Raising Puppies

Your puppy won't learn to listen to you in other places if you only train her at home or in your yard. If she's never exposed to other people or dogs in a positive manner, she could be afraid when she encounters them later. This could cause her to act shy and nervous or to lash out to try to protect herself. A reward-based group class can be an excellent way to help you better understand your puppy, teach her manners, and get her used to other people and dogs.

Many people used to recommend that a puppy be at least six months old before starting classes. Modern knowledge of puppy learning and behavior now indicates that the earlier you start training your puppy, the better! It's true that she will have a short attention span and be easily distracted. But your young puppy is an eager sponge for learning. If you start training her now, you won't have as many bad habits to fix later.

Puppy kindergarten classes are especially geared for puppies of usually less than six months of age. A good puppy kindergarten class focuses on socialization, handling, and may even feature some playtime with other puppies. You'll learn how to deal with common puppy behaviors, such as mouthing, destructive chewing, and housetraining. Consider it a preschool for a basic family-manners class. Some instructors will require that your puppy has at least her first two sets of vaccinations before attending.

If you have a quality puppy kindergarten class available in your area, don't be afraid to get started. It's never too early to start training your dog. If you have a large-breed puppy, get her in class as soon as you are able. What might be a cute antic or slightly annoying issue now will only grow as your puppy grows.

If you don't have a good puppy kindergarten in your area, you may have to wait until she has had all her puppy shots before you can sign her up for a group class. This will be at about 15 to 16 weeks of age. Just as it's never too early to start training your puppy, it's never too late, either.