, a bush, and a brick wall in the background.

Happy golden retriever puppy lying on green grass, mouth open, tongue out, wearing a black and pink collar.

A black puppy with a blue collar sitting on sandy ground surrounded by pine trees and dry grass in a forest.

A black puppy biting a plastic or rubber duck decoy on a grassy field.

A brown puppy sitting on a blue platform in a grassy outdoor area, with rubber decoys of ducks in the background.

A brown and black puppy sleeping curled up on a black and white checkered blanket.

A small green golf cart with a dog sitting on the front seat, parked in a grassy field with trees and a blue sky in the background.

Lying tan puppy with a toy in mouth on a grassy field under a blue sky.

A happy black puppy sitting in grass in a backyard on a sunny day, with trees and a house in the background.

A happy chocolate Labrador puppy sitting on a gray outdoor platform in a grassy field with trees in the background.

A happy golden doodle puppy wearing a red bandana with white and blue stars, sitting on green grass in an outdoor field with trees in the background.

A white fluffy dog sitting in a black car seat in a vehicle, with a view of trees and blue sky outside the window.

A brown puppy with a pink collar sitting on green grass in a backyard.

A young golden retriever puppy lying on green grass in a field with trees and a sunset sky in the background.

A happy brown puppy sitting in tall grass in an open field with cloudy sky and distant trees in the background.

Black Labrador puppy sitting on outdoor concrete ground near a pink dog dish, with grassy yard and trees in the background.

A cute puppy with a red collar sitting in tall green grass outdoors.

A dog with a red collar and black harness sitting on a grassy field, looking into the distance at an open landscape with trees, hay bales, and farm structures on the horizon.

A adorable golden retriever puppy lying on a black pet bed, resting its head and paws on the edge, indoors with wooden floor and furniture in the background.

A brown puppy with a red collar lying on a wooden deck, holding an orange rubber chew toy.

A happy black Labrador puppy with a pink collar sitting in a grassy field with trees in the background and a partly cloudy sky.

A brown dog with a pink collar standing on a grassy field, holding a white cylindrical object in its mouth, under a blue sky with some clouds.

A happy, light brown, curly-haired dog with a purple collar and a star-shaped tag lying on a wooden floor inside a home. A dog bed is in the background.

A cute brown puppy with blue eyes lying on a white surface, looking upward.

A happy brown Labrador puppy sitting on a red Cato Outdoors elevated puppy platform outdoors in a garden with red and green autumn leaves, a brick wall, and decorative yard figurines.

A black dog with a blue collar sitting in tall green grass on a sunny day, with a blue metal gate and a wooden fence in the background, alongside a tree and rolling green fields under a bright sky.

A white, curly-haired puppy sitting on a colorful quilted blanket with a black and white diamond pattern, on a wooden floor, looking at the camera with a curious expression.

A brown puppy with blue eyes lying on green grass, holding a white chew stick in its mouth.

A cute golden retriever puppy lying on an examination table at a veterinary clinic, looking directly at the camera.

A happy brown puppy with a pink collar sitting on a pink and black platform outdoors in a grassy area with trees in the background.

A small dog licking the grass while playing in a backyard on a sunny day, with a hose spraying water in the background.

A brown and black dog with a pink collar lying inside a camouflage-colored camping tent on a wooden deck outside a house.

Two brown puppies with light-colored eyes sitting and lying on green grass in an outdoor yard with trees and fence in the background.

A cute yellow Labrador retriever puppy sitting on a portable dog bed outdoors, with a tree and grass in the background.

A adorable golden retriever puppy lying on green grass with its tongue slightly sticking out and looking at the camera while in obedience training.

Black puppy with tongue out sitting among green leaves in a garden or farm setting.

A adorable brown and black puppy with long ears sitting on concrete next to a wooden staircase and some green bushes.

Two chocolate Labrador puppies sitting on separate platforms outdoors on a grassy field.

A chocolate Labrador puppy lying on a KINGROCK folding chair on a wooden deck, looking at the camera.

Golden retriever puppy lying in green grass, holding a bird in its mouth.

A white fluffy dog curled up sleeping on a dark-colored couch, with a beige stuffed animal resting on it.

Yellow Labrador Retriever puppy sitting on grass with a harness, at an outdoor event with white tents and people in the background.

A happy brown puppy sitting on a raised black platform outdoors on a grassy field.

A brown puppy with floppy ears leaning over the side of a black metal trailer, with a green tractor in the background on a grassy field under a cloudy sky.

A young brown puppy running through a patch of dirt and green plants, carrying a duck-shaped toy in its mouth.

A chocolate Labrador puppy sitting in green grass in a rural outdoor setting at sunset, with trees and a cloudy sky in the background.

A brown Labrador retriever puppy lying on a plastic step platform on a wooden porch, surrounded by a wooden railing and house exterior with shutters, with a background of green grass and trees in bright daylight.

A brown puppy with blue eyes sitting on green grass outdoors, with trees and a fence in the background.

A playful white dog with curly fur standing on a green grassy field near a blue ball, with trees in the background, smiling with its tongue out.

A chocolate Labrador puppy sitting on a digital scale outdoors in a grassy field, with its tongue out and eyes squinting.

A black puppy lying inside a camouflage-patterned pet tent on grass, with a house and bushes in the background.

Black Labrador puppy sitting on a gray platform in a grassy field, smiling with its mouth open.

A brown puppy holding a white chew toy in its mouth standing on a grassy field with trees and a partly cloudy sky in the background while in obedience training.