Puppy Kindergarten Class
Click here to register!
Your Puppy's Kindergarten Class meets one hour a week for five weeks. Please make sure your puppy has pottied before you join your group.
Please bring your puppy on a well-fitting nylon, cotton or leather buckle collar and a nylon or cotton four-foot leash. (Leather leashes will seem like a chewie to the other pups and chain leashes are too heavy!) Smaller puppies (approx. 8-10# or less) are encouraged to be in a harness.
In addition, please bring a generous variety of dog treats in a small baggie or Tupperware. These treats can be very small; pea-size treats are ideal. You may want to have string cheese, chopped cooked chicken, chopped low-fat hotdogs, or some high-quality soft commercial treats. Dry, bone-style cookies are not appropriate for speedy, functional play-training.
Please do not feed your puppy for two to three hours prior to class, as a puppy with an appetite will be more motivated to pay attention to you!
Activities in class will be by the “lure and reward” method, as well as the use of verbal reward and gentle non-reward markers. Should you wish to, you are very welcome to use the clicker provided!
Puppy Socialization Class is much more casual than any older-dog class, and specifically geared to begin socializing your puppy. Your puppy will get to play, appropriately supervised, with other puppies in the group. Your puppy will LOVE the vet clinic!
In your puppy's class you and your puppy will learn to pay attention to each other! Name recognition and attention training are the foundation of all exercises and games you and your puppy will be learning.
R.K. Anderson's Puppy Socialization Letter to Veterinarians
The following topics will be addressed in class:
- Bite Inhibition: teaching your puppy to have a gentle mouth.
- House training: what to doo and what not to doo!
- Jumping: helping your puppy develop self-control!
- Loose Leash Walking: showing your puppy how to walk politely.
- Coming When Called: how to get your puppy to come to you in the face of distractions.
- Crate training: why and how to teach your dog to be comfortable in its own little bedroom.
- Chew training: why it is important to teach your puppy what to chew.
- Handling: having your puppy enjoy handling.
- Confidence building: simple exercises and games to strengthen the trust your puppy has in you.
There will be considerable time allotted to any questions you and your family may have. I would like to have you and your puppy start off on the correct paw from the very beginning!
Things included in your puppy's class:
Your take-home informational folder as well as each week's handouts on exercises done in class as well as on covered topics. In addition, you will receive a baitbag and if you choose to, a clicker!
Week 5 is "Dress Up for Photos" Night! I will provide lots of doggy costumes and doggy duds for your puppy to get dolled up in... all you need to do is bring your camera!
Click here for Puppy Class comments
Click here for Puppy Class FAQs
