Puppy Classes

Puppy classes are great, but they’re not mandatory for new puppies. You can certainly raise a puppy into a happy, behaviourally healthy dog without puppy classes. Classes can be a great way to work on some basics with your puppy in the presence of a major distraction though: other puppies.

Finding a class that’s close to home, fits your schedule, is the right size, and starts when you need it can be a challenge. If that happens, or if you would just like a more personalized approach, check out the available services on my Puppy Training page.

Good puppy classes should cover the following topics:

Playtime! - For puppies to be comfortable around other dogs when they become adults, they need to meet other dogs when they are young. Ideally, they will meet and interact with lots of different sizes and breeds of dog.

Settle Time - When it’s time for the people to talk or listen, puppies should be learning how to settle down.

Crate Training & Potty Training - These go together because it’s so much easier to potty train your puppy when you use a crate. You also need to ensure your pup gets enough quality sleep - just like a baby!

Exposure/Socialization - Socialization is so much more than meeting new people. Exposing your puppy to novel situations and objects helps your pup gain confidence in the world, and your class trainer should guide you on how to do this successfully.

Behaviour - This includes both how to get the behaviours we want (like sitting when asked or coming when called) and behaviours we don’t want (biting, jumping, barking, etc.).

Q&A - You should always have the opportunity to get all your questions about raising your puppy answered.

Class size makes a difference, too. Too many puppies and the class will descend into chaos. Too few and your puppy won’t get the full benefit. Look for classes with between 4 and 8 puppies.