The first step in National K-9’s Puppy Preschool enrollment process is to call and schedule your one-on-one private puppy consultation with one of our certified trainers. Since all breeds were bred for different qualities and have varying personalities, this private consultation will allow our trainer to evaluate your puppy’s personality type and temperament. Our trainer then will be able to offer you direction on raising your puppy’s personality type, breed, and temperament. During this consultation we will also offer behavior counseling in regards to house training, play biting, chewing, jumping up, walking on a leash, and answer any other questions you may have regarding your puppy. You will also be provided with an informational packet full of material that will further assist you at home. After your private puppy consultation, your family and your new puppy will be invited to join our weekly group sessions.

Our small, weekly preschool sessions allow for personalized attention and your questions about your puppy to be addressed. Through the guidance of our staff and the participation of other puppy owners, you will learn a great deal about socialization, confidence building, proper handling, basic problem solving, and other owner-educational topics. The following is a breakdown of what you and your puppy will learn:

During each weekly session our staff will continually assist you in solving many types of behavior problems and answering your questions. You will receive useful information on house training, chewing, food/toy possessiveness, and play-biting which can lead to unwanted aggression. You will learn how to teach your puppy walk on a leash. Through planning and careful attention to each puppy as an individual, we can help you learn how to guide your pet's development in order to prevent future problem behavior. The following is what is included in our weekly sessions:

During your weekly sessions you will learn how to begin the process that is critical to the positive social development of your puppy. We show you how to socialize your puppy effectively around people of various ages, backgrounds, and sizes. During this period of the puppy’s life it is imperative to introduce new people properly, to prevent the development of permanent fear of or aggression towards people or other dogs. We encourage and monitor puppy handling exercises where your pet is exposed to new people in our weekly sessions in a gentle and positive manner. Your puppy will also be given the opportunity to socialize with puppies and well mannered dogs. Proper socialization during this short window of opportunity will guide your puppy's development while he gains a clear understanding of appropriate behavior and interaction with people and other dogs.

At puppy preschool you will also learn confidence building techniques to help your puppy attain positive experiences. Using proper skills, we will help your puppy overcome its initial fears in its new environment. Our weekly confidence building exercises will help to further establish the critical communication and trust that is necessary for a well mannered family pet. You will be taught proper introduction techniques for items such as vacuum cleaners, wheel chairs, noise making items, staircases, varied surfaces, and more.

We will discuss a variety of owner - educational topics each week that will help you raise a happier and healthier pet. During these discussions you will learn the basics in dog care, including setting up a pet first aid kit and the introduction of basic grooming practices such as nail trimming, teeth brushing, ear cleaning, coat brushing and more.