Puppies are wonderful, cute, soft cuddly sweet little things.
And they also can (and usually do) drive us crazy!
The good news is that puppies have an amazing ability to learn between the ages of 8 weeks and 16 weeks – a “golden period” of learning. During this stage they are like little learning sponges, eager to check out the world, interested in everything and with an ability to pick up new skills unlike at any other stage in their lives.
If you are lucky enough to have your puppy at this age, it is the perfect time to put a lot of effort into training and lay the foundation for the rest of your dog’s life. The work you put in now will pay off many times over in years to come. Not putting in the work now will most likely result in much more work later.
What do puppies need to know? There are several skills that are crucial for puppies to learn right off the bat:
* Housebreaking
* Bite inhibition
* Socialization (With other puppies and dogs, with people of all ages)
* Desensitization (To all different kinds of noises, smells, situations)
* How to be Alone (Prevention of Separation Anxiety)
* Basic Obedience (Sit, Down, Stay, Beginning Leash Work, Beginning Recall)
With private, in-home training you can schedule training immediately after your puppy arrives, or even before (in preparation for arrival), and learn all of these skills in less time than it would take to complete one puppy class.
Take full advantage of your puppy’s “golden period” of learning.
