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At Westlakes Veterinary Hospital, we teach puppy pre-school classes in Lake Macquarie. Puppy preschool is a relaxed, fun space for puppies to have an opportunity to play with each other and bond with their owners.
It provides owners with valuable, professional knowledge about how to best care for their new family member, covering topics from quality nutrition (not all pet foods are created equal), to healthcare and toilet training tips.
Importantly, it also provides a safe area for puppies to socialise, where all the puppies are up to date with their vaccination schedule.
Furthermore, puppy pre-school, with its treats and cuddles, builds a positive association with the veterinary environment for your puppy, which significantly reduces stress on their veterinary experiences throughout their life.
Socialisation is very important for your puppy’s development and is fundamental to raising a healthy, well-adjusted adult dog. Poorly socialised puppies can grow up to be shy, fearful and even aggressive adults. These, and many other behavioural problems, can be avoided with effective socialisation.
Puppies become more cautious as they get older, and anything that they have not been exposed to before will be met with suspicion and fear. The more enjoyable experiences your puppy has with a variety of people, places and animals, the more confident, happy and well-rounded they will be as an adult.
Puppy preschool is a great way to start this socialisation process. We also offer a socialisation programme for you to follow.
Prevention is better, and more cost effective, than cure. We give valuable information about vaccination/worming/tick and flea schedules and dental care to protect your puppy against harmful and sometimes life-threatening diseases.
Training is a great way to keep your puppy stimulated and to prevent boredom. It is also important to be in control of your puppy. They will not stay cute little puppies forever. As they grow and reach sexual maturity (around 6 months of age) they will begin to test your boundaries, much like that of an adolescent/teenager.
The transition from puppy to adult can be a lot smoother if you use good training techniques and establish that you are the leader of the pack as soon as they arrive in your home.
A good quality, balanced diet is very important to your puppy’s overall health, and these results are also seen in glossy coats, moisturised skin and significantly less dog poop on the lawn.
While pet foods are a convenient way for us to feed our dogs, most are created with a low production budget as the end goal, at the expense of nutrition. Insufficient protein, indigestible protein, high levels of soy and unhealthy colourants and flavourants to try and boost the appeal of low quality ingredients are sadly what the majority of pet foods offer dogs.
We can provide valuable nutritional information and suggest the scientifically researched, quality foods that we feed our own pets and patients to make sure your puppy is getting everything they needs from their diet. Check out our vet shop to see some products we endorse.
There are significant differences in nutrition requirements for large versus small breed puppies which can have significant impacts on their future health (e.g. help prevent joint disease and obesity later in life). Premium quality dog foods cater for these.
This is one of the main problem areas for most puppy owners. The main thing to remember is that when you get your puppy, they are usually around 6-8 weeks of age; at this time, they do not have good muscle control. Therefore, you cannot be unrealistic, for example, expecting them to hold on all day while you are at work. It can take weeks to months for them to develop control and learn where it is appropriate to go in your home. Puppy training can help make this a less stressful learning period for both you and your puppy.
Contact Heidi on 02 4959 5766 to book into the next fun class.
