Puppy preschool is a great way to start your puppy’s education and socialization early. Attending a quality puppy preschool program provides many benefits for both you and your pup. Here’s what you can expect from puppy preschools in Perth.

Puppy preschool is a great way to start your puppy’s education and socialization early. Attending a quality puppy preschool program provides many benefits for both you and your pup. Here’s what you can expect from puppy preschools in Perth.

What is Puppy Preschool?

Puppy preschool, also known as puppy kindergarten, provides early socialization and basic training for puppies aged 8 weeks to 6 months old. Puppy preschool usually runs for 4 to 6 weeks, with a 1-hour class each week.

Classes are kept small, often with a maximum of 6 puppies per class. This allows the trainer to give each pup and owner personalized attention. Classes focus on controlled interactions between puppies and introduce new sights, sounds, smells, and people. Puppies also learn how to appropriately play and interact with other dogs.

The Benefits of Puppy Preschool

Attending a high-quality puppy preschool provides many advantages for a young puppy including:

• Early socialization with other puppies and people, during the critical 3-to-16-week socialization period. This teaches good manners and reduces problem behaviours later on.
• Introduction to basic commands like sit, stay, and come. Pups learn how to focus on and respond appropriately to their owner.
• Desensitization to sights, sounds, and handling that puppies may find frightening. Helps build confidence.
• Learning bite inhibition and how to play gently with other puppies.
• Opportunities for off-leash play and interaction in a safe environment.

For owners, puppy preschool offers the opportunity to learn about puppy behaviour, care, and training. connecting with other new puppy owners provides support. Pet Practice noted that the trainer’s expertise helps owners get their puppy’s education off to the right start.

What to Look for in a Puppy Preschool

Not all puppy preschools are equal when it comes to the quality of education provided. Here are some things to look for when choosing a preschool:

• Trainers have professional certifications from respected organizations like the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers.
• Class sizes are kept small, and instructor supervised at all times. Puppies should not be left to play unsupervised.
• Play times are structured with breaks, to prevent over arousal and rough play.
• Classes focus on reward-based, positive reinforcement training methods. Avoid preschools that use punishment.
• Puppies must have up to date vaccinations to enrol and the facility is kept clean.
• Training goals align with puppy development and cover socialization, bite inhibition, basics commands, handling, etc.

Ask for references from past clients and observe a class to help choose the right preschool.

What is Taught at Puppy Preschools in Perth?

Puppy preschools aim to set up puppies for success by focusing on socialization, play skills, building focus and confidence. Typical curriculum may include:

• Socialization: Puppies learn how to interact politely with unfamiliar people and other puppies. This includes taking treats gently, allowing handling and petting, and greeting new people appropriately.
• Play skills: Pups learn how to play gently with bite inhibition, take turns, share toys, and read play signals. Good play is rewarded, and bad play is interrupted. This prevents problems down the track.
• Basic handling: Puppies are taught to accept handling like collar grabs, paw handling, ear, and mouth exams. This is useful for grooming and vet visits.
• Focus and response to owners: Foundation skills like watch, look, attention, and name response are introduced. Pups learn to focus on the owner and respond to commands, even with distractions.
• Confidence building: Preschool introduces new sounds, sights, surfaces, locations, and obstacles in a gradual positive way. This builds confidence in unfamiliar situations.
• Potty training support: Instructors give owners guidance on potty training techniques and how to prevent accidents.
• Basic commands: Simple commands like sit, down, stay, and come are introduced at an age-appropriate level. The goal is to teach focus and positive associations with training.

The pace and skills covered vary based on each puppy’s development and abilities. Preschool lays the groundwork for more advanced training that comes after graduation.

Puppy Preschool Graduation

Puppy preschool programs usually run for 4 to 6 weekly sessions. At the end of the course, some preschools hold a graduation ceremony. This celebrates the puppy’s achievements and allows the owners to show off everything their pup has learned.

Graduation ceremonies may include demonstration of skills like sitting politely for petting, walking on leash, responding to commands, or completing an obstacle course. Owners are often presented with a diploma certifying their puppy’s preschool graduation.

Graduation signals the puppy is ready to transition into obedience classes with the same training school or enrol in other activities like agility foundations. Your instructor can guide you on the best next steps in your puppy’s education after preschool.

Finding a Quality Puppy Preschool

With so many options for puppy preschools in Perth, it can be difficult to determine which one offers a high-quality program. Focus on preschools that have small class sizes with constant supervision, use force-free positive reinforcement training methods, require proof of vaccinations, and employ professionally certified trainers.

The best programs focus on socialization, building confidence through gradual exposure to new things, teaching polite manners and play skills with other puppies, and laying the foundation for training basics like focus, name response and simple commands. Proper puppy preschool prepares your pup for success in future training classes after graduation.

Investing in early socialization and education sets up both puppy and owner for an enjoyable, well-mannered companionship throughout your dog’s life. Do your research to find the ideal puppy preschool that meets both your pup’s needs and your own goals. The effort you put in now pays off for years to come.

Final words

The early weeks between 8 and 20 weeks are the optimal time for puppy socialization and foundation training. Attending a high-quality puppy preschool program sets up both puppies and owners for future success. Following the recommended Perth area preschool curriculum focuses on developing polite manners, confidence, play skills and early training basics. Graduates leave puppy preschool ready for the next level of education on their way to becoming great companions.