Leicestershire’s Premier Puppy Training Club
Intelligent, Kind, Effective Dog Training
One Chance to Get it Right
Puppies are generally very cute and cuddly however in some cases they can exhibit quite challenging behaviour from the very onset such as aggression. The reason for this is that puppies are known to have adult brain waves from the age of 7 weeks therefore although they look small and immature they minds are similar to those of adult dogs.
As puppies approach 6 months of age their behaviour can change markedly as their working instincts awake. This is when people tend to contact us for help.
By engaging our services from the very onset to beyond the above development period we can help and support you during these testing times ensuring that puppies grow up to be nurtures and guided through the difficult periods and that you can address all concerns in a calm , confident and quiet manner.
Training Puppies in their home surroundings
This enables give you a good start with our home visit or one-one service which covers all aspects of owning puppies and problems you are likely to face such as:
We will also give you a pack of information. Clients who book a home visit prior to obtaining a puppy are also emailed a fact sheet titled “what to do when you get your puppy home” which our clients report has been invaluable in helping with problems early on.
Facts about Puppies
Puppies undergo a critical development period between 4-12 weeks of age
It is common for puppy owners to wait until they experience problems before considering puppy training
classes.
Puppies are known to have adult brain waves by the age of seven weeks
Puppies, like children are hungry for new experiences.
Puppies undergo many different development phases and can be both easy and difficult to train
Puppies don’t speak English fluently so don’t expect them to understand
Puppy socialisation and free lead and collar training
Puppy Socialisation sessions are provided free of charge to all clients who enrol for our beginner class. Why? We feel that cost should not be a barrier to giving your dog the perfect start in life. We recommend your puppy is Kennel Cough Vaccinated. If in doubt please contact us or your vet. Socialising puppies correctly goes an awful long way to your puppy becoming a stable adult with strength of character and the ability to overcome adversity and problems. Many books advocate puppiy socialisation should consist of as many different experiences but few if any tell you how you should undertake this very important task. We at Bertie Dog Training will not only guide you in the right direction but provide written handout to ensure you and your family are consistent.
Warning - Can attending puppy parties at your vets cause recall problems?
In theory the idea of having puppy parties sounds great however for nearly fifteen years we have regularly received phone calls from dog owners who complain that their dogs have poor recalls and run off to greet other dogs. Puppy parties do help to socialise your puppies but they are also responsible for a catalogue of problems such as: poor recalls, nervousness, anxiety and in some cases aggression
Greater care and control are called for when starting your puppy off on the road to adulthood. Puppy training should be fun and as informal as possible. If you are in any doubt please contact us to discuss further.
Managing phobias in puppies
Puppies are naturally afraid when presented with new experiences such as traffic, vacuum cleaners people, dogs, going on car journeys and so on. Although it is natural for you to want to reassure your puppy you may inadvertently be creating a long term problem, yet in many instances success with these types of problems is easy to achieve given advice from us. Please understand however that tough love is extremely difficult for people to administer whether it be to children, puppies or adult dogs.
How to select the right puppy as a family pet
Is it possible to avoid problems when selecting a puppy? The answer is of course “YES”
Before you visit a “breeder” in order to choose a puppy there are many steps you need to have taken.
Choose the right breed for your household by reading books as well as visiting breeders. The Kennel Club Crufts dog show has a “Discover Dogs” area where you can talk to breeders about possible problems with specific breeds.
Honest breeders will be happy to show you their litters and not be desperate to sell a puppy to you.
Good breeders will offer backup support as well as an information pack, including insurance.
Good breeders will not expect you to go home with a puppy on your first visit.
They will ask searching questions about your home, circumstances, experience and want to be satisfied about your suitability.
They will welcome subsequent visits to view the litter so you can choose the right pup.