Give your new puppy the best start in life.

Puppy Preschool At Challenger Vet

We can't wait to meet you and your new puppy!

Puppy Pre-School gives your puppy the best start in life and the opportunity to grow into a well-behaved, sociable dog. Classes are designed for puppies between 6 and 14 weeks of age, as it is much easier to teach a puppy the correct behaviour at this young age than it is to correct bad behaviour later in life.

WHY PUPPY PRESCHOOL? 

Puppy preschool provides a safe, controlled environment for puppies to socialise, and classes are kept small so each puppy and their owners can get individual attention. Thousands of dogs end up in pounds and shelters each year due to behavioural problems. This is often the result of a lack of proper socialisation and training in the important early developmental stage of a puppy's life.

WHAT DOES IT COVER? 

Each course consists of 4 one-hour per week classes. You will learn positive reinforcement methods for training your puppy, puppy socialisation, general health care, nutrition, and more. Each course will also dedicate time to covering any individual problems and questions from owners.

HOW OLD SHOULD MY PUPPY BE? 

Puppies should be between 6 and 14 weeks of age and have had their first vaccination. This is the optimal time for training and ensures all puppies in the class are socialised in a safe environment that is appropriate for their age and size.

WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING? 

Please bring your puppy on a lead and preferably a harness to class, and if your puppy was not vaccinated at a Challenger Veterinary Hospital, please bring your puppy's current vaccination record.

SHOULD I FEED MY PUPPY BEFORE THE CLASS? 

Please don’t feed your puppy for 2 hours before class. Puppies like to sleep after a meal and are less responsive to treats, which are used as a form of positive reinforcement during class.

HOW DO I BOOK MY PUPPY IN?

Please call us at 9419 4133, and we will book you into the next available class.

Retriever Puppy wearing a black and white polkadot harness shaking hands with its handler
A White Dacschound puppy looking for treets in a red and white food puzzel toy

Complete the form below if you would like further information:

COURSE OUTLINE

Socialisation - why socialisation is so important to your puppy's development and how to ensure that your puppy is well socialised safely.

Body Language - learn about your puppy’s body language.

Positive reward-based training - Your puppy will learn basic behaviours like sit, recall, stay and basic lead work.

Toilet Training - effective techniques for toilet training your puppy at home.

Managing problem behaviours - Why they can occur and how to use positive reinforcement to minimise problems such as chewing, digging, jumping up, etc.

Preventative health care - an outline of the preventative medicines currently available and which ones are important for your puppy.

Diet and feeding - recommendations for when, where, how often and what to feed your new puppy.

Grooming - Brushing, bathing, nail clipping. When to start and what needs to be done for your individual puppy. How to introduce your puppy to being groomed without them becoming afraid.

Enrichment - Different forms of enrichment and ideas on implementing enrichment at home for your puppy.

Brown Stuffy puppy playing in a blue shell ball pit filled with colourful balls
A Germain Shephard puppy on a red leash sitting infront of a handler waiting for a treat.

"Extremely helpful and supportive. Always happy to give more information to help you understand any pet problems and the pricing is exceptional. Is an hour away from my house but always worth the travel. They are the best."

— ZOE H