Did you bring home a new puppy over the holidays?
Don’t let their critical window of socialization pass you by!
Young puppies need to be socialized with other dogs and new people BEFORE their critical window of socialization starts to close around 16-18 weeks of age. There’s no better time to start puppy classes then NOW.
Our classes are rolling enrollment, which means no waiting for the next class date to start! You can jump in as soon as there’s an opening!
We also separate our puppy class by size and temperament, which means your puppy will be getting QUALITY socialization and our playtime isn’t a free for all. Our goal is that all puppies leave class more confident than they started!
Interested in learning more about our puppy program? Email [email protected] or see our website!
#dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #forcefree #forcefreetrainer #forcefreetraining #fearfree #fearfreetraining #fearfreetrainer #sciencebased #sciencebasedtraining #LIMA #cookiepusher #teamsnackies #elkgrovevillageIL #desplainesIL #mountprospectIL #ParkRidgeIL #PalatineIL #schaumburgIL #hoffmanestatesIL #happyhounduniversity
Teddy the board and train puppy is hard at work on his “go to bed and stay there until released” behavior!
We started with teaching him how to “target” the bed when asked, and now are adding in duration, distractions like me dropping treats and rewarding him for staying put, and having me sit down.
Like everything else we do at Happy Hound University, we’re teaching using positive reinforcement, proactively rewarding Teddy for a behavior we liked, and breaking it down into small enough steps that Teddy achieved with ease! If Teddy gets off the bed before I’ve released him, that’s just information telling me that I’ve made the exercise too hard too quickly!
Good boy, Teddy!
Did you recently bring home a new puppy? Email [email protected] to see if your puppy is a good fit for our program!
(P.s. yes those are my pajamas I am training in 😂)
#dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #forcefree #forcefreetrainer #forcefreetraining #fearfree #fearfreetraining #fearfreetrainer #sciencebased #sciencebasedtraining #LIMA #cookiepusher #teamsnackies #elkgrovevillageIL #desplainesIL #mountprospectIL #ParkRidgeIL #PalatineIL #schaumburgIL #hoffmanestatesIL #happyhounduniversity
Myth Busting Monday: Wait until your puppy is fully vaccinated to socialize them
According to the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, the foremost experts in pet dog behavior: “… puppies can start puppy socialization classes as early as 7-8 weeks of age. Puppies should receive a minimum of one set of vaccines at least 7 days prior to the first class and a first deworming. They should be kept up-to-date on vaccines throughout the class.”
This cannot be overstated: puppies are only in their critical window of socialization (the period of time when puppies are most sociable and less fearful of novelty) until about 12-16 weeks of age. Once a puppy leaves their critical window of socialization they are more likely to meet novel situations with fear and hesitation, and to be less accepting overall. Early positive exposure (done at the puppy’s pace!) to a wide variety of new people, other dogs/puppies, environments, and situations will teach your puppy how to expect and enjoy novelty as adult dogs!
Our puppy and adolescents classes are Happy Hound University’s specialty. We offer multiple class times each week, and set puppies up to succeed by matching them with similar sized and tempered playmates.
And we have openings as soon as we start back up in January!
Interested in learning more about our puppy program? Email [email protected]!
#dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #forcefree #forcefreetrainer #forcefreetraining #fearfree #fearfreetraining #fearfreetrainer #sciencebased #sciencebasedtraining #LIMA #cookiepusher #teamsnackies #elkgrovevillageIL #desplainesIL #mountprospectIL #ParkRidgeIL #PalatineIL #schaumburgIL #hoffmanestatesIL #happyhounduniversity
With the holidays coming up it can be tempting to put off training for your new puppy. But did you know that puppies have a limited window of time during which they can be properly socialized?
Your puppy’s critical window of socialization begins before they even come home, but it starts to close around 16 weeks depending on the breed and individual. This window of time is when your puppy is most open to novel experiences, and when they need to be introduced to new people, dogs, and environments. Early positive socialization helps young puppies become resilient, confident adult dogs!
That being said, DON’T wait to get your puppy into a puppy class. Socialization truly is time sensitive and needs to be done as soon as possible (as long as your puppy has had their first round of shots!)
We have openings in our puppy classes starting as soon as this week! Email [email protected] or see our website for complete details about our puppy class program!
#dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #forcefree #forcefreetrainer #forcefreetraining #fearfree #fearfreetraining #fearfreetrainer #sciencebased #sciencebasedtraining #LIMA #cookiepusher #teamsnackies #elkgrovevillageIL #desplainesIL #mountprospectIL #ParkRidgeIL #PalatineIL #schaumburgIL #hoffmanestatesIL #happyhounduniversity
Do you want your puppy to be highly sociable, but also to able to focus in the presence of distractions?
Our group puppy classes focus on that very thing!
The four puppies in this puppy 2 class are great friends! Olive, Frankie, Mila, and Butters love to romp and play with the best of them, but they also know how to focus and get to work when it’s time to train! This is because their owners have all committed to training from a very young age, and have stayed in classes consistently. These four dogs get regular play sessions with each other, but they’re also expected to control their impulses and practice polite behavior when training!
We have openings in our puppy classes starting as soon as next week! If you want your puppy so be well socialized while also learning the necessary skills to be polite out and about, we’d love to see you there! Email [email protected] for more information about our group and private training!
#dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #forcefree #forcefreetrainer #forcefreetraining #fearfree #fearfreetraining #fearfreetrainer #desplainesillinois #mountprospectil #elkgrovevillageillinois #schaumburgillinois #parkridgeillinois #wheelingillinois #nilesillinois #arlingtonheightsillinois #palatineillinois #cooperation #cookiepusher #groupclasses
With the holidays coming up it can be tempting to put off training for your new puppy. But did you know that puppies have a limited window of time during which they can be properly socialized?
Your puppy’s critical window of socialization begins before they even come home, but it starts to close around 16 weeks depending on the breed and individual. This window of time is when your puppy is most open to novel experiences, and when they need to be introduced to new people, dogs, and environments. Early positive socialization helps young puppies become resilient, confident adult dogs!
That being said, DON’T wait to get your puppy into a puppy class. Socialization truly is time sensitive and needs to be done as soon as possible (as long as your puppy has had their first round of shots!)
We have openings in our puppy classes starting in December! Email [email protected] or see our website for complete details about our puppy class program!
#dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #forcefree #forcefreetrainer #forcefreetraining #fearfree #fearfreetraining #fearfreetrainer #sciencebased #sciencebasedtraining #LIMA #cookiepusher #teamsnackies #elkgrovevillageIL #desplainesIL #mountprospectIL #ParkRidgeIL #PalatineIL #schaumburgIL #hoffmanestatesIL #happyhounduniversity
This week’s puppy class learned all about how wheeled objects worked, and practiced some confidence building while we shaped stepping onto their assigned item!
Our puppy class is designed to build confidence and resilience in our young puppies, and puts a real focus on what proper socialization looks like!
We have openings in our puppy 1 classes as soon as this week! For more information and to get signed up, email [email protected] or see our website!
#dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #forcefree #forcefreetrainer #forcefreetraining #fearfree #fearfreetraining #fearfreetrainer #sciencebased #sciencebasedtraining #LIMA #cookiepusher #teamsnackies #happyhounduniversity
Did you recently bring home a new puppy? Join us at our puppy classes!
We have openings to start as soon as THIS WEEK!
Did you know that puppies have a critical window of socialization that only lasts up until they are about 14-18 weeks old (with some research even putting the end of this period as early as 12 weeks)? As that critical window closes, if you haven’t positively exposed your puppy to other puppies and people they may start to develop fear which can lead to long term behavior problems, including aggression.
Additionally, puppies at this young age learn about bite inhibition when playing with each other. This means they learn how to “pull their punches” when they are playing and not bite to hard, so that as adult dogs they are safer to live with and more likely to inhibit the strength of their bite.
We’d love to see you at our classes! For complete information check out our website, or email [email protected]!
#dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #forcefree #forcefreetrainer #forcefreetraining #fearfree #fearfreetraining #fearfreetrainer #sciencebased #sciencebasedtraining #cooperation #cookiepusher #happyhounduniversity
Did you recently bring home a new puppy? Join us at our pay what you can puppy socials and puppy classes!
We have openings to start as soon as NEXT WEEK!
Did you know that puppies have a critical window of socialization that only lasts up until they are about 14-18 weeks old (with some research even putting the end of this period as early as 12 weeks)? As that critical window closes, if you haven’t positively exposed your puppy to other puppies and people they may start to develop fear which can lead to long term behavior problems, including aggression.
Additionally, puppies at this young age learn about bite inhibition when playing with each other. This means they learn how to “pull their punches” when they are playing and not bite to hard, so that as adult dogs they are safer to live with and more likely to inhibit the strength of their bite.
We’d love to see you at our socials and classes! For complete information check out our website, or email [email protected]!
#dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #forcefree #forcefreetrainer #forcefreetraining #fearfree #fearfreetraining #fearfreetrainer #sciencebased #sciencebasedtraining #cooperation #cookiepusher #happyhounduniversity
Did you recently bring home a new puppy? Join us at our pay what you can puppy socials and puppy classes!
Did you know that puppies have a critical window of socialization that only lasts up until they are about 14-18 weeks old (with some research even putting the end of this period as early as 12 weeks)? As that critical window closes, if you haven’t positively exposed your puppy to other puppies and people they may start to develop fear which can lead to long term behavior problems, including aggression.
Additionally, puppies at this young age learn about bite inhibition when playing with each other. This means they learn how to “pull their punches” when they are playing and not bite to hard, so that as adult dogs they are safer to live with and more likely to inhibit the strength of their bite.
We’d love to see you at our socials and classes! For complete information check out our website, or email [email protected]!
#dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #forcefree #forcefreetrainer #forcefreetraining #fearfree #fearfreetraining #fearfreetrainer #sciencebased #sciencebasedtraining #cooperation #cookiepusher #happyhounduniversity
A very happy national cat day from the feline half of Happy Hound University LLC!
While I’ve always had a bond and felt a connection with dogs, my love of cats really only developed in adulthood, particularly when my husband and I bought a house together and I lived with our first cat Bagheera, who was an amazing black cat who taught me how to appreciate cats as a species.
After losing our best girl Bagheera in 2022, we now are the proud guardians of three cats; two cats on purpose, and one delivered by the cat distribution system.
Trinket and Pike are both a little over one year old (and their first ever gotcha day is actually tomorrow! Happy gotcha day boys!) Our third cat is Higgins, who we found as a stray in Michigan in June and just couldn’t let go of (even though I told everyone in our family that we were just bringing him back to Illinois to find a home for him…)
If you’ve got a cat who’s taught you lessons and made you laugh, please share their picture and a bit about them in the comments section below!
#dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #forcefree #forcefreetrainer #forcefreetraining #fearfree #fearfreetraining #fearfreetrainer #sciencebased #nationalcatday #cats #catlife #sciencebasedtraining #LIMA #cookiepusher #teamsnackies #elkgrovevillageIL #desplainesIL #mountprospectIL #ParkRidgeIL #PalatineIL #schaumburgIL #hoffmanestatesIL #happyhounduniversity
How freaking CUTE is Keela’s “all hands in” trick?
Keela can sometimes get stressed at the vet, and Keela’s parents told me that they use this trick to set a playful atmosphere for Keela and help her feel more comfortable with their veterinary staff!
Training and tricks are a great way to continue building a dog’s confidence and give them a way to communicate with us!
Go team, Keela! So proud of all the hard work you have done!
#dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #forcefree #forcefreetrainer #forcefreetraining #fearfree #fearfreetraining #fearfreetrainer #sciencebased #sciencebasedtraining #LIMA #cookiepusher #teamsnackies #elkgrovevillageIL #desplainesIL #mountprospectIL #ParkRidgeIL #PalatineIL #schaumburgIL #hoffmanestatesIL #happyhounduniversity
