We understand that behavioural problems can cause frustration and exhaustion, affecting the relationship you have with your beloved pet.
We offer professional behavioural assistance through consultations and training to help ensure your relationship with your pet is as strong as it can be.
Would you like to guide your puppy to become a safe, sociable and happy member of your family and the wider community?
Puppy School is very important first step to start correctly socialising and training your new puppy.
At Tasmanian Veterinary Hospitals, our Puppy School classes are held in a secure, safe environment and consider your puppies temperament and confidence level.
Our classes are designed to be fun and engaging, using scientifically proven, positive reinforcement training to help your puppy reach their full potential.
We focus on training puppies desirable behaviour, we will educate you on meeting your puppies needs, along with how to help manage and train alternative replacement behaviours to help reduce those undesirable ones. You will learn how to read your puppies body language to grow their confidence and help keep them safe and happy. Your puppy will form positive associations to the veterinary clinic and we will teach you correct socialisation strategies.
Optimum socialisation for puppies happens between 3-12 weeks of age, although this may vary from puppy to puppy and can be up to 16 weeks of age. For this reason, puppies aged between 8-16 weeks are invited to attend once they have received their first vaccination.
Classes are conducted at our Bellerive Clinic on weekday evenings from 4:30pm – 5:30pm.
Reasons to choose Tasmanian Veterinary Hospitals for your Puppy School
- Small classes. We have restricted numbers of 4-6 puppies so that you and your puppy can receive individual coaching and support.
- Socialisation. We understand the importance of correct socialisation with other dogs, humans, and novelty in a controlled manner to ensure positive experiences to the build confidence levels of each individual puppy.
- Evidence based. Training methods are based on proven, scientific methods using positive reinforcement training
- Positive training. You will learn to use positive, reward-based training, rather than dominance or punishment. Positive reinforcement training is a technique that is used worldwide and is the most humane and effective way to train. Rewards based training focuses on teaching your puppy what you DO want them to do in any given situation, instead of punishing them for doing anything and everything else.
- Fundamental behaviours – Puppies will learn desirable behaviours such as sit, all four on the floor, go to your mat and a few others. You will also learn how to continue training these behaviours at home, yes there is some ‘homework!’.
- Problem prevention. We will discuss how to prevent/manage/retrain undesirable behaviours such as: jumping up, barking or play biting through education of normal and abnormal puppy behaviour.
- Densensitisation. We will start to desensitise puppies to new experiences such as having their nails trimmed or their teeth brushed, along with a variety of novel stimuli.
- Health care tips. Important health care for your puppy such as worming, flea treatment and vaccinations will also be discussed.
- Written notes. Take-home information sheets are provided for you to share with the family or refer to later.
If you have any further questions about puppy class, please feel free to call us! You are welcome to chat with the friendly staff at any of our clinics over the phone, via email or in person.
Places fill up very quickly, so please call to book your puppy in for Puppy Class as soon as possible.
We all look forward to meeting you, your puppy and family soon!
If you would like to enquire about Puppy classes by e-mail, please contact us.