FEATURE
SETTING THE STAGE FOR
SUCCESSFUL PUPPY CLASSES
By Heather Mishefske , CPDT-KA , CBCC-KA
e dog trainers sometimes forget the feeling of being a new puppy owner . There is so much “ newness ” to this experience . New household routines , a new personality to learn , new information to take in , new configuration of the house , new waking times , new veterinarians to meet , new exercise regimens and a plethora of new training plans . This can be an incredibly overwhelming time to a novice pet parent who just wanted a puppy to snuggle with and grow up together .
When novice puppy owners enter a puppy class , this can also be an overwhelming experience . Your clients may not know what the normal behavior of a puppy is , or might be worried their puppy will be inappropriate in class . Some owners are worried their pups will not do the skill work that is in your class curriculum or may be shy . They often think their puppy should know how to do specific skills prior to coming to class or they will be considered a failure if the pup doesn ’ t respond to certain cues in this environment . These are all very valid concerns for new puppy parents . Understanding these concerns is important for us to address in a puppy class . Or any class for that matter . All of us here know that a puppy class is not the place to be worried about being responsive to cues , as we are providing a space where they can explore , learn and gain confidence in a new setting . How do we make them feel more comfortable ? How do we assure them we do not have expectations of skills in puppy class ? How do we soothe them that puppy class is an experiential class in which we help them manage their pup and build confidence in assisting them ?
Setting the stage for expectations in week one is helpful . Make sure you address the challenges that pop up so your pet parents understand their puppy is not abnormal . Many new puppy owners have the misconception their puppies must be “ obedient ” that first night . And those of us who work with puppies know this is not OUR expectation . Explain that some puppies will be over-aroused and some will be overwhelmed , and what those emotions will look like in a puppy . And that all these emotional states on the continuum of first night of puppy classes are very normal and that you and your staff are comfortable and fully capable of supporting your puppy while they are here .
Here are some tips that I have found helpful in teaching puppy classes over the past 25 years :
Seating : An easy way to arrange the environment to build success – and we are all pretty good at antecedent arrangements . Even pre-COVID protocols , we have found that staggering the seating
54 Building Better Trainers Through Education