|
 You're
now the happy and proud parent of a bundle of joy. In your eagerness
to be the best leader you can be, you're probably looking around and
reading as much as you can about the best way in which to bring up
pooch. A good first step is puppy preschool.
Once your pup is eight weeks of age (and up to 16 weeks of age), you
and your family, along with young pup, can attend puppy preschool.
There are a variety of schools available, so check out your local
vet clinic or look in the Yellow Pages for classes.
Puppy preschool aims to socialise dogs so that they learn to
interact well with other dogs, children and adults, as well as to
teach basic obedience. It is an excellent first step in socialising
your new family member in a safe and positive environment. More
importantly, it provides the new owner with an opportunity to ask
questions and interact with other dog owners while learning the
basic commands of dog obedience.
Classes usually run for four weeks, one evening per week for
approximately one hour. During this time, topics such as
socialisation, toilet training, diet, behaviour problems, and
parasite management are discussed. Also taught are the basic
commands including sit, drop, stay, heel and come. It is important
to understand that at this stage your puppy is simply being
introduced to these commands and that ongoing obedience training
will be required.
Positive reinforcement
Puppy preschool should be a positive environment. Course leaders
will encourage owners to apply and reaffirm commands in a friendly,
calm manner using treats or toys to motivate. Owners are encouraged
to go about all commands and actions in an enthusiastic manner, with
the aim of engaging the animal willingly. If you attend a vet clinic
preschool, it's also a good way to familiarise the animal with a
clinic environment to lessen the stress of those future visits to
the vet.
The added benefit of attending a puppy preschool run by a vet clinic
is that when a vet or vet nurse is involved in the training, you can
pick up some important health tips too. Often the vet or nurse will
take each puppy and their owner aside to show them how to clean the
puppy's ears safely, flush out the eye area (in the case of a
foreign object such as a grass seed getting in the eye) and trim its
nails.
They may also teach the owner how to do some simple health checks in
order to identify the onset of problems such as tooth and gum
disease, skin conditions and eye infections.
Benefits of a socialised dog
The first few months of a puppy's life are considered its
sensitive period. It is during this time that a puppy must be
properly socialised and exposed to new people, places, children,
other pets, sights and sounds. Attending puppy preschool provides
pup with the opportunity to mix with other puppies and humans in a
controlled, safe environment.
Giving a young puppy the opportunity of new experiences in an
enjoyable manner can prevent fears and behavioural problems from
developing later in life. Owners are encouraged to mix with each
other's pets, and supervised children can be involved in the
training process. Just as importantly, people, many of whom can be
first-time dog owners, have the opportunity to ask questions and
discuss any concerns they have.
And don't forget... puppy preschool is just the first step in dog
obedience. Good luck! |
