Classes >> Puppy Kindergarten

Puppy Kindergarten

Puppy kindergarten is for puppies approximately 8 to 16 weeks in age. It has 4 main objectives:

1. Socialization with other puppies and with new people

Playtime is critical for teaching your puppy to behave properly around adult dogs, and to help prevent dog-to-dog aggression problems as your dog matures. Similarly, your puppy needs to meet hundreds of new people to be comfortable with people, to learn to behave properly, and to help prevent aggression problems. In Puppy Kindergarten, play is encouraged and supervised before class, after class and during training breaks. The side benefit of all this play is, of course, that you have a tired puppy at least one night each week!

2. Socialization as a polite member of your family

There is very little about life in a human home that is "normal" for a canine! Your puppy needs to be housetrained and, ideally, crate trained. He must learn how to behave politely around children and guests. If a toddler falls on him, he is not allowed to bite in response, as he might to correctly discipline another, rude dog. (He can't even bite on the child for fun, as dogs do when they play together.) And dogs have to chew, but he needs to stop chewing on you and your stuff!

Your dog needs to look to you for direction as the "leader of his pack", but he shouldn't worry or get in trouble when you aren't around. Your puppy should learn to relax and calmly accept grooming or medical exams - and even some discomfort - without a struggle and without biting. He absolutely MUST learn to have a "soft mouth" to prevent problems when bites do occur. Food-Bowl guarding or possessiveness with toys are okay when you're the top dog, but not safe in a human home.

No wonder puppies get in trouble! We can help you teach your dog to be a polite member of your family.

3. Basic obedience training

Obedience training for Puppy Kindergarten is the essentially the same as our Beginning Obedience course. We are able to teach the full Beginning Obedience curriculum because puppies learn quickly and they haven't had much time to practice bad behavior. Puppy Kindergarten problem solving focuses on those special puppy challenges such as house training, jumping and chewing. Our general problem-solving discussions should also help you quickly stop problems that appear as your dog matures - barking, digging, challenging your authority, etc.

4. Routine puppy care

We spend some time on the basics of routine puppy care such as house training, nail trimming, ear care, and what medications can help with minor health problems. We have handouts to help with puppy care, and are happy to answer your questions.