By Dr Julie Summerfield
Puppy preschool is a fantastic way to begin teaching your new puppy how to be well mannered and obedient, in a fun, safe & social way. Puppy preschools provide loads of valuable tips on basic dog behaviour, training and pet care.
The ages between 6 and 18 weeks are critical to the social and behavioural development of your puppy. This is when they learn a lot of their behavioural traits, and it is the best time to start training. There is no such thing as bad behaviour to a dog; they only do what is instinctive to them. Some of these natural behaviours are unacceptable to us, so we need to teach the puppy what we do and don’t expect of them.
Puppy preschool allows the pup to socialise with other dogs and people, this is important for a well- adjusted, calm dog. A dog with little early socialisation can be timid when meeting strangers or defensively aggressive. Socialisation helps your dog learn to interact with other dogs and people.
Your bond with your puppy will be strengthened through understanding each other and having fun together, defining you as a firm, dependable, consistent and kind master. It will also increase your puppy’s confidence as it learns to understand what you want, so he can please you!
It is very important to choose a preschool that uses kind, motivational methods of reward not punishment. You wouldn’t send your children off to a school you hadn’t checked out first, so go along without the pup, to see what happens in the class. Are the pups enjoying themselves? If you’re happy, then sign up!
A lot of veterinary clinics run Puppy Preschools in the evenings, the added benefit of this is that your pup gets to associate positive experiences with the vet, rather than just going there for vaccinations and treatments. This removes any fear of visiting the vet.
At Puppy Preschool, you will learn fundamental dog behaviour and training. The basis is leadership. The dog is a pack animal and needs to know its place in the pecking order. You must teach it that you are the top dog and show strong leadership, to prevent competition and challenges for control. This is done by feeding your human family first, humans having the best sleeping areas (i.e. beds, sofas), winning the majority of games and possessing toys, and giving attention when it suits you. Your pup will then respect you as the “alpha” or top dog.
You will learn to use rewards (food and praise) to motivate your dog to associate commands and actions with a positive outcome and encourage future success. Never go to a Puppy Preschool that uses punishment or physically forces puppies to do things.
Classes usually run for four weekly sessions, for about an hour each week. Over the weeks you will go through sit, stay, come, drop, and stand commands. You will also learn about medical problems, preventative health, and get your pup used to being around and handled by other people.
Contact your local vet, council, The Delta Society or the Australian Veterinary Association for lists of Puppy Preschool venues.
© Copyright VCA http://www.dogmatch.com.au
Please note: This article was written in 2001. Dog training methods and ideas change frequently, please consult your vet or trainer to discuss whether this article would help your dog.
Puppy preschool – a great place to start
Puppy preschool is a fantastic way to begin teaching your new puppy how to be well mannered and obedient, in a fun, safe & social way. Puppy preschools provide loads of valuable tips on basic dog behaviour, training and pet care.
The ages between 6 and 18 weeks are critical to the social and behavioural development of your puppy. This is when they learn a lot of their behavioural traits, and it is the best time to start training. There is no such thing as bad behaviour to a dog; they only do what is instinctive to them. Some of these natural behaviours are unacceptable to us, so we need to teach the puppy what we do and don’t expect of them.
Puppy preschool allows the pup to socialise with other dogs and people, this is important for a well- adjusted, calm dog. A dog with little early socialisation can be timid when meeting strangers or defensively aggressive. Socialisation helps your dog learn to interact with other dogs and people.
Your bond with your puppy will be strengthened through understanding each other and having fun together, defining you as a firm, dependable, consistent and kind master. It will also increase your puppy’s confidence as it learns to understand what you want, so he can please you!
It is very important to choose a preschool that uses kind, motivational methods of reward not punishment. You wouldn’t send your children off to a school you hadn’t checked out first, so go along without the pup, to see what happens in the class. Are the pups enjoying themselves? If you’re happy, then sign up!
A lot of veterinary clinics run Puppy Preschools in the evenings, the added benefit of this is that your pup gets to associate positive experiences with the vet, rather than just going there for vaccinations and treatments. This removes any fear of visiting the vet.
At Puppy Preschool, you will learn fundamental dog behaviour and training. The basis is leadership. The dog is a pack animal and needs to know its place in the pecking order. You must teach it that you are the top dog and show strong leadership, to prevent competition and challenges for control. This is done by feeding your human family first, humans having the best sleeping areas (i.e. beds, sofas), winning the majority of games and possessing toys, and giving attention when it suits you. Your pup will then respect you as the “alpha” or top dog.
You will learn to use rewards (food and praise) to motivate your dog to associate commands and actions with a positive outcome and encourage future success. Never go to a Puppy Preschool that uses punishment or physically forces puppies to do things.
Classes usually run for four weekly sessions, for about an hour each week. Over the weeks you will go through sit, stay, come, drop, and stand commands. You will also learn about medical problems, preventative health, and get your pup used to being around and handled by other people.
Contact your local vet, council, The Delta Society or the Australian Veterinary Association for lists of Puppy Preschool venues.
© Copyright VCA http://www.dogmatch.com.au
Please note: This article was written in 2001. Dog training methods and ideas change frequently, please consult your vet or trainer to discuss whether this article would help your dog.