Give your puppy a great start in life
Preschool for Precious Pups
Puppy Preschool is a great way to get your puppy on the right track to becoming a happy and well-adjusted member of your family.
What is Puppy Preschool?
Unlike traditional training classes, Puppy Preschool is specifically designed for puppies 8 – 14 weeks of age. This is a very important developmental period for puppies. It is a time when puppies are very accepting of new situations and experiences; “bouncing back” if they see something new or a little frightening. This makes it the perfect time for introducing your puppy to the big, wide world that it is going to live in – a world of funny sights, funny sounds and funny smells. It is also a good time for learning about other dogs – that they come in all shapes and sizes.
Our Puppy Pre-school classes currently available are called “Baby Puppy” and are run by Belinda Petchell of Pawprint Dog Training. You can book your place and find out further information by clicking here.
What happens if dogs don’t attend Puppy Preschool?
If your puppy does not attend puppy preschool, they miss this genetic window of opportunity and may be anxious in unfamiliar surroundings such as grooming salons, vet clinics or with unfamiliar people or animals, which may result in fear aggression.
What happens after Puppy Preschool?
It is important to continue exposing your puppy to as many different experiences as possible once they have graduated from Puppy Preschool, but they must be exposed to these situations in a safe environment where they can be kept calm and learn.
Is my puppy too young?
Puppy Preschool has been specially designed to cater for puppies from as young as 8 weeks. We have strict vaccine protocols which minimise any risks posed to puppies. The sooner that they are enrolled, the more benefit they will get from Puppy Preschool.
Puppy Preschool run by a veterinary clinic ensures that the puppies can socialise and learn in a clean, safe and supervised environment.
What happens in Puppy Preschool?
Our classes are aimed at ensuring that you:
- Develop an understanding of normal puppy behaviour
- Learn how to read your puppy’s body language and respond appropriately
- Develop effective techniques for positive behavioural development
- Learn important tips about how to handle all the common puppy problems like how to walk in public, what to chew on etc
- Understand the need for socialising your puppy
- Understand important boundaries when playing together
- Develop strong bonds between you and your puppy
But more importantly it is aimed at habituating him/her to all those potentially scary situations they will experience during their life including:
- Sudden loud noises
- Other puppies
- Children
- Veterinary hospitals
- Different looking people etc
It also teaches your puppy how to play properly with other people and puppies, and how to settle down in exciting situations.
There are many benefits to Puppy Preschool
Puppy Preschool sets you up to get the many benefits of teaching your puppy to be well-behaved at an early age. Young puppies are quite able to learn basic skills, appropriate toileting behaviour and social boundaries. All of these things help make your relationship with your dog more rewarding for the years to come.
We recommend that puppy socialisation classes be completed prior to the end of your puppy’s first sensitive socialisation period. This closes at about 14 weeks of age and it is ideal for your puppy to attend their puppy preschool classes prior to that age.
Education Programs
We are passionate about animal behaviour and we strive to improve the lives of pets and their owners, because we know it is the relationship we have with our pets that is everything when it comes to loving them. When this relationship is damaged our pets suffer, as do we.
Our comprehensive Veterinary Behavioural Services start with Pet Selection Consultations to ensure you get the best pet possible for you, your home and your lifestyle.
The services continue for puppies with Puppy Socialisation and Habituation Classes (i.e. Puppy Preschool) that naturally lead to Dog Training.
Our classes cover puppy parenting including basic dog behaviour and learning theory as it applies to dogs, and they show you how to get your dog to pay attention to you, walk on a loose lead, come on cue, and most importantly how to get your dog to relax.
We also work closely with fully qualified trainers with certificate IV level education by Delta Society. This is a not-for-profit organisation that aims to help people with dogs. They are fully accredited “Canine Good Citizen Instructors” and are the best equiped trainers to help people train their pets. They are also educated in implementing “behaviour modification” programs and desensitisation and counter-conditioning programs.
We also work with Delta Society trainers in other areas including Elderslie and Narellan Vale.
Our full Behaviour Consultations provide the best help for those pets that require extra help. Some of these pets have psychological abnormalities and can suffer dreadfully both psychologically and physically.
If you have any questions regarding your pet’s behaviour, please contact us to make an appointment with Dr Lisa Henshaw.