Providing a Strong Training Foundation for Your New Pup is the GOAL of the Curious Puppy Preschool!
From about 3 weeks to 3 months of age, puppies are primed for learning which objects, people, sounds, and environments are safe. They are also primed for learning what the body cues and signals of others mean. This time period is called their Sensitive Period for Socialization and it’s the most important socialization period in a dog’s life. Puppies who do not get adequate socialization during this period tend to be more prone to becoming fearful of many situations, environments, etc. These fears could have been greatly avoided with Early Situational Socialization. Providing your new Weimaraner this foundation of positive experiences is one of the main reasons we have decided to offer the Curious Puppy Preschool.
The Curious Puppy Preschool takes place from 6 weeks old to 11 weeks old. During this time period your puppy will remain with us. Normal pickup is at 8 weeks off age, but if you decide to send your puppy through this class pickup is at 11 weeks of age.
We want to set the expectation that you will NOT be receiving a perfectly trained 11 week old puppy. The two main reasons for this are the change in environment and the puppy’s are still so young. The impact of changing your puppies environment from our home to yours, can be a large factor that affects your new puppy’s training. They may regress some, but the foundation is what we focus on. The second is the fact that they are only 11 weeks old. Puppies this young still need a lot of repetition and consistency in their training and day to day routine, as well as continued practice when it comes to commands like sit, stay, come, etc.
Why should we send our puppy through your puppy preschool you ask?
It is no secret that Weimaraners are extremely intelligent. We are providing your new pup with a STRONG FOUNDATION of experiences and skill related training that you can build on for the rest of their lives. This FOUNDATION is extremely important to having a well rounded and socialized Weim for the remainder of their lives! We’ve found that the earlier the socialization / training begins, the easier it is to continue to train them throughout “puppyhood,” and into the rest of their lives.
Puppies that have gone through the Curious Puppy Preschool have been shown to have less behavioral problems such as separation anxiety, destructive behaviors, issues being kenneled, or similar. We have also seen that the foundation we provided pups has made it significantly easier to adjust to their new lives when they leave us. People that have sent their pups through our Puppy Preschool say that continuing the training with their new pup was EXTREMELY easy and an enjoyable experience.
The Curious Puppy Preschool is designed to introduce your puppy to basic commands, teach them how to learn, and socialize them with many different situations while they are still so young. The Curious Puppy Preschool is focused around Positive Praise, Tons of Love, Patience, Consistency, and Leadership. During our preschool, your puppy will receive each of these by the bucketful!
The Curious Puppy Preschool Focuses around Early Situational Socialization, but that’s not the only thing we do with your new puppy! The following is a basic list of what we will be doing with your puppy as they progress through our five week Puppy preschool training program:
Early Situational Socialization – T
his will provide your puppy with positive experiences with unfamiliar people of all ages, different animals, potentially stressful situations, sounds, surfaces, objects and more. These experiences are some of the most important things your puppy will receive from the Curious Puppy Preschool.
Name Recognition – Once a puppy learns his name, he will look to you when called. This can be helpful for managing puppy behaviors, especially when his concentration is broken and you need to avert his attention in order to avoid misbehavior. We need to know what you plan to name your Weim as soon as possible so we can begin using their name
Potty Training – This one is self-explanatory. A puppy has to learn the proper place & time to relieve himself. *Please note: It usually takes 4-6 months for a puppy to be fully potty-trained. Patience & consistency is key. Puppies often experience some regression when changing environments, but we focus on giving them the foundation before they leave.
Public Access Training – Puppies that are taken out in public are better socialized and less likely to give into distraction. Public access training allows us to work on basic commands while introducing your puppy to other people and dogs in high distraction environments. We will go to places like Petsmart, Home Depot, and other safe pet friendly places.
Come – This is another command that helps you to manage puppy behaviors and re-direct your Weim. Knowing this command will help your puppy stay out of trouble. You will be able to use this command if your puppy is going into an area he shouldn’t or getting into something he shouldn’t.
Loose Leash Walking– A dog that walks properly on a leash shows your neighbors that you have trained your dog to be a good member of the community. More importantly, a dog that has learned proper leash training is less likely to be fearful in new situations. He will also understand that the leash connects the two of you, and he should always look to you to know what to do next.
Sit – A puppy that sits on command is easier to manage until he/she learns more self-control. A puppy who knows sit will learn to do so at mealtimes, when the doorbell rings, when receiving attention from strangers, and other situations.
Stay– This command teaches your puppy to remain in a certain position and location until you give him further instructions. This can help your puppy avoid unsafe situations. For example, when you open the front door, a puppy who knows stay will be less likely to bolt and go running down the busy street than a puppy who doesn’t.
AND MORE – There are so many more commands and experiences we will provide your puppy with during the 5 weeks that we train them! We will then provide you with the necessary tools and education to continue what was started once you get your new pup home!
Additional Details – Contact us about the cost of the Curious Puppy Preschool, as well as any questions you may have about the process today!
