Puppy Foundations & Socialisation Class

Service Description

Dogitivity is excited to launch a new six-week puppy socialisation class designed to help young dogs grow into confident, well-adjusted companions. Each one-hour session focuses on building confidence, teaching appropriate social behaviour, and creating positive associations with new experiences, people, animals, and environments. What We’ll Cover Each Week Week 1 – Building Confidence & Foundations Gentle introductions, understanding dog body language, and helping puppies settle into new surroundings. Outcome: Puppies begin to associate new experiences and handling with calm, positive feelings. Week 2 – People & Handling Meeting different types of people and practising low-stress handling. Outcome: Puppies learn that people who look, move, or sound different are safe and interesting. Week 3 – Sounds & Environmental Challenges Exposure to everyday noises and new textures, objects, and spaces. Outcome: Puppies become more resilient and adaptable when encountering unfamiliar stimuli. Week 4 – Canine Communication & Play Understanding healthy play, managing arousal levels, and reading signals between puppies. Outcome: Puppies develop appropriate social behaviour and learn to play politely. Week 5 – Out & About (Stoke d’Abernon Cricket Field) A real-world socialisation walk to practise calm focus outdoors. Outcome: Puppies generalise their new skills beyond the training field. Week 6 – Review & Graduation A fun wrap-up session with simple obstacle challenges and games to celebrate progress. Outcome: Owners leave with confidence, clear next steps, and puppies finish on a positive note. Why Puppy Socialisation Matters Proper socialisation is one of the most important gifts you can give your puppy. Early, positive exposure helps dogs grow into confident adults who cope calmly with everyday life. Introducing puppies to people, animals, environments, sounds, and handling in a gentle, reward-based way reduces the risk of anxiety, fear, and behavioural challenges later on. Puppies learn best when new experiences are paired with treats, praise, and play. This creates strong positive associations, teaches them that the world is safe, and builds emotional resilience. By reinforcing calm curiosity—rather than forcing interactions—owners help their pups develop the skills they need to feel secure, adaptable, and confident throughout their lives.