Puppy school provides a safe space to allow structured socialisation for puppies with other pups their age, with new people and ideally within a veterinary environment.

Puppies that attend puppy school are still within the critical socialisation phase of development. This developmental period lasts between 3-14 weeks of age and is so important because this is when the rate of new neural connections within the brain are forming at an extremely fast rate. Interactions and experiences in this period will set pups up for how they tolerate the world around them for the rest of their life.

Pups that either have no new experiences or pups that have negative experiences in this sensitive time, can remain wary and fearful of new people, pets, places and situations for the rest of their life. In comparison, a well socialised pup that has had positive experiences in this time and has felt safe during exposure to new experiences, can be set up to be more comfortable and tolerant of new experiences, people and pets for the rest of their life.

• Set up a foundation for your pup to have positive experiences within the veterinary clinic environment, assisting them to remain calm and even enjoy their future veterinary visits throughout their life.
• Teach new pet parents about a range of husbandry and pet health advice
• Most importantly, teach pet parents how to read the body language of their own pups and ensure they have the tools to continue positive socialisation for their pup outside of puppy class and how to look after their emotional and mental health as pups and as adult dogs.