Puppy Kindergarten

Cost: $80

4 one-hour sessions PREREQUISITE: PREP Class Go to list of all courses to learn more about prerequisite class(es)

From birth to the age of about sixteen weeks, puppies go through some crucial development stages. As soon as they come home, we can start working on turning them into our ideal family pets! This class is designed to help your pup learn how to live comfortably in the human world with its strange rules, sights, and sounds. Puppy Kindergarten will build a foundation for the skills your puppy will need, whatever your eventual goals are for your puppy, and will help you navigate the sometimes rough waters of puppy raising.

Special Notes: Puppies must have had at least one Distemper/Parvo vaccination, and must provide updated vaccination records throughout class.

This class is best suited for:  puppies ages 8 weeks to 20 weeks at the start of class.

Min/Max Enrollment:  4/8

Bring the Following to Class:
- Flat buckle collar or harness
- 4-6 foot leash (no flexi-leashes please)
- Water and water dish
- A mat or bed for your puppy
- Small, tasty, easy to digest treats (such as boiled chicken, string cheese)
- A pouch or deep pockets for easy access to treats
- Clicker

 You will learn:
- To use positive methods to train quickly and build a happy dog for life
- How to better read canine body language so you can better understand your puppy’s behavior
- Better management strategies for some of puppyhood’s unique struggles like housebreaking, nipping/biting, meeting new people, coming when called, and much more!

Your dog will learn:
- To respond happily to positive reinforcement methods – he or she will become a fast learner!
- To focus and pay attention to you
- To relax in “place” or on mat, and begin to sit, lie down and walk on a leash
- The beginning stages of a good reliable recall
- To accept handling of feet and ears for easy toenail trimming, grooming and vet visits
- Confidence in new environments and with new sights and sounds and flooring types