Dog Training

For the puppy training course, you can choose between group classes or one-on-one private lessons.
The puppy training course consists of various components and helps you lay a solid foundation for raising your puppy. This is also important for building a bond with your four-legged friend.
You can read about what we’ll be doing during the lessons under the headings“group lessons” and“one-on-one private lessons.” It’s also possible to participate in a puppy party. During the puppy party, your puppy will learn to socialize with other puppies and explore all kinds of fun props, such as a ball pit, tunnel, tent, and different surfaces.

A group class consists of up to 8 dogs and lasts approximately 45 to 60 minutes. The advantage of a group class is that your dog also learns to focus on you while other dogs are nearby. This means he or she learns to listen to you even when there are many distractions around. During the group classes, your dog will learn various commands, such as: “Pay attention,” “Sit,” “Down,” “Stay,” “Heel,” etc.
In addition, we’ll focus on socializing with other puppies and adult dogs. How do I properly meet another dog?
It’s also important to discuss what to do when our dog encounters an unfamiliar situation or comes across something strange. How should we, as owners, respond to this?
During one of the lessons, we’ll also focus on clinic training.

The puppy training group class consists of 8 sessions.

The fee for the entire puppy training course must be paid in a single payment. The classes are scheduled in advance, and you may cancel one class during the entire course. Unfortunately, this class cannot be made up. It is therefore important that you know in advance whether you will be able to attend the entire course.

During the one-on-one lessons, all attention is focused on you and your puppy. The lessons are therefore tailored to your pace and your puppy’s learning level. The puppy course consists of 5 to 6 private lessons. Each lesson lasts 45 to 60 minutes. Because the lessons are one-on-one, you’ll receive a lot of information per session, but you’ll also have two weeks to practice everything and review it before the next lesson. We’ll email you a summary of everything we practiced during that lesson. If you have any questions about the exercises in the meantime, you can always call or send an email. During the one-on-one sessions, your puppy will learn various commands, such as: “Pay attention,” “Sit,” “Down,” “Stay,” “Heel,” etc.
We’ll also focus on socializing your puppy with adult dogs. How do I properly introduce my puppy to another dog?
It’s also important to discuss what to do if your puppy encounters an unfamiliar situation or comes across something strange. How should we, as owners, respond to this?

During one of the classes, we also focus on clinic training.
You can also choose to participate in a puppy party so your puppy can socialize with other puppies. This is also important for your puppy’s development.

We organize puppy parties on a regular basis. You’re welcome to sign up for one with no obligation. During these puppy parties, several puppies will be allowed to socialize freely with one another. Of course, we’ll first make sure the puppies get along and can play together safely. They’ll also get to explore all kinds of fun props, such as a ball pit, tunnel, tent, tarp, and much more. It’s a true paradise for your puppy!

We also offer breeders the opportunity to bring their own litter—with or without the mother dog—to a puppy party. Here, they can enjoy half an hour on our puppy play area, which features all kinds of fun props like a ball pit, tunnel, tent, and much more.
What do the puppies learn from this? A whole lot!
It involves a short car ride to an unfamiliar place, followed by time in the puppy play area where they’re introduced to all sorts of new stimuli, and then another short car ride back. As a breeder, you can also use that half-hour to get a good sense of how the puppies’ personalities are developing. Are they very adventurous, or do they tend to play it safe? They also learn a great deal from each other here. Once one takes the plunge, the rest often follow! They also get to experience different surfaces so they can learn to feel the variations under their paws. And there’s a bit of balance involved, such as stepping onto a stool and learning to use all four legs correctly. So it’s half an hour packed with socialization and various stimuli! Puppies can participate starting at seven weeks of age, provided they aren’t sick.

The puppy class, of course, gives you a great start and lays the foundation for obedience. After 8 lessons and the various stages the dog goes through, we can’t expect them to obey perfectly. So after the puppy class, you can move on to the beginner obedience class. During these classes, we’ll continue to expand our knowledge and fine-tune the details. Classes will be held weekly, and a course consists of 8 sessions. To get started here, it’s important that you know the basic commands.

You can start this training at any time. You can begin as early as puppyhood or later in life. The advantage of starting early is that the dog gets used to the veterinary clinic and is less likely to become stressed. Often, we only visit the clinic when something unpleasant has to be done to the dog. This can cause the dog to develop a negative association with the clinic, which is very difficult to correct. However, with clinic training, we can still make the experience as bearable as possible by slowly rebuilding trust. During this training, you’ll receive helpful tips and tricks to help your dog become increasingly accustomed to the clinic. “They don’t have to love it, but they can certainly accept it!”

Are you having trouble with your dog’s behavior at home? If so, you’re always welcome to schedule an appointment for behavioral advice. Together, we can see if I can help you with the behavioral issues you’re experiencing with your dog, such as pulling on the leash or jumping up on people, etc. I’d love to hear about the challenges you’re facing, and I’ll provide you with some practical tips to use at home. Sometimes, additional training sessions may be necessary. If the problems become too significant or severe, we will, of course, refer you to a suitable behavior therapist.

For more information about the various courses and prices, please call 0499-374205 or send an email to info@dierenkliniekdenheuvel.nl, addressed to Melissa de Wit.