Back to School – Puppy Pre School

By Kellie Tic

WiTh our children heading back to the classroom this week, it is also time to think about enrolling our puppies into school also.

Puppy School classes will teach you about puppy socialisation, dog communication, vet care, pet care, child & dog safety and troubleshooting undesirable behaviour. Over a 5-week period you and your puppy will learn practical information to put you on the path to success.

During the recent COViD pandemic, pet ownership in Australia increased by approximately 10 per cent, with almost 70 per cent of households now owning a pet. This tells us that like their human equivalent, many puppies were isolated and missed attending school. it is time to get our puppies back into the classroom.

Our Puppy Pre School classes are specifically designed for dogs eight to fourteen weeks of age as this is a very important developmental period for dogs. Through positive reinforcement puppies find that learning is fun and rewards will follow.

Prior to six months of age is the time that puppies start exploring, a time when puppies are very accepting of new situations and experiences, and learn strategies to cope with situations that may be new or a little frightening. This makes it the perfect time for introducing your puppy to the big wide human world that it is going to live ina world of funny sights (cars, bicycles, balloons, hats, other animals), funny sounds (horns, thunder, television, lawn mowers, vacuum cleaners) and funny smells (foods, perfumes and cleaning products). it is also a good time for learning about other puppies – that they come in all shapes and sizes; short, tall, long tails and floppy ears. For some dogs, missing this ‘window of opportunity’ can lead to a life time of fear and anxiety. Even though it is important to continue to expose your dog to as many sights and sounds as possible throughout adolescence, this early period is seen as perhaps the most important.

Our puppy classes aim is to give you realistic expectations of your puppy through the understanding of their natural behaviours. The program equips you with the tools to develop a strong relationship with your puppy, allowing them to become an integral part of the family.

Please contact our friendly team at Orchard hills Veterinary hospital on 4736 2027 for further information.