Puppy School in Napier
Welcome to Puppy Preschool!
We're thrilled to have you and your puppy join us for this exciting journey! Puppy Preschool is designed to provide a fun and educational environment for both puppies and their owners. Understanding the importance of early training, our program focuses on building a solid foundation for a well-rounded, socially adjusted dog.
Our classes are made up of small groups of up to 6 puppies per group, so your puppy will be exposed to many different breeds and sizes of dogs in a safe environment without being overcrowded or over-stimulated. Play is supervised closely to ensure a positive experience for all.
What Puppy Preschool includes
Basic cues — sit, stay, come, lay down
Walking on a loose lead
Socialisation
Positive reinforcement training
Nutrition, health, growth & development
House & toilet training
Addressing problem behaviours
Basic first aid & vet familiarisation
Fun activities & bonding games
Our Puppy Preschool runs monthly at Carlyle Vet Clinic, on Wednesdays from 6:30 – 7:15pm. The course starts with a pre-session for owners only — no puppies — so we can cover puppy body language, socialisation, and positive training techniques without distractions. Then four sessions together with your puppy, finishing with graduation at your final session.
4 sessions for $150. You'll also receive handouts summarising each topic — socialisation, positive reinforcement, nutrition, health, growth and development, and basic first aid — plus online links for further learning.
Why enrol in our Puppy Preschool?
Puppy Preschool isn't just a fun activity for you and your new puppy — it's an essential investment in their future wellbeing and your happiness together. During these crucial early weeks of life, puppies are like sponges, absorbing everything around them and forming habits that will last a lifetime.
By exposing puppies to various people, animals, sounds and environments early on, socialisation helps reduce fear and anxiety in unfamiliar situations. Well-socialised puppies are less likely to develop anxiety-driven behaviours like aggression, excessive barking or fearfulness — and they're more receptive to training and learning new commands.
Socialising with humans and other pets also strengthens the bond between you and your puppy. Positive experiences during socialisation build trust and create a relationship based on mutual understanding and respect.
Since classes are designed to be fun, your puppy will develop positive associations with the vet clinic itself, making future visits less stressful for everyone.
