Puppy Training

Yes! Yes! and YEEEEEES!!!!

Oh my, we LOVE helping people get ready for their new pup before puppy arrives!

There’s so much to consider to be sure your puppy gets off on the right paw….

• What’s the best location for puppy to sleep, play, and potty?

• How will you ensure housetraining is quick and effective?

• What supplies do you need?

• What are appropriate house rules regarding puppy interactions (especially important for families with children)?

• How will you teach your puppy it’s okay to be alone?

• How will you transition your puppy from the only environment they may have ever known to yours?

• How can you start a socialization program for your puppy at home?

Register for a session of our Private Puppy Coaching to be sure you and your pup get off to a perfect start!

Congratulations on your new puppy!

The short answer to this question is that it’s never too early to start training your pup!

Your puppy has been learning since the moment they were born! Now that they’re part of your family, it’s important to remember that your puppy is learning every moment they are awake.

We recommend that puppies begin our GROUP CLASSES - Puppy Kindergarten and Puppy Social - at 11 weeks old or shortly thereafter. Yes, we know they haven’t finished all their puppy vaccinations by 11 weeks but current recommendations from leading veterinary associations are that puppies should experience safe, positive exposure to other puppies and people even before they reach 4 months.

Prior to beginning Puppy Kindergarten and Social, we can do private training with you at your home or our center.

Through private training, we can help you set up a plan for housetraining, socialization, appropriate play and rest, head start training on puppy life skills, and building appropriate interactions with all family members, including children. We can also help guide your selection of toys, crates, and other equipment.

Puppyhood is such a special time and we’re here to support you with proven positive techniques for raising a happy, well-behaved family member!

There are advantages to group classes and private training. For best results, you might consider a blend of both!

PRIVATE TRAINING may be best if:

• Your dog is too young (under 11 weeks) for Puppy Kindergarten and Puppy Social, our two group training programs for puppies.

• Your schedule or situation prevents participation in Puppy Kindergarten and Puppy Social.

• You have specific training goals beyond skills taught in our group classes.

• You have very small children who you want to involve in the training.

• Your training goals include other pets in your home.

• You need help with behavior challenges such as fear, anxiety, or aggression.

But the advantages of GROUP CLASSES, especially for puppies, are important!

• They provide positive exposure to new people, other puppies, and environments and this is so important to a puppy’s development.

• Learning in a group environment helps puppies learn to be attentive to their people, even when there are distractions.

• We can learn so much by watching how other puppies learn. We draw on all the puppies in class to demonstrate how to teach puppies and how they learn.

• Many puppy parents enjoy learning alongside other puppy parents since they are experiencing many of the same rewards and challenges of puppyhood.

Whether you choose private or group training - or both! - we are here to help!

FOR PUPPY KINDERGARTEN & SOCIAL

Puppies must have been in your home and only with other vaccinated dogs for at least two weeks

Puppies must have had the following vaccinations by first class:

• 2 parvo-distemper (often called DHPP)

• Bordetella

• Documentation of a clear fecal test.

• Please note that we require vaccinations and the fecal test to have been administered through a licensed veterinarian.

FOR PRIVATE PUPPY COACHING IN YOUR HOME

We simply ask that you are proceeding with a vaccination schedule recommended by your veterinarian.