Puppy Classes

We offer force free puppy classes at multiple locations in eastern Melbourne.

Our classes focus on what matters: developing confident, resilient puppies.

There are two levels of puppy school at Thrive Canine:

Puppy One - An introductory course for families with new puppies. We run this class for dogs aged 8 to 16 weeks, and for dogs 16 weeks to 6 months, so you can attend even if you have adopted an older puppy.

Puppy Two - A course which builds on Puppy One. This course is suitable for graduates of Puppy One, and puppies who have completed preschool elsewhere.

Our classes are available at:

Puppy One

Ages 8 to 16 weeks / 16 weeks to 6 months

Our Puppy One classes are five weeks long, and consist of one online lesson and four in-person classes.

In Puppy One, you will learn about:

Dog body language and how to tell when your puppy is stressed
How to appropriately socialise your puppy and expose them to people, dogs, and other experiences
Resolving common puppy problems such as toilet training, biting and nipping, and jumping up
Preventing behaviour issues such as resource guarding, reactivity and separation distress
Co-operative care techniques for enjoyable vet visits, grooming and handling
Basic cues and skills, such as sit, drop, follow my hand and loose leash walking
When to call in a professional trainer, and how to find a good one

For graduates of Puppy One and other preschools

Our Puppy Two classes consist of four in-person classes.

In Puppy Two, you will learn about:

Pattern games to increase engagement
Flight training (teaching your puppy to flee from things which scare them)
How to escape an off leash dog
How to safely break up a dog fight
Advanced co-operative care techniques for enjoyable vet visits, grooming and handling
Building on existing basic cues and skills and developing new ones, such as stand, recall, leave and give
An introduction to nose work