Frequently Asked Questions about Puppy Classes A: It is a common misconception that all puppy or dog training facilities offer the same kind of services, but this is just not the case. The qualifications and experience of the instructor/s, the safety of the premises and the training methods used can vary a great deal from school to school, and are of great importance, especially when you consider the huge impact either positive or negative experiences, at this age, can have on the dog your puppy grows up to be. At Furbabies we offer a safe and pleasant urban environment for training. The puppy class instructor, Candi Moon, has several qualifications in the field, including puppy training, obedience training, clicker training, canine behaviour and TTouch. Furthermore she is Super Pup certified and a member of the international Association of Pet Dog Trainers. She is committed to ongoing studies in her field so you can be certain of always being exposed to the best and most up to date training methods at Furbabies classes. Our training methods are gentle and dog-friendly as well as being easy to learn and use for people of all ages. The lastest research shows that these methods are the most effective and produce the best results, as well as fostering the bond between dog and owner and producing a happy dog who enjoys training. Q: Do your methods work for all breeds of puppies? A: Yes, to date mixed breeds of all shapes and sizes as well as huskies, malamutes, jack russell terriers, fox terriers, dachshunds, pugs, boerbulls, chow chows, German shepherd dogs, Labradors, spaniels, chihuahuas, American pit bull terriers, Scottish terriers, beagles, Boston terriers, boxers, border collies, Rhodesian ridgebacks, mastiffs, Yorkshire terriers, whippets, golden retrievers, shar peis, rottweilers, bulldogs, basset hounds, great Danes, St. Bernards, schnauzers, pomeranians, Dalmations, Weimeraners and Chinese crested dogs, among others, have trained at Furbabies. Q: Is it possible to view a puppy class before enroling? A: Absolutely yes, we are proud of the quality of our puppy classes and will always welcome you to come and view a puppy class before enroling. Please contact the instructor to make arrangements. Q: When I come to view a class can I bring my puppy along? A: Yes, provided your pup is up to date with vaccinations and you have supplied proof of this. Q: What is the best age to bring my puppy to puppy school? A: Between the ages of 10 and 12 weeks is generally best, depending on the circumstances, but healthy, vaccinated puppies from 8 weeks of age to 18 weeks of age may enrol for puppy classes. Q: What is the format for the classes? A: We offer a six lesson course, held on Sundays, and a new course begins every month. Q: I want to start classes right away, do you offer roll on, roll off classes? A: We have a new class starting each month to keep waiting time to a minimum. All our puppy classes have a fixed start and end date and specific dates for each lesson. This is because information given and training done in each class builds on what was learnt in the previous class. Rather than having several handlers and puppies all at different levels, this ensures a coherent and structured learning experience for both handlers and dogs, so that maximun benefit is derived from the classes and no vital information is missed. Q: What happens if I need to miss a class? A: We have a number of options should you need to miss a class or classes. We can help you catch up the missed exercises at the following lesson or you can attend this lesson with the next puppy group. You also have the option of attending a catch up lesson, at no extra charge, should you need to miss a class. As far as we know, we are the only school of offer a service like this for free. We do this because of our committment to ensuring that everyone gets the most out of the classes, however, while we're always happy to provide a catch up class or two, we do ask that handlers don't abuse this privilege.
A:
Please visit the articles page on this website for the link to download
Dr. Ian Dunbar's book 'Before You Get Your Puppy'. If you are enrolled to begin a Furbabies puppy class we will gladly email you information to get started with or help with advice via phone or email.
A: At this age your puppy is moving into adolescence and reacts a bit differently from a younger pup. In most cases, for dogs five months and older, obedience classes are recommended instead.
A: Yes we do. In addition we have two instructors on hand to ensure handlers get plenty of personal attention and can ask questions and get specific help.
A: In puppy classes we will begin with basic training; sits, downs and stays, settle down, leave, give, focus on the handler and walk nicely on leash.
A: We use lure and reward training with food and toys, all our training methods are gentle and dog friendly Q: What do I do if my puppy develops a problem during the week and I need advice? A: Everyone enroled for a Furbabies puppy class is welcome to contact the instructor via phone or email with training questions during the week. Q: If I use food to train will I always have to carry food around with me? A: No, you can also use praise and life rewards such as affection, play etc. Food is a gentle and easy way of getting the behaviour when your puppy is first learning it. Q: Our puppy belongs to our child and they want to do the training, will this be okay? A: Yes, children are welcome to train their puppies in our classes. Please do bear in mind though that they will need some help and supervision from you. One of our instructors, Lelani Reichert, is a child psychologist, so she will specifically help our child handlers in class. Q: I have trained dogs before and can teach my puppy myself, do I need a puppy class? A:
Yes, in puppy classes puppies will socialise with unfamiliar dogs and people, learning to interact appropriately and ensuring, as far as possible, a dog who is confident, friendly and safe in social situations when older. In addition, being around other dogs and people in a puppy
class will help proof your
training against distractions and make it more reliable so that you have a dog who is able to listen e.g. when you have visitors, are walking your dog, at the park or need to take them to the vet. Q: How do you help the puppy to develop confidence and balance? A: By introducing novel stimuli, such as different sounds, obstacles to weave through or step over, wobble boards, baby pool, puppy tunnel and so forth, that increase the puppy's body awareness and sense of balance which in turn promotes confidence. Introducing the puppy to new and different experiences at this age helps the puppy to deal calmly with new things when older instead of displaying fear or aggression. Q: Where are the classes? Q:
Will you teach my puppy / puppies at my home? Q:
Will my puppy learn everything they need to at puppy class? Q: How do I book for a puppy class? A: Completion of the enrolment form and payment secures your place, please contact the instructor for details.
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