Puppy Start Right Preschool

(Puppies 8-16 Weeks)

The secondary socialization phase, spanning from 7 to 16 weeks, is a pivotal period in a puppy's development. Events during this time, or the lack thereof, can significantly influence your puppy's subsequent behavior. Positive experiences with various life situations, coupled with foundational behavior training (considering a puppy's brain is akin to an adults by 8 weeks), are crucial skills that can help avert future behavioral issues like fear, anxiety, reactivity, and aggression. Please read this article from the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior on the importance of early socialization.

The program centers on exploration and socialization, addressing and preventing common puppy behaviors such as play biting, chewing, and jumping, alongside basic behavioral training.

With extensive experience and hundreds of puppies trained, we can navigate you through this crucial stage of your puppy's development.

Learning Objectives

• Proper socialization of your puppy is crucial as it can prevent numerous future behavioral problems. Behavioral issues in dogs pose a significant threat to the human-animal bond.

• Understanding and addressing puppy problems - Familiarize yourself with the A, B, C's (Antecedent, Behavior, and Consequence) to tackle nearly any behavioral challenge, including play biting, mouthing, jumping, counter surfing, object theft, chewing, and digging.

• Housetraining - Master the five key steps to ensure your puppy relieves itself in the appropriate place.

• Independence training - Accustoming your puppy to solitude can avert separation anxiety.

• Developmental stages - Discover the importance of each stage in a dog's life for behavioral development and learning.

• Explore the concepts of canine domestication, social behavior, senses, communication, and learning processes.

• Learn to use a clicker for training behaviors in a fear-free, force-free manner.

• Begin teaching your puppy basic commands such as "Attention," "Responding to Name and Orienting Sound," "Targeting," "Sit," "Settle on a Mat," "Loose Leash Walking," "Leave It," "Drop It," and "Recall."

Problem Solving and Prevention Exercises

• Train your puppy to be at ease with a collar/harness and leash.

• Show your puppy the proper way to interact with people and manage their sharp baby teeth.

• Confinement training: Turn solitude into a positive experience rather than a traumatic one.

• Food Bowl Exercises: Train your puppy to be calm when people are near their food bowl, which helps prevent resource guarding.

• Handling Exercises: Accustom your puppy to being handled, beneficial for veterinary checks, nail clipping, teeth brushing, grooming, etc.

• Gotcha Game: Train your puppy to be comfortable with someone holding their collar or harness, so they don't recoil when you reach for them.

• Leash Pressure Training: A fundamental skill to stop your puppy from pulling on the leash during walks.

• Restraint Training: Make a potentially stressful experience pleasant through desensitization and counter-conditioning, valuable for vet visits or when restraint is necessary.

• Muzzle Training: Muzzles need not be frightening. In fact, they can be enjoyable and handy. Muzzles are mandatory for travel to certain areas, and if your dog is hurt, a muzzle is beneficial as injured dogs may bite due to pain.

Puppy Start Right is 6 weeks in duration. It begins with a 1 1/2 hour in home consultation/training session and 5, one hour, weekly training sessions in your home or various safe locations near your home.

Rates:

$250 for initial consultation/training. Payment is required 72 hours in advance via Venmo or Zelle.

$750 for 5 additional one hour sessions. Payment is required 72 hours in advance via Venmo, Zelle, credit card or PayPal.

If you would like to continue with training after Puppy Start Right, I suggest the Puppy Kindergarten package.