Puppy Programs

No matter what breed they are, when left untrained, puppies get up to all sorts of mischief. This is fine when they’re young and learning, of course, but not so much when they’re older and bigger. That’s why it’s important to take them to dog training classes to teach them what is and isn’t okay right from the beginning.

Perfect Puppy Training

For a new dog, the first few months are crucial when it comes to teaching the key elements of good future behavior: basic obedience, good manners, and socialization.

A puppy’s young, impressionable mind absorbs everything. They learn, form habits, and make long-lasting associations. But well-meaning new dog owners sometimes create behavioral issues down the road. For example, cute puppy behaviors like jumping up when greeting or chewing a favorite toy may be tolerated or even inadvertently rewarded, which can then easily become problematic when older.

Some of these common behavioral issues we see at The Dog Wizard include:

• Biting: Like babies, one of the ways puppies learn and explore is by putting things in their mouths. At first, you may find this sweet, but it’s not so cute as the puppy gets its adult teeth. When they’re grown, this can develop into destructive biting or chewing of slippers, furniture, etc.
• Jumping: Coming home to have your puppy jumping to greet you excitedly is heartwarming. While it’s endearing and cute when little, as it grows, this can get overwhelming. In fact, a grown dog that jumps up is one of the main things non-dog owners are wary of, particularly children.
• Potty training: Probably a new owner’s number one priority, effectively potty training a puppy requires time, dedication, and patience. Many family pets have become rescue dogs due to neglected toilet training. All dogs’ learning curve with toileting varies, but this is one issue you absolutely need to get right.
• Whining: While this is normal and expected from puppies when they’re hungry, thirsty, or a bit lonely, if unchecked, it can turn into a deal-breaker for a lot of owners. This is particularly true for dogs that suffer from separation anxiety which again is another trait typically resulting from early-stage experiences.

Let’s be clear here, these behaviors aren’t really bad — in fact, they represent the natural, normal development stages of dog training. The foundation built during these times will help shape your adult dog’s personality, prevent behavioral issues, and improve your owner-pet bond.

Good Behavior Foundations

Sadly, it’s a fact that most adult dogs with significant problems have had some kind of bad experience early in life. Dog training from when they are born until 16 weeks, good or bad, will last a lifetime, so it’s vital that you get it right.

This ultimately means focusing on three key areas of training:

1. Basic obedience
2. Socialization
3. Good manners

Basic obedience training helps your pet learn its role, both in your family and in the world around them. Done right, it will teach it the skills it needs to interact with other dogs and people inside and outside your home. Recognizing their name, to come, to sit and down, as well as how to walk on or off-leash properly, are all vital.

Socialization is the process of teaching a puppy that its world is safe and that dogs and people come in all shapes and sizes. Socialization will also help your puppy react properly in various situations, such as being gentle with children, riding in vehicles calmly, and behaving appropriately with visitors.

Good manners mean your dog will learn to not jump up on people, to stay in a crate or kennel, to eliminate only outside, to “leave it” and to not bark excessively. Other behavior problems like nipping may also need to be addressed.

Why The Dog Wizard?

To ensure the happiness and health of your puppy, our private or group classes for puppies provide the key foundations needed to make sure they’re on the right track to becoming a pleasant, well-mannered family pet.

As expert dog trainers, The Dog Wizard works with you and your puppy. Through our experience, we get these important foundations down correctly for further training and future happy life.

Our private puppy classes are designed for puppies from 6 weeks to 5 months old, with training times that fit around your schedule and location. They’ll transform your new family member into a canine good citizen that’s ready to explore the world safely and confidently.

Some of the specific areas worked on include:

• Housebreaking and crate training
• Loose-leash walking
• Solving behavior problems such as jumping, play biting, barking, etc.
• Confidence building/socialization
• Basic obedience

The Dog Wizard is ready to help your dog’s journey toward being well-behaved right away.

Schedule your evaluation or give us a call for more information!