*The following is from the PPG (US) website Puppy Training Resources

We recognize that getting a puppy can be exciting and frustrating. Puppies are delightful, cute, funny and highly entertaining. Unfortunately, they do not come with an owner's manual. We are changing all of that. Below is information on what we believe are the most important skills you and your puppy must master.

Free Downloads

• Free Puppy Socialization Checklist
  
• Puppy Nipping Guide
  
• Vaccinations & Socialization
  
• The Proper use of Food In Dog Training
  
• Potty Training Basics for Puppies and Adult Dogs
  

Puppy Socialization.

Read the PPG's Position statement on Puppy Socialization. Yes go ahead a register your puppy in a puppy class as soon as possible.

This is a great article featuring a round table discussion on the risks and benefits of early puppy socialization. Ian Dunbar says " The risks are minimal to non-existent and the benefits are positively HUGE, namely, learning bite inhibition (via dog-dog play-fighting),socialization with people (during off leash play), handling by strangers, and owners learning to train their pups in a controlled yet extremely distracting setting (integrating training interludes into play, so that rather than being a distraction to training, play with other dogs becomes a reward for training). Plus, it is a fun night out for dogs and their human families"

The PPG has developed for its members and for PPG clients a great puppy socialization checklist to support our position statement on puppy socialization. Download a FREE copy of this training tool.

Dr.Ian Dunbar has also made this book available as a free PDF download

You can also download Before You Get Your Puppy and After You Get Your Puppy by Dr. Ian Dunbar. Click here to access these puppy books.

The Puppy Nipping Guide.

Since puppies are born without hands, the only way they have to explore the world is with their mouths. And you may have noticed that your puppy is quite the explorer. Everything goes into those little mouths, including your fingers, and those baby teeth are like little needles. Ouch!

It's completely normal for puppies in their litters to bite each other in play. When they engage in this "bitey-face" game, they learn a little about how to inhibit the strength of their biting. If one puppy bites another too hard, that puppy probably will yelp and stop playing. If that happens enough times, the biter learns to apply less pressure. If you need help teaching your puppy appropriate mouth behaviors then download our Puppy Nipping Guide

The Proper Use of Food In Dog Training.

Socialization and Vaccinations Go Together.

Pet parents are now aware of the necessity of providing dog/dog socialization opportunities for their puppies. Nevertheless, when and how to do it is still misunderstood largely because many veterinarians, as well as breeders and pet-store owners, advise new pet parents to avoid socializing their new puppy with other dogs until the age of four to six months in order to avoid exposure to illnesses that vaccines protect against. Download our  education piece on the importance of both vaccinations and socialization.

Download the PDF of "Before You Get Your Puppy

Download the PDF of "After Your Get Your Puppy"

We know that, while puppies are beautiful, they can also be frightening, perplexing and downright annoying. So, from time to time, we will have a special event on for puppy owners, to help them with some of the problems. Scroll down to view some of the past Puppy Events.