When Should You Start Puppy Training? Everything You Need to Know About Puppy Classes in Southampton
- Rachael Henson
- Apr 29
- 6 min read
The Best Time to Start Puppy Training
The best time to begin your puppy's training is as soon as they come home! This is usually around 8 to 10 weeks old, however whenever you bring them home is the right time to start. Puppies are like little sponges and are always learning so there is really no time like the present when it comes to puppy training near me in Hampshire or anywhere else for that matter!
Puppies have a socialisation window which begins to close at around 12 to 16
weeks. This means that after this point they become less open to new experiences and more likely to treat novelty with suspicion. It is therefore incredibly important to start attending puppy training Southampton before this window closes to make the most of those early socialisation opportunities.
Of course this needs to be done safely, so make sure any puppy class you attend is held in a regularly cleaned indoor venue and that all other puppies' vaccination status has been recorded. But please do not wait until your puppy is fully vaccinated before starting training, there is so much you can do at home before then!
At Goodall Dog Training we invite puppies to join our Puppy Life Skills class in Southampton as soon as they have had their first set of vaccinations. This means they can make the most of the social opportunities a class environment provides and ensures you get the guidance you need as early as possible to prevent problem behaviours from developing. We have had puppies as young as 8 weeks attend our classes and they absolutely thrive, often progressing through to Bronze, Silver and Gold well ahead of the curve!
What Does Puppy Training Actually Involve?
Puppy classes are not just about sits and stays. They are about building a relationship with your puppy under the careful guidance of a qualified trainer. It is about having that support in the early weeks to talk through any doubts, keep you on track and make sure you and your puppy are set up for success.
During our Puppy Life Skills classes in Southampton each session focuses on a different topic including socialisation and habituation, handling, grooming and equipment, rewarding good decisions and preventing problem behaviours, loose lead walking and impulse control, recall and of course the big one, puppy biting! Each session is designed to guide you through the key priorities of puppyhood and set you up ready for the next level.
Alongside the classes you also gain access to our range of Puppy Guides covering everything else you might need help with, including toilet training, sleeping through the night, home alone, kids and dogs, cats and dogs and more!
A good puppy class should be focused on teaching the humans just as much as the dogs. You should feel supported throughout and able to carry the training on at home between sessions. Class is only 0.04% of your week after all! Home is where the magic really happens.
What is Goodall Dog Training's Puppy Life Skills Class?
Our Puppy Life Skills class is a 6 week course designed for puppies between 8 and 20 weeks old. Sessions are held at the QE2 Activity Centre within the beautiful River Hamble Country Park, serving Southampton, Bursledon, Hedge End, Eastleigh and Botley. Classes are kept to a maximum of 7 puppies to ensure every puppy and owner gets the individual attention they need without the environment becoming overwhelming.
Each week we cover a different subject:
🐾 Socialisation and Habituation — Learn how to introduce your puppy to novel sounds, objects, surfaces and more in a safe and controlled way.
🐾 Handling, Grooming and Equipment — Discover how to safely introduce all aspects of handling to ensure your puppy feels confident about these interactions as they grow. An often overlooked but really important part of puppyhood!
🐾 Rewarding Good Decisions and Preventing Problem Behaviours — Learn how to set your puppy up for success and save yourself from pulling your hair out at home. We also cover how to prevent jumping up before it becomes a habit.
🐾 Loose Lead Walking and Impulse Control — We introduce the concept of loose lead walking alongside that essential skill of holding off when you really want something!
🐾 Recall — Discover the key to teaching a reliable recall and how to make your puppy genuinely want to come back to you.
🐾 Puppy Biting — Our most popular class! Learn the tools that really work to manage and prevent puppy biting.
All of our classes are based on the latest scientific evidence for puppy development and use entirely force free and reward based methods. We do not use any pain, fear or intimidation to get results.
Wondering what to bring to your first puppy class? Here is what you will need:
Your puppy on a lead, harness and collar
A mat for your puppy to lie on
A long toy (no squeakers please!)
A chew for your puppy
Plenty of small high value treats such as sausage, cheese or chicken cut into half pea sized pieces
What to Look for in Any Puppy Class
When searching for puppy socialisation classes in Southampton or anywhere in Hampshire, here is what to look out for:
Reward based methods only — The methodology should align with your values around puppy welfare, prioritising relationship building over quick results. Any trainer using pain, fear or intimidation should be avoided.
Small group sizes — Large groups can be overwhelming for puppies, particularly in smaller spaces. Ask the trainer how many puppies are in each class and how much space is available.
A calm environment — A chaotic class is not good socialisation. Puppies need a calm, managed environment to learn effectively. An overwhelming class can actually sensitise puppies to other dogs rather than socialise them.
Qualified trainers — Check whether your trainer is listed on the ABTC register. This ensures they have undergone formal examinations, hold the relevant knowledge and are keeping up to date with their CPD as science is always evolving.
Supervised puppy play — If a class offers off lead play it should be supervised and structured, not a free for all. At Goodall Dog Training we offer separate dedicated sessions for off lead play called Puppy Conversations, held outdoors for fully vaccinated puppies. You will also learn about canine body language, when to step in and what good and bad interactions look like.
Common Puppy Worries — Answered
My puppy is shy, can they still come to class?
Absolutely! Classes are a brilliant environment for shy puppies to build confidence in a controlled and supportive setting. Just let us know in your new client form if your puppy is worried by other dogs or people and we will make sure you have a seat that gives them plenty of space to feel safe.
My puppy is very boisterous, will they disrupt the class?
We can absolutely help manage your puppy in class to ensure they are able to engage with you and the activities. Occasionally a class environment causes more frustration than a puppy can cope with at that stage, in which case we simply switch to 1:1 sessions to support you both at your puppy's level.
We have not had all our vaccinations yet, can my puppy still join?
Yes! Your puppy can join Puppy Life Skills as soon as they have had their first vaccinations. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about the minimal risk involved.
My puppy is over 20 weeks old, can they still join?
Please reach out to us to chat about this. It may be that our Bronze Life Skills course is a more suitable starting point. Our Puppy Life Skills course is designed to guide puppies and their owners through the early stages of puppyhood so some topics may not be relevant for older pups.
What Comes After Puppy Class?
When to start puppy training is just the beginning of the question! Once you finish Puppy Life Skills the training does not stop there. At Goodall Dog Training we have a full Bronze, Silver and Gold Life Skills pathway for you to continue onto. Each course is 6 weeks long and we continue working on those essential life skills your dog will need to become a well rounded and confident adult, including recall, loose lead walking, working around distractions and impulse control. All classes are held outside in our beautiful enclosed field.
We also run UK Sniffer Dogs Scent Detection classes for puppies and dogs who will benefit from a calm and enriching activity to channel any excess energy. Scent work is a brilliant complement to any training programme, helping to calm the nervous system and give dogs a slower paced and deeply satisfying outlet using their incredible nose.
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