Puppies
So you are expecting a new bundle of joy into your life, or maybe they’ve already arrived? With the joy and excitement also comes many challenges but I’m here to help! It can feel overwhelming with all the plethora of advice that well meaning friends, family and neighbours offer you but who do you listen to? I’m here to support you on that journey from 8 week old pup to adult dog.
It always pays to start early as our puppies have a critical period of socialisation from 3 weeks up to around 16 weeks of age. It’s important that we carefully expose them to humans, other dogs, places, textures, noises and objects with positive experiences. This can help to prevent fearfulness (sometimes manifesting as aggression) later on. These sessions must be short, gradual and low stress. We can help guide you on how to do this.
You can book in for some 1-2-1 sessions with me where we can talk through any questions you may have, prepare you for puppies’ arrival and help you bond with your new arrival. I’ll teach you how to lay strong training foundations to have a happy and well mannered companion.
Alternatively, our small group puppy courses are designed to start you on your journey to success. Read more below…
Puppy Courses
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These courses are designed to help you lay strong foundations to have a long and harmonious future with your puppy.
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Puppy Foundations
This course is for puppies up to 20 weeks old and runs for 4 weeks.
This course will run for one week online followed by three practical sessions held at Blackford Village Hall, BS28 4NX
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Puppy Plus
This course is designed as a follow on from Puppy Foundations or for those who have had 1-2-1s with me. We will build on the skills you have learnt and take them out on the road!
This course will run for 4 weeks. Two sessions will be held Blackford Village Hall, BS28 4NX and two will be held at an outdoor location.
Course structure
We will be covering all things puppy!
A behaviourally minded approach to Puppy training, focussing on how your puppy feels and socialisation, whilst learning some important life skills.
The course runs weekly with small group classes of up to 4. Your puppy must have had it’s first vaccination.
In Puppy Foundations we will cover essentials such as:
How your puppy learns
Introduction to teaching new behaviours and skills such as sit and recall
Settling skills
Understanding body language
Socialisation including sensory circuits
Walking on the lead
Preventing resource guarding
Play skills!
Basic engagement
Week 1 is a 1hr session held via video call to give you some basics to help set your puppy up for success in the class environment. There is also the opportunity to discuss common concerns such as puppy mouthing/ biting and toilet training. Weeks 2-4 are 40min sessions and are held in person.
£75
In Puppy Plus we will build on the above and add in some more advances skills such as:Coming away from a distraction
Walking/ public places skills
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Managing social interactions with objects, people, other dogs etc
Advancing recall skills
Stay
£85
Prices include all follow up materials such as guides to all the training exercises are included both as written handouts and videos.
We recommend that puppies are fitted for a Y shaped harness prior to attending classes, and that these are introduced slowly to your puppy. We will cover this in our introduction session online but please let me know if you would help or advice on this beforehand. We stock TTouch harnesses in a variety of colours (from £25.50).
Please note: our classes involve teaching your puppy how to be calm and comfortable around other dogs but do not involve “free play” sessions. These type of unmanaged play sessions can often result in puppies learning inappropriate social skills.
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