Our hospital uses qualified trainers to run Puppy School from the company Erin says... “Sit” Happens!

Using a positive, happy and reward based approach, the trainers teach pet owners how to manage toilet training, vet visits, grooming, jumping, biting and mouthing and all the basics of puppy ownership. They help owners teach their puppies mouth control by training puppies to open and close their mouth on a verbal cue (very important for puppies who like stealing those socks and undies!).

Other verbal cues discussed and taught are “sit”, “look”, “leave” “come”, “off” and “go play”.

A large component of these four weeks is learning about dog senses, how this influences behaviour. We focus on recognising dog body language and how to use this knowledge to keep puppies safe and relaxed during dog-dog socialisation.

Massage and handling skills are taught and used during question time. Some common questions addressed are “how do I get my puppy to sleep quietly?” “How do I keep my puppy from chewing furniture or destroying the garden?” “How do I stop my puppy barking?” “How do I stop my puppy chasing the cat”... and many more!

Enrolment

If you and your puppy are interested in Puppy School, just fill out an enrolment form at the front desk and let the nurses take care of the rest (or visit the Erin says... "Sit" Happens! website to download a form and fax it to 03 9528 4860, along with your puppy’s vaccination certificate).

You will then be contacted by the trainer to organise a start date and confirm your booking at the hospital. Upon booking confirmation you will be required to pay by credit card to the trainer directly.

Please bring with you the following:

• a HUNGRY puppy, please do NOT feed your puppy before class. We will use a lot of food treats during class to cover their meal intake
• a tug toy for your puppy to chew
• a mat or towel for your puppy to sit
• normal collar and lead (NO choke chains)
• your pup's grooming brush

If you have any questions, please feel free to call us.