Puppy School Trainer – What Age Should Your Pup Attend Puppy School?

What Age Should Your Puppy Attend Puppy School?

This is something that confuses a lot of people and as a puppy school trainer, I find this to be a very important thing to get right. Breeders and vets often advice against socialisation before the puppy is fully vaccinated at 16 weeks of age (to be exact, vets tell you to wait additional two weeks for the vaccine to take full effect). Unfortunately, if you follow this advice you will end up with behavioural issues such as fearfulness, timidness, anti-social behaviours and aggression. Why? Because studies have shown us that if a puppy isn’t socialised before 16 weeks of age they will never be completely comfortable in new situations. This is a survival instinct inherited from wolves, anything puppies meet positively before 16 weeks of age becomes normal and acceptable. After 16 weeks they change and aren’t adaptable to new situations any more. This is very common with rescue dogs that come from bad situations where they got no socialisation what so ever within the first 4 months. But, unfortunately, it’s also very common with puppies that are protected from experiences until the last vaccination. I’ve met hundreds of dogs like this, with severe anxiety and fearfulness.

8-12 Weeks Is the Ideal Time for Puppy School

A puppy has a key developmental period that typically ends around 12 weeks of age. That’s why the first 12 weeks are the most crucial weeks for socialization, during this time a puppy is very receptive and adaptable to learning new things. So this is the easiest time for socialisation because the puppy is most open to new experiences. If you want to raise a balanced, confident, social and friendly dog, this is the best time for puppy school. But don’t worry if your pup is older, the 16 weeks of age limit still applies!

So How to Socialise Safely?

Puppy school is one of the best ways to start early socialisation. They are run in safe and secure locations (usually inside), not in public places. All the pups have had at least the first vaccination and they aren’t socialising with random dogs or going to dog parks yet. So the risk of catching anything is very very low when getting behavioural issues due to the lack of socialisation is very high. It’s an easy choice, isn’t it?

How to Socialise Your Pup During the Early Weeks?

• Visit family members and friends to offer positive experiences with different types of people. Your pup should meet men, women, kids, elderly people etc.
• Attend puppy school.
• Organise play dates with healthy and well-behaved dogs that you know are vaccinated. It’s perfectly fine to meet your family or friends’ dogs! Avoid dog parks and random dogs at this early stage. Your puppy can look at them but not greet. And remember to focus on positive experiences, there’s no point meeting a dog who doesn’t like other dogs!
• Take your puppy to different locations to desensitise the pup to different environments such as vet, groomer, cafe, book store, boutiques, Bunnings… Your imagination is the limit! Be prepared with yummy treats to create a positive association with different situations. Carry your puppy around if not old enough to be on the ground, it’s all about being around new sights, sounds and smells. From 12 weeks of age, your pup can walk in areas with minimum other dogs such as on the street.
• Do sound training at home: Sound Proof Puppy Training app is great!
• Practise grooming. Wash and brush your pup at home, cut the nails, organise the first groom early on to get your puppy used to it all!

Eazy Dog Training – Your Puppy School Trainer in Sydney

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