Puppy Pre-School
We’re proud to offer Puppy Pre-School services here at My Vet Animal Hospital, learn more below. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call us.
Overview
We understand that when you first bring your puppy home, it is a very exciting but busy time! Our Puppy Pre-School experience is second to none. It is carefully designed to get you and your puppy off to the best possible start.
We Offer:
- A five-week comprehensive program run by our Delta accredited and a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer, Kim Doran.
- We use motivational training for both dogs and their owners.
- We hold a Graduation Ceremony on the completion of the course. Your pup gets to dress up in our graduation outfit for some beautiful photos that will become wonderful mementos.
On completion of the course, you will also receive:
- Your Puppy Pre-School graduation certificate,
- A goodie bag full of fabulous freebies!
- New doggy friends to meet up within the park.
- A puppy with some excellent basic manners,
- And a real sense of achievement.
I'm interested, tell me more!
Where
Our classes are held at My Vet Doggy Daycare Zetland in collaboration with Working with Woofers
When
Puppy classes take place on weekend afternoons
Time
This depends on the program you book into
Cost
$250/5-week program. $30 for graduation cloak & hat.
Theory & Practical Lessons
Unlike other Puppy Schools once payment is made you get access to the Puppy Classroom which houses all the course resources including our Week 1 webinar, video demos and handouts. This means all this valuable information on topics like toilet training, managing biting and chewing etc is available to you even before the program start date.
What your puppy will learn:
- The basics
Your pup will learn basic cues like sit, look, touch, down, relax on your mat and stay, to name a few. These foundational skills will help you negotiate our busy urban environment as a team. - Loose leash walking
Prevent pulling on the lead before it even starts. We’ll help you teach your puppy how to walk nicely on lead from the very beginning. - Sit to greet
The jumping may be cute when they’re small – not so much when your puppy grows up! We can show you how to teach your pup to sit to greet from an early age. - Recall
A reliable recall is vital if you want to give your pup the freedom to be off-leash in the dog park and play with their friends. - Management
Life in the city with a puppy has its challenges. As you know, literally everything goes into their mouths! We can help you teach cues like “drop it” and “leave it” so you can manage these challenges and more.
What you (as a paw-parent) will learn:
- How to “speak dog”
Being able to read your puppy’s and other dogs’ body language is absolutely essential and allows you to determine how they are feeling. Then you are able to make better decisions based on what you see, and you will end up with a confident, well-balanced, and happy dog. - Toilet Training
We can show you how to train your pup where the toilet is – in a positive way. You will learn the keys to success and have your puppy toilet trained in no time. - Socializing
Puppies go through several (critical) socialization periods that can be pivotal in how they turn out as adults. We can show you what to expect and when and how to safely socialize your puppy at their pace. - Alone time
Being able to leave your puppy alone at home is something we all should be able to do. However, pups need to be taught that our departures are safe. We can give you expert advice on how to avoid separation anxiety and raise a dog who is comfortable in its own company when left alone. - Problem-solving skills
Like humans, dogs go through several different phases in their development. From fear periods to rebellious teenagers. We can give you the necessary skills to successfully navigate your way through these stages in their life.
What to expect
Week 1
Our first lesson is theory-based, covering all the important topics including toilet training, managing biting and chewing, alone time, sleeping arrangements, setting boundaries, and the importance of socialization.
Week 2-5
Are practical lessons teaching you how to teach your puppies the basics and beyond. Once you know what you are doing, your puppy will follow, and you can work together as a team.
Homework
Each week, you’ll receive clear instructions on what you should be working on outside of class. Training puppies takes time, patience, and consistency, but it is SO worth it, and it’s fun!
Real life situations
We will give you the confidence to apply what you and your puppy have learned in classes to real-life situations. We will also teach you how to prevent problem behaviors from developing in the first place.