A Stronger Start and Continued Support: CWB Welcomes Kody Hansen of TOLO
At Central Wisconsin Bernedoodles, our commitment to every puppy extends far beyond Go-Home Day. Raising a confident, well-adjusted dog begins during the earliest weeks of life—but puppyhood continues long after a puppy leaves our nursery.
That is why we are so excited to welcome Kody Hansen of TOLO—They Only Live Once as an additional training resource for CWB families.
Kody, known online as @puppyhoodtrainer, has devoted his career to helping families understand their puppies, navigate developmental changes, and build relationships that last a lifetime. His philosophy beautifully complements the foundation our team establishes through our curriculum, TTP+, and customizable Turnkey Training Program.
Together, we can offer families even more support as their puppies grow from tiny babies into confident adult dogs.
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A Conversation That Grew Into Something More
Our connection began when Kody contacted Jess on behalf of a client searching for a Bernedoodle. The client had recently lost his wife and hoped to find a puppy who could share the next chapter of his life.
Before recommending a breeder, Kody wanted to understand how CWB puppies were raised during their first eight weeks. He arrived prepared with questions about socialization, development, training, and the experiences our puppies receive before going home.
That first conversation revealed how closely our philosophies aligned.
Kody believed deeply in the importance of a puppy’s earliest experiences. Jess and the CWB team had built an entire program around that same belief. What began as a call about one puppy soon developed into a much larger conversation about how we could work together to support CWB families.
Meet Kody Hansen, Puppyhood Trainer
Kody has more than 10,000 hours of hands-on dog-training experience. His career began with some of the most challenging behavioral cases, including fearful, anxious, aggressive, and reactive dogs.
Families and humane societies often contacted him when a dog was facing one final opportunity for successful rehabilitation. As Kody worked with these dogs, he began recognizing a common thread: many adult behavioral challenges could be traced back to missed opportunities during puppyhood.
That realization changed the direction of his work.
Instead of waiting until families were overwhelmed by serious behavioral problems, Kody wanted to help them build strong foundations from the beginning. He founded TOLO—They Only Live Once to become the resource he wished every dog could have received before needing a behavior specialist.
Today, Kody calls himself a Puppyhood Trainer because he does more than teach dogs obedience cues. He coaches the people raising them.
Through TOLO, Kody guides families through a puppy’s first 12 months—from the day the puppy comes home through its first birthday. His approach combines science-based training, practical experience, personalized coaching, and developmentally appropriate expectations.
Learn more about Kody and TOLO at puppyhoodtrainer.com.
Why Puppyhood Matters So Much
Most of us can remember one truly special dog—the dog who joined us on family vacations, camping trips, walks, and everyday adventures. The dog whose stories remain part of the family long after it is gone.
Kody’s goal is to help more families experience that kind of relationship.
A puppy’s first year is filled with rapid physical, emotional, and neurological development. Puppies encounter new fears, test boundaries, gain independence, and learn how to respond to the world around them.
Behavior such as biting, barking, pulling on the leash, struggling when left alone, or suddenly appearing unsure of something familiar is not simply something every puppy will automatically outgrow. These behaviors provide information about what a puppy needs at that developmental stage.
With the right guidance, families can respond intentionally instead of feeling surprised or discouraged.
As Kody explains, puppyhood is a practice. Families and puppies keep learning together, one day at a time.
Building on the CWB Foundation
Our team invests heavily in each puppy’s earliest development. From birth, CWB puppies participate in an intentional curriculum that supports confidence, resilience, emotional regulation, and healthy engagement with people and their environment.
Families may also choose TTP+ or our customizable Turnkey Training Program to give their puppies additional time to practice foundational skills and experience the world with thoughtful guidance.
Kody’s role does not replace that work. It extends it.
Our team knows our puppies, our bloodlines, and the Bernedoodle breed exceptionally well. We understand what motivates these puppies and how to establish their earliest foundation. Kody brings extensive experience helping puppies apply those skills inside individual family homes as they move through later developmental stages.
Together, we can help close the gap between learning a skill and using it successfully in everyday life.
A puppy may understand “sit” in a familiar room, but can it hold a sit-stay at the park? Can it remain responsive at the veterinarian’s office? Can it make a thoughtful choice around distractions?
Those are the skills that turn early training into a lifetime of confident behavior.
Support Tailored to Each Family
Every puppy is different, and every family needs a different level of support.
Some families are bringing home their first puppy and want someone to guide them through each stage. Others have raised several dogs and simply need a knowledgeable person to call when a new challenge appears. A family may understand what to do but need help adjusting its timing, body positioning, routine, or expectations.
Kody’s experience allows him to draw from hundreds of real cases. When someone asks how to address puppy biting, leash pulling, uncertainty, or another behavior, he can consider what has worked across many different puppies and households.
That does not mean there is one universal answer. It means families gain access to a broader collection of possible solutions.
TOLO’s personalized coaching may include:
Guidance tailored to a puppy’s breed, temperament, and developmental stage
Step-by-step instruction for consistent practice at home
Virtual support when challenges arise
In-person assistance for local families
Game-based learning that strengthens real-world decision-making
Help transferring foundational skills into everyday environments
The goal is not simply to produce a dog that performs commands. It is to help families raise thoughtful, resilient, well-mannered companions.
Understanding the Stages of Puppyhood
TOLO organizes a puppy’s first year into four primary developmental stages.
The Cuddle Phase: Two to Four Months
During the Cuddle Phase, puppies are learning what feels safe, what may be frightening, and how to engage with their families.
Training may include:
Crate and leash foundations
Gentle, thoughtful socialization
Confidence-building experiences
Positive exposure to new environments
The goal is a curious puppy who can explore the world while continuing to look to its people for security and guidance.
The Explore Phase: Four to Six Months
As puppies enter the Explore Phase, they begin asking, “What happens if I do this?”
Training expands to include:
Reliable responses to cues such as Come, Drop It, and Leave It
Structured play
Safe freedom and age-appropriate off-leash work
Continued confidence and decision-making exercises
This is an important time to build reliability without diminishing a puppy’s natural curiosity.
The Question Phase: Six to Nine Months
During the Question Phase, puppies begin testing boundaries and developing greater independence.
Families may work on:
Clear and consistent boundaries
Preparation for veterinary and grooming appointments
Calm independence
Responding appropriately in unfamiliar settings
Puppies may appear to question rules they previously followed. Understanding that this is part of development helps families respond calmly and consistently.
The Rebel Phase: Nine to Twelve Months
By the Rebel Phase, an adolescent puppy may understand the rules but begin asking whether following them is optional.
Training focuses on:
Reliability around distractions
Mature boundaries
Real-world responsiveness
Greater off-leash trust where appropriate
The skills introduced during earlier stages are practiced in increasingly challenging situations, helping the puppy become a dependable adult dog.
Supporting Puppies as a Group—and as Individuals
One especially exciting part of this collaboration is the opportunity to identify patterns within an entire litter.
Puppies from the same litter reach developmental milestones at approximately the same time. If one family encounters a particular challenge, another family may be experiencing something similar.
Kody will be able to help families understand what may be coming next, prepare for developmental changes, discuss challenges, and celebrate progress. Those conversations may also reveal patterns that help us strengthen the support we provide across the entire CWB program.
At the same time, every puppy remains an individual.
Temperament testing is not about labeling a puppy as good or bad. One puppy may leap into a new experience without hesitation, while another pauses to observe before participating. Both can become wonderful dogs, but they may need different kinds of support.
The same is true for families. Advice that works beautifully in one home may need to be adjusted for another family’s routine, experience, or environment.
Personalized support allows us to meet each puppy and family where they are.
Preparing Families for What Comes Next
Puppy behavior often feels easier to manage when families understand that a change is coming.
Imagine learning in advance that your puppy may enter a new developmental stage in approximately three weeks. Instead of being caught off guard by new uncertainty, independence, or boundary testing, you can recognize the behavior and respond with an appropriate plan.
That preparation can replace frustration with understanding.
It can also remind families that a challenging day does not erase all their progress. Puppyhood includes forward movement, setbacks, breakthroughs, and days when everyone needs to slow down.
Sometimes families need detailed coaching. Sometimes they need one practical suggestion. Sometimes they simply need a knowledgeable person to say, “This is normal, and you are doing a good job.”
Raising Great Dogs Together
At CWB, we often say that we have the best families—and we mean it.
Our families want to do right by their dogs. They invest time, energy, and love into raising well-adjusted companions. They understand that puppies make mistakes and people do, too. What matters is continuing to learn, practice, and strengthen the relationship.
Kody shares that family-centered philosophy.
Neither CWB nor TOLO believes in cookie-cutter training or quick fixes. We believe in understanding the individual puppy, coaching the people raising it, and building skills that work in real life.
Our puppies receive an exceptional start. With Kody joining us as an additional resource, families will have even more support as they carry that foundation through the rest of puppyhood.
Because they only live once—and every puppy deserves a great start, a prepared family, and the opportunity to become the remarkable dog it was meant to be.
Follow Kody on Instagram at @puppyhoodtrainer and visit puppyhoodtrainer.com to learn more about TOLO.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Kody Hansen?
Kody Hansen is the founder of TOLO—They Only Live Once—and describes himself as a Puppyhood Trainer. With more than 10,000 hours of hands-on experience, he specializes in helping families understand and guide puppies throughout their first year.
What does TOLO mean?
TOLO stands for They Only Live Once. The name reflects Kody’s belief that families have one puppyhood in which to establish the foundation for a calm, confident, and well-adjusted adult dog.
What is a Puppyhood Trainer?
A Puppyhood Trainer works with both the puppy and the people raising it. In addition to teaching obedience skills, Kody helps families understand developmental stages, establish effective routines, address emerging behaviors, and practice skills in real-life situations.
How will Kody support CWB families?
Kody will serve as an additional resource as CWB puppies move through their first year. His support may include developmental guidance, virtual coaching, help with specific behaviors, and practical suggestions for transferring early training into everyday family life.
Does Kody replace the CWB training team?
No. Kody’s role complements the work already provided by Jess and the CWB team. CWB will continue establishing each puppy’s early foundation through its curriculum, TTP+, and customizable Turnkey Training Program. Kody adds continued support as puppies mature and encounter new developmental stages at home.
Is Kody’s support only available to families enrolled in TTP+?
Kody is being introduced as an additional resource for CWB families, including those who take their puppies home on Selection Day and those who participate in TTP+ or Turnkey Training. The type of guidance a family needs will depend on its puppy’s existing foundation and individual circumstances.
What kinds of puppy behaviors can Kody help with?
Kody can help families navigate common puppyhood challenges such as biting, barking, leash pulling, difficulty settling, boundary testing, distraction, and uncertainty in new environments. He can also help families strengthen cues and routines as puppies grow.
Why is the first year of a puppy’s life so important?
A puppy experiences significant emotional, behavioral, and neurological development during its first year. Thoughtful guidance during this period can help puppies build confidence, learn appropriate boundaries, develop reliable habits, and become better prepared for life as adult family companions.
What are the four stages in TOLO’s Puppyhood Training Program?
TOLO divides the first year into four general stages:
Cuddle Phase, two to four months: safety, bonding, early socialization, and foundational skills
Explore Phase, four to six months: curiosity, structured freedom, and cue reliability
Question Phase, six to nine months: independence, boundary testing, and emotional regulation
Rebel Phase, nine to twelve months: distraction proofing, mature expectations, and real-world reliability
These stages help families anticipate changes and adjust their training as their puppy develops.
Does TOLO offer virtual puppy training?
Yes. TOLO provides virtual support, allowing families to receive personalized guidance even if they do not live near Kody. In-person assistance may also be available to local families.
How is TOLO different from a traditional obedience class?
TOLO focuses on the puppy’s complete first year rather than offering a short, standardized obedience package. Coaching is tailored to the puppy’s temperament, developmental stage, home environment, and family routines, with an emphasis on building trust and practical real-life skills.
Where can I learn more about Kody and TOLO?
Visitpuppyhoodtrainer.com or follow Kody on Instagram at @puppyhoodtrainer.
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