Puppy preschool offers socialization

 

December 19, 2019

Jan Manning

AT PUPPY PRESCHOOL, there are some fun and games mixed in with the important lessons for puppies 8-16 weeks old.

"Socialization" is the number one thing most needed by young dogs throughout Sanders County, says Jan Manning, trainer for Sanders County Dog Training Club. The rural lifestyle of many dog owners in this area precludes their dogs from exploring and adapting to the world outside their home acreage. An improperly socialized dog can grow to become fearful, anxious and even aggressive when pushed out of his comfort zone, because he hasn't learned how to cope with stimuli he encounters in the real world.

That's why Sanders County Dog Training Club has started a new training program exclusively for puppies 8 to 16 weeks of age (two to four months old). It's called "Puppy Pre-School" and is held every Saturday at Whitepine Grange. The first session was Dec. 14. Three puppies attended, including a three-month-old Labrador, a 13-week-old Australian Shepherd, and a 15-week-old Boxer mix.

The classes allow puppies to meet each other for supervised play and interaction that is crucial to their emotional and social development. They are also gently exposed to new people (including children), and are encouraged to play with interactive food-stuffed toys, investigate various flooring surfaces, negotiate steps and tunnels, and familiarize with objects like walkers, baby strollers, umbrellas, brooms, crutches, and other household objects. The hour-long classes will also include rest periods when puppies can learn to amuse themselves or nap in safe confines like crates or exercise pens.

"This class reflects new thinking in the behavior and training world," comments Manning, who has been training dogs and owners for 30 years. "We used to require dogs to be at least four months old and to have completed all their vaccinations prior to coming into a group class.

"But now we are realizing that the importance of early socialization in a safe, clean, controlled environment actually outweighs the fairly minimal risk of contracting puppy diseases like parvovirus. Statistics show behavioral issues, not infectious diseases, are the number one cause of death for dogs under three years of age." The deaths come largely from euthanasia when dogs are surrendered to shelters and deemed unadoptable because of behavioral issues.

Manning hopes word will get out to Sanders County residents whose puppies could use this program.

"There are enough puppies being adopted into homes nearly every day that we should have a constant supply of candidates," she says. "Ideally we'd like to have three to five puppies together each week. They can keep attending the sessions until they're four months old, at which time they'd 'graduate' into a Doggy Boot Camp class with older dogs."

The fee for each weekly session is $5, which is used to pay the daily rental for Whitepine Grange. Sanders County Dog Training Club is a nonprofit organization. Instructors volunteer their time.

"Our other main expense for this class," Manning jokes, "will be for paper towels and floor cleaner."

For more information on the Puppy Pre-School program, contact Jan Manning at 827-6385, or email her at [email protected].

 

Reader Comments(0)

 
 

Powered by ROAR Online Publication Software from Lions Light Corporation
© Copyright 2024

Rendered 03/14/2024 07:43