How to Choose a Puppy School
Now that we no longer offer Puppy Classes we often get asked by clients about where to go and what to expect from the program. Here’s what we suggest.
Do a little digging before you buy.
Back in the days when we started running Puppy Classes, it was a relatively new concept so you didn’t really have a great deal of choice.
Nowdays, the Puppy market has changed considerably and many more businesses are offering this valuable service to their customers.
But like anything, you’ll find that each program will have it’s own unique style, methods and content so it pays to shop around. You’ll find that most veterinary clinics run Puppy Classes or “Puppy Parties” as they’re sometimes called, as do most of the larger Pet Stores. There are also private trainers who offer puppy and dog socialisation and training as a standalone service. They are sometimes contracted by clinics and pet stores to run their classes for them in house.
Your first task of course is to find a class that fits your schedule. You’ll find that many are run either on a weekday evening or a weekend.
Secondly: – ask for an overview of the program. Find out what topics are covered, goals of the program, what methods they use and what they expect from you and your puppy as participants.
Thirdly: – and this is important – find out about the instructors. What are their qualifications and experience in both puppy health care, behaviour and training? Not all instructors are created equal and given that what you learn can influence your puppy’s future behaviour, it’s worth getting the right advice from the start.
Your instructor should be knowledgable about all aspects of Puppy health and behaviour and use proven training and socialisation strategies.
Finally – there’s cost. You’ll find that prices vary depending on content, session times and length of the course. Some offer a 4 week program, some may run over 5 weeks.
As far as price is concerned – we recommend comparing value rather than cost based on all the things mentioned above.
Important topics that should be covered in the program include: (Well, that’s what we used to include)
- Parasite control – Fleas, Heartworm, Intestinal worms
- Desexing
- Diet and Nutrition
- Dental care
- Basic grooming techniques
- Microchipping and registration
- Socialisation methods
- Basic training tips – lead walking, basic commands
- Housetraining methods
- Communication strategies and basics of dog behaviour. How dogs learn.
- Physical exercice and brain stimulating activities
- Integrating your dog into the family – kids and dogs
- Responsible pet ownership
As you can see, there’s a lot to learn about puppies and a lot to cram into a short space of time – all while your puppy mingles and socialises with his new found friends.
To be eligible to attend Puppy Classes, your puppy will need to be up to date with Vaccinations and meet the age requirements of that particular class. You’ll find that’s usually around 6 – 18 weeks of age.
For our puppy owners we’re happy to refer you on to our local, qualified Dog and Puppy Trainer Karen from Dog Solutions.