Most pet owners know that puppy school is one of the best ways of ensuring you get off to the right start with your new puppy. Puppy school plays a critical role in ensuring proper socialisation of your dog, which is a key to holistic development. Not sure you’ve got your eye on the right training school? Here’s what you need to be on the lookout for!
Tips on how to spot the best puppy school
Before blindly signing up for classes, it’s always a good idea to sit in and observe a class at your local puppy school. Here are some checkpoints you should focus on:
What does the environment look like?
Is this a safe environment for your pup? The premise should be clean and safe enough for those off-lead lessons that happen from time to time. You also want to ensure that the instructor checks vaccination records whenever enrolling a new pup.
And speaking about that instructor…
Is he or she qualified as a professional instructor? You’re fully within your rights to ask them that questions, and of course you can (and probably should) do your research on the kind of training programs they use. Dog training is a relatively unregulated field, so just about anyone can say they’re a trainer and open a puppy school. Your trainer should be registered with a reputable organisation like COAPE SA, COAPE Association of Applied Pet Behaviourists and Trainers SA (CAPBT SA) or the Animal Behaviour Consultants (ABC) of SA.
What do the classes comprise of?
Classes should really only comprise of four to six puppies and one instructor. This means the instructor can give everyone the right amount of attention. The right amount of control and structure is also very important. The best puppy school will be the one that offers positive reinforcement and reward-based training methods, but they should also teach basic obedience and simple commands like “sit”, “down”, “stay” and how to walk on a loose lead.
Red flags you should never ignore
If your gut tells you that something is off, it probably is. Things like never being asked to present your vet card and an unsafe or unkempt environment are the two biggest warning signs you should be on the lookout for. Other potential red flags include overcrowded classes (15+ pups and just one instructor), classes only consisting of basic obedience and free play, and outdated training methods like choke chains, spray bottles and rolled-up newspapers being used in classes.
Need more info?
If you’re looking to find a reputable puppy school in your area, you can head over to the websites of either Puppy School, Animal Behaviour or SA Dog Training and start browsing their directories.
