Puppy Preschool
Well behaved dogs don’t happen by accident. The more time you put into your puppy, the better the relationship you will build with your puppy and the more you will benefit from it.
In the early stages of life puppies undergo developmental changes at a very rapid rate! Experts call the most important developmental phase the “critical socialisation period” which begins at around 4 weeks, and ends somewhere between 12 and 16 weeks. The sooner you start socialisation and training the more effective it will be. It is much easier to get things right in the beginning, than try to correct problem behaviours once they have occurred.
Research shows that people who invest their time in attending things like puppy preschool and training will be better equipped to deal with little problems before they become big ones. We know these people are less likely to surrender their dogs to shelters. After all, shelter dogs are not born, they are created.
There’s a long list of things to consider with a new puppy; toilet training, socialisation, bite-inhibition, good manners, handling, grooming and much more! As a pet owner, this must-do list is your responsibility. Attending a puppy preschool course will help to better equip you with the information and skills required to deal with the typical challenges of owning a puppy. You receive will a resource folder full of information to help you at home as well as graduation bag.
Our course at the Veterinary clinic runs for four weeks, with classes held on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, beginning at 6.30pm and running for an hour. Each fortnight we take in a new group of puppies. Classes are designed for puppies between 6 and 14 weeks of age.
The classes are run in a safe and controlled environment by a qualified Dog Trainer, with experience in puppy behaviour and care. Each week we will cover a broad range of topics and some basic training cues, using positive reinforcement. You will be provided each week with the weeks information sheets for further reading and support.
During the course we aim to:
- Begin to develop a well socialised puppy
- Help you understand how your puppy learns and to better understand the messages we send them
- Show you how to make your puppy a more obedient and enjoyable pet to own, teaching cues such as sit, drop, stay, come and leave commands
- Make coming to the veterinary clinic an enjoyable experience for puppies and make future visits fun when your puppy is a grown dog
- Educate you on a wide range of pet care topics, including toilet training (of course), Nutrition, flea and worm control, grooming and potential problem behaviours such as jumping up, digging, barking, chewing, and much more
If your puppy was not vaccinated at the Mount Barker Veterinary Clinic, before attending, you will need to provide proof of your puppy’s vaccination history; you can bring this on the first night.
Numbers are limited to give you and your puppy the attention you deserve. To reserve your place please contact the clinic on 08 8391 1404.
