Considering getting a puppy? Just got one and feeling clueless? Or perhaps you’ve grown up with dogs but are keen to find out whats new in the world of dog training? In today’s blog we talk to Kate from Clicking with Canines. Kate is a qualified dog trainer with over 8 years professional experience, who trained under the Karen Pryor Professional Dog Trainer Programme, and is approaching completion of her MSc in Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare. Let’s hand over to Kate and learn a little more about puppy classes and why they are so important!

In the ‘old days’, training was centred around waiting for our dogs to do something ‘wrong’ and then correcting them for it; for example using a check chain for loose lead walking. The more we have learnt, and the more research that is done, the more we have come to know that our dogs respond a lot better to positive reinforcement training. In essence, we pay them for a job well done (usually with food). Positive reinforcement training creates happy, and willing students and it’s the only way I train.

Rather than obedience classes, we now look at this type of course as canine life skills classes. While we still teach things such as loose lead walking and recall, we also teach the puppies how to interact with other dogs and people, how to be polite, and give them a chance to grow in confidence.

I have a lot of people who come to puppy classes who have owned dogs all their lives but find there is always something new to learn. And people are pleasantly surprised at how quickly they and their puppies learn new skills! Puppy classes are a great arena for puppies to learn how to focus even when there are lots of exciting distractions around (aka other puppies!)

What to Look For in a Puppy Class

When you are looking for a puppy class to join, don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions and, if restrictions allow, go along to a class. A good trainer will be more than happy for you to come along and watch before you part with your hard earned money. Here’s some things to consider:

• If you see a well behaved, happy dog or puppy when out and about ask their owner which trainer they went to, recommendations are a great way to find a great trainer.

• Do you know what methods the trainer uses ? (If something doesn’t feel right, it usually isn’t).

• What training has your trainer done? They don’t necessarily need a formal qualification but you can always ask what continuing professional development they have done recently.

• How many puppies are there in each class – small classes of around 5-6 puppies mean you will get 1-2-1 attention and, more importantly, if your puppy is a little shy to start with they won’t feel overwhelmed.

• What do they teach? And why do they teach it? We want our puppies to grow up being able to cope in our world so life skills are important.

• What equipment do they recommend? If they say slip leads or check chains I’d carry on looking.

• Do the puppies have a chance to play? And if they do how does it work? – Your trainer should carefully match puppies for personality and size and closely monitor any play time, it shouldn’t be a free for all.

• Do you like the trainer?

My top three tips for new puppy owners:

1. Find your trainer before you find your puppy, they can be an invaluable resource for advice and support both before your puppy comes home and in the first few crucial weeks.

2. Google is often not your friend when it comes to puppy training advice, there is so much conflicting information out there it can be confusing and out of date.

3. If your puppy has just been born now is the time to start looking for puppy classes, the good ones get booked up very early.

Clicking With Canines

I hold puppy classes at a few venues around the area: -

• Belmont Unleashed (Starbeck) on a Sunday

• Happy Paws Dog Park (Boroughbridge) on a Saturday

• Scotton Village Hall (Scotton) on evenings

I welcome puppies from when they have had their second injection and can explore the big wide world, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get to know each other before then. I offer pre-puppy visits where we can discuss things such as choosing the right puppy for you, the first few days and nights, crate training, toilet training, and how to overcome them being ‘land sharks’ with those sharp little teeth! My classes and puppy packages tend to book up quickly so if you’re thinking about a new puppy, please get in touch.

 www.clickingwithcanines.co.uk

Instagram: @clickingwithcanines

FB: @canineclicks

Tel / WhatsApp: 07525 214 297