What is Puppy Training Class?
Held weekly and lasting four to eight weeks, puppy class is the perfect place to start training your new best friend’s foundation skills. We offer small class size group or private sessions typically taught by one of our expert dog trainers. Prices for puppy classes vary based on your trainer, class options, and location. The goal is for your puppy is to begin building foundational skills at a young age. They will learn basic cues, socialization, obedience, and focus. Pet owners will have homework and need to practice puppy training to help generalize these new behaviors and create a confident family member.
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Why Should I Enroll My Puppy in a Class?
Puppies do not come home well-behaved, they have to be taught good behaviors! Socialization, obedience skills, and attention in a new environment require a commitment to training early on. Sometimes it can be overwhelming for new pet parents, and our goal in puppy class is to help navigate this crucial training age. The first thing we do in puppy training class is teach basic cues while demonstrating our proven training methods to help shape your young puppy. Our professional training staff tries to do most of the hard work during puppy training sessions, but owners will need to practice their pup’s new skills at home so their new good behavior is reinforced.
Learn MoreWhat Will My Puppy Learn?
During class, your puppy will focus on foundation behavior, crucial obedience lessons, and socialization. The goal is for your puppy to grow into a dog that can play with other dogs, be gentle, act appropriately around new people and children, and have perfect off-leash behavior. We begin teaching these skills at a young age so unwanted behaviors do not need to be retrained when they are adults. Trainers can privately work with new dog owners to address any behavior problems a new puppy might exhibit.
Puppy Potty Training
Potty training is a critical early step for puppy training. Learning where to use the bathroom is important for a healthy and happy relationship between you and your new best friend. Accidents in the house are one of the biggest reasons a person might give up their dog. After coming home from a long day at work, most people are not happy about cleaning a soiled rug or floor. Let us give you tips to avoid this kind of mess!
Puppy Crate Training
To condition potty training, we start with crate training. By nature, dogs tend to be clean and will not want to have an accident in their crate. The first step is a correctly sized crate. Your puppy should be able to stretch out, stand up, and turn around. However, if the crate is too big, they might be okay using the bathroom in a corner while settling away from their mess. Luckily you do not have to buy multiple crates as your puppy grows up, crates often come with a partition to change the size as they get bigger.
Puppy Training Timeline
Your new puppy training timeline includes the basics: socialization, potty training, and beginner obedience. Depending on the age, breed, and personality of your puppy, this timeline can vary.
- 8-10 weeks: Learn basic training cues like “sit” and “stay”
- 10-12 weeks: Teach impulse control, walking on the leash and harness, and bite inhibition
- 3-4 months: Expand impulse control skills: polite greeting, gentle mouths with fetch, bell training, and “down”
- +6 months: Advanced socialization, improve confidence, alerting, and hold bladder for longer periods
How Old Does My Puppy Need to Be to Start?
Ideally, a new puppy owner will enroll in the puppy training program between the ages of 8 and 14 weeks. At this age, you can begin to establish the good behavior you want right away by reinforcing these lessons. Don’t forget to practice at home!
Puppy Socialization
Begin socialization by properly introducing a puppy to new environments with strangers, other dogs, animals, and experiences, Your puppy will grow up into a confident dog with the ability to handle new and stressful situations.
Should I Enroll in a Group Class or a Private Class?
There are both advantages and disadvantages to signing up for group classes or individual lessons. For socializing, group classes are best for younger puppies. They learn how to properly interact around new dogs and people while developing impulse control around distractions. This new environment is crucial for the expansion of certain skills, however, the class time is limited and the trainer is working with multiple puppies and their owners. For pet parents looking for something a little more personalized, private lessons might be a better fit! A dog trainer focuses all their attention on one person, their puppy, and their training goals. It does involve more commitment and accommodations around a busy schedule. Plus you miss the opportunity the group class offers to socialize in a busy, stimulating environment. Whether you choose group or individual classes depends on your personal desires, schedule, and your puppy’s training needs.
Hear From Our Customers
Learn Why Dog owners choose Sit Means Sit Dog Training
I love how friendly and knowledge everyone is. I haven't seen my dog with other dogs in such a long time. He's come along way. Thank you so much Sit Means Sit and all the employees there. I couldn't have asked for more. Extremely happy dog mom!!
Clean place, reasonably priced services. My dog received play time throughout the day and I received an updated report card each day with a photo. They do have cameras that are monitored during the night so that there's always someone keeping an eye out.
The team at Sit Means Sit is amazing. They quickly identified the challenges my rescue pup was having and began addressing them immediately. I saw positive improvement within days. Everyone is so helpful and very responsive.
My dog Enzo learned so much from his stay at Sit Means Sit and he fell in love with all the wonderful people that work there. He was subsequently adopted by another couple, bc he was my foster dog, and they claim, they have never had such a well behaved dog! Thanks Sit Means Sit! 10 / 10
We had a great experience training our puppy through Sit Means Sit all of the trainers were really caring and knowledgeable. This is our 3rd lab and the others were never trained, I already see a difference in just 7 months. I would recommend!
Can not say enough great things about SMS. Trainers were all awesome gave me the confidence to handle my Tyson. They were patient and you can tell they love what they do. If you are struggling with a reactive dog give them a call it will be life changing for both you and your fur baby.
When I got my dog George i immediately enrolled him in puppy training day classes - once those were completed - he now goes to daycare at Sit Means Sit Dallas and absolutely LOVES IT! Great place and great people who give 100% to the dogs!!