Puppy Start Right Classes
Puppy Start Right
For puppies 8-16 weeks of age.
Your puppy's socialization period starts at 3-4 weeks of age and ends somewhere between 12-16 weeks of age.
Why is Puppy Start Right so important?
- The early puppyhood socialization period is a critical and finite period of time during which puppies are developmentally open to new experiences - sights, sounds, smells, dogs, critters, motion, people, environments, novelty.
- Puppies are learning about how to successfully live in modern human society.
- Positive socialization can "inoculate" your puppy against future behavioral issues.
- Positive socialization is so critical that the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behaviour (AVSAB) has published a POSITION STATEMENT in which it states that “…it should be the standard of care for puppies to receive such socialization before they are fully vaccinated.”
- Lack of socialization is detrimental to your puppy's ability to cope as an adult dog and can cause lifelong social deficits, which will affect not only your puppy's quality of life, but yours and your family's, too. Living with a fearful/aggressive dog may seriously affect your lifestyle (inability to have friends over, take a vacation, etc.)
Watch this Puppy Class from Cowichan Canine on Vimeo.
With our Puppy Start Right classes you will learn to:
- Manage your puppy's socialization period correctly, in a positive manner.
- Use positive reinforcement training.
- Manage and prevent undesirable behaviours.
- Understand normal canine behaviour.
- Build a life-long bond with your puppy.
- Teach your puppy to be comfortable around new stimuli, people and sounds.
- Teach your puppy to accept handling and restraint and to become a great veterinary patient and grooming client.
- Manage meetings and play sessions between your puppy and other puppies of different breeds of an appropriate age.
- Teach your puppy to be comfortable when separated from owner/caregiver.
- Guide your puppy when exploring the environment at his/her own pace.
- Teach your puppy to share or trade valuable "goodies".
We offer two Puppy Start Right options:
You can opt for one class, as well as two play groups a week. This option costs $435.00, excluding taxes. Or you can attend one class and one play group a week. This option costs $335.00, excluding taxes. Regardless of which option you choose, your puppy can continue to attend play groups until they are 16 weeks old. So sign up early!
With Puppy Start Right you can start immediately - no waiting around for classes to begin!
Please attend our free Orientation as soon as possible. This is where you will learn all about the classes we offer, how to register, why we train the way we do, and lots of other practical information. It is currently available via Zoom.
CLICK HERE for the list of upcoming Orientation classes. Please contact us at 250-929-1400 for the Login instructions.
We recommend that you register for your Orientation session and the Puppy Start Right course in person at our training centre, or by calling 250-929-1400.
You will then receive your Puppy Package and start your training right away. You can also PAY ONLINE, after which we will email you your registration information so that you can reserve your spot in class.
What you need to register:
- Register and attend Orientation via Zoom.
- Your completed REGISTRATION FORM.
- Your puppy's vaccination certificate for at least the first vaccination for each of Parvo and Distemper
(or an antibody titer laboratory report for parvo and distemper).
Once you have registered and paid, you will be able to book each class attendance yourself online, taking full advantage of our flexible schedule.
CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF WHAT TO BRING TO CLASS
What is included
- Orientation Class
Please attend Orientation class as soon as you can before you bring your puppy to class. CLICK HERE for the list of upcoming Orientation classes - One class per week for five weeks, as well as the playgroups - until puppy turns turns 16 weeks old. This means that the sooner your register, the more weeks you get in the play groups.
- LOGIN CODE for our ONLINE CLASS BOOKING SYSTEM, where you can book your attendance when it suits you.
- WELCOME PACKAGE including TREAT POUCH by Doggone Good Rapid Rewards.
- (The optional - but recommended - course book, "Puppy Start Right", is also available for purchase.)
After Puppy Start Right, your puppy will be ready to join our "big dog school" classes to learn their manners, as well as some fun sports. You will find out all about them at Orientation Class, or browse our website!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us!
We brought our dog to Cowichan Canine to help us better support his socialization and were very happy with actionable advice and info we received through the Behavioural Evaluation and subsequent private lessons. We saw swift and lasting results! Thanks so much!
Gill Polard
Duncan
Hi there, Ed and I are doing pretty good. The vet is tackling his some health issues and Ed seems to be much happier overall with summer being here. He's even willing to roll on his back and let me rub his tummy now which I think is a good sign of our improved relationship.
Anyone I talk to about Ed gets a big recommendation from me regarding Cowichan Canine. I sing your praises every chance I get since I know that I would be in a pretty bad situation without your help every step of Ed's development. Thanks so much for all the education that I needed and all of the fun times as well
Heather Welychko
Vancouver Island
