When Should You Begin a Puppy Class??

Some vets are very conservative and are adamant puppies should remain in the safety of the neighborhood until they have all their shots . This is roughly around 16 weeks! I respectfully disagree. I would not take a new pup to a dog park or typically even to a pet store where they could run into sick or unvaccinated dogs before all shots are completed, yet pet owners are missing a developmental window if they wait until four months of age to begin any type of training or socialization. Prime learning in dogs occurs between 8-12 weeks. The puppies soak up knowledge like sponges. They also want to please you. More obstinate or testing behaviors can set in around 14 weeks of age. Also if a puppy has developed some bad habits like mouthing , ankle biting, or resource guarding now they must be addressed. Instead you could do preventative measures to reduce the possibility or severity of bad habits.

I realize I am in the minority where I start puppy classes after eight weeks. The risk is minimal if all the puppies are healthy and have had initial DPT shots. By then they should have had two of the four with a rabies shot squeezed in around 12 weeks. Nothing in life is guaranteed, but the odds of a dog contracting a fatal or even serious disease is minimal. I have been teaching puppy classes for over four years. I think in one class an intestinal virus was spread between two dogs which lasted two days.

Would you keep a baby or toddler completely confined to the neighborhood until all vaccines are completed? Children and puppies need to experience new sights, sounds, people, and places. It is critical to development. Please consider teaching your pup early on and exposing him or her to some controlled socialization and learning.