Puppy groups are very useful because there your puppy is socialised very well through contact with other dogs and people. They can take their first steps towards good upbringing there in a playful way and with the help of a qualified dog trainer. The dog owner gets to know his puppy much better in a puppy group and can recognise early on where he can encourage and help him.
Puppy groups only make sense if a qualified dog trainer also leads and guides the puppy group. A puppy group helps puppies to socialise properly and to form a closer bond with their owner.
When buying a young puppy, the owner will have a lot of questions about how to raise the dog. A frequently asked question with a puppy is whether it makes sense to send your dog to a puppy group.
My own experience with a puppy group was very positive at the time. The puppy group had an experienced dog trainer who could tell us all kinds of tricks and training tips. In my opinion, a good dog trainer is the most important thing for a puppy group, otherwise it doesn’t really make sense. Of course, the individual puppies also have to participate, but the whole thing always falls with the dog trainer and the good cooperation between the dog owner and his puppy.
Especially in the initial period between the time after the 3rd week of life until the 18th week of life, a puppy should be socialised. This means that it should have increased contact with other dogs and people in order to learn certain behaviours that are linked in the young dog’s brain.
Playing with other puppies in particular can also shape a young dog very strongly for later life and enable it to socialise well.
What do you do in a puppy group?
Puppies learn certain behaviours in a puppy group and can socialise very well with other dogs and people. They also learn the first steps of education.
In a puppy group, the young dog should be socialised, especially in its early days. This means that by playing with other puppies and their owners, the puppies learn certain behaviours and take their first steps in their upbringing.
In such a group, which usually consists of 6 to 7 puppies, the puppies learn to react to their owners and to go to them when given a command. They are also trained to walk easily on a leash and to wait patiently for their owner.
But also being touched everywhere and giving things back is practised playfully in a puppy group.
A puppy group is also very useful for the dog owners, as they learn how to deal with a puppy and get help if there are problems at home.
What does the dog owner learn in a puppy group?
The dog owner gets to know his puppy much better in a puppy group and can recognise early on where he can encourage and help him.
Not only the puppy learns in a puppy group, but also its owner can learn a lot about his young dog through a puppy group and the mix of play and education.
The dog owner can recognise much quicker when his puppy is missing something or can recognise much better what he wants. Likewise, he can recognise situations more clearly and in a more differentiated way and thus intervene more quickly in dicey situations.
When are puppy groups useful?
By training a qualified dog trainer, a puppy group makes a lot of sense. It also makes sense if there are enough breaks between play times for the puppies to relax. But a puppy group also makes a lot of sense if the dog owners are sufficiently explained the behaviour of the puppies and offered enough help.
Puppy groups only make sense if a qualified dog trainer also leads and guides the puppy group. A puppy group helps puppies to socialise properly and get a closer bond with their owner.
Furthermore, puppy groups are very useful if the following aspects are done in a puppy group:
- Special retreats for insecure and fearful dogs should be available.
- There should always be enough breaks between playtime for rest and relaxation.
- An appropriate number of trainers should be present with an appropriate number of puppies.
- Well-socialised companion dogs accompany the puppy group.
- Special dogs receive individual training.
- It is constantly explained to the dog owners what is happening in the puppy group and what it is useful for.
- Playing and romping should only start when all dogs are relaxed.
How long puppy group?
How long your puppy should be in puppy group also depends partly on your puppy itself. Some puppies learn quite quickly and others need a lot of supervision and do not pick up quickly.
Especially between the 8th week of life and the 16th week of life, your puppy should attend a puppy group. During this time, puppy socialisation is particularly important, as this is where certain behaviours are stored in the brain. Poor socialisation could lead to difficult upbringing and conspicuous behaviour later on.
Advantages of a puppy group
There are many benefits for your young dog in a good puppy group.
Puppies are usually very shy and often withdraw. In a group with people of the same age, your puppy can be more confident and give free rein to his curiosity.
Your puppy learns its first commands from you and can implement them more easily and better with the help of other members of the same species.
A puppy group makes a lot of sense, especially in childhood, when dogs need to socialise and have a lot of contact with other dogs.
The great diversity in a puppy group also has a big advantage. Your puppy gets to know other dog breeds and can gain experience with them.
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Summary – Puppy group useful?
A puppy group helps your puppy to socialise properly. Through contact with other dogs and people, your dog can memorise certain behaviours. This is especially important at a young age between the 3rd and 18th week of life.
In a puppy group, your dog learns playfully how to behave and takes the first steps towards good training. But a puppy group is also very useful for the dog owners, as they get to know their puppy and its needs better. In this way, the owner can better encourage and support his dog.
It is important in a puppy group that it is led by an experienced dog trainer. There should also be enough breaks between playing and learning for the puppy to recover and relax. A good puppy group also has enough places to retreat to.
How long your dog should be in a puppy group always depends on the individual dog. Some dog breeds learn much faster than others. Your dog should be in a puppy group especially during the socialisation period.
