Puppy Social Annapolis Outdoor (Kim's house)
About the Class
Prerequisites: Puppy must be between 8 weeks and 6 months of age. Puppy must have a recent vet check for wellness and proof of a “negative” fecal test. Puppies do not need to have all vaccinations but must be under a vet’s care. Class Description: Puppies are constantly learning from their environment, so it's crucial to get them socialized early! Those first few weeks with your new puppy are incredibly important for shaping their behavior and ensuring they grow into well-adjusted dogs. Our Puppy Socialization Class is designed to help you navigate this critical window for socialization (8-16 weeks), when puppies are most receptive to new sights, sounds, smells, and experiences. The class focuses on safe, guided interactions between the puppies, helping them learn to communicate and play appropriately with their peers. You’ll also learn what healthy puppy play looks like, and when interventions might be necessary. While it’s tempting to interact with all the adorable pups, we encourage owners to allow the puppies to engage primarily with each other. Here are some key behaviors we monitor and address: - Biting: Puppies are learning boundaries, but biting is something we’ll gently interrupt to ensure safe play. - Anxiety or Nervousness: For more shy or clingy puppies, we’ll guide you in giving them space to build confidence. - Rough Play: We keep a close eye on interactions to ensure no puppy is overwhelmed. If needed, assertive puppies may be managed with a leash or brief breaks behind a gate until they're ready to rejoin calmly. Our goal is a positive experience for all puppies while maintaining a safe and fun environment. If any behaviors need extra management, our trainers will take the appropriate steps to keep things safe and comfortable for everyone involved. Important Notes: If your puppy is in heat, we ask that you keep them home for the session. Cancellation and Refund Info: Life happens, and we totally get it! If you find yourself unable to make it to class or need to bail within 3 hours of the session, here's the scoop – there's a $15 cancellation fee headed your way. Shoot us a quick email at samantha@pawsandpossibilities.com to let us know what's up. Now, about that refund procedure for the “Drop-In” classes, we've got you covered! We'll handle that curveball by deducting the cancellation fee, and then, you'll get a partial credit for the rest of the class cost.
Special Instructions
Location Instructions: Kim's house is at the end of a 1/4 mile gravel driveway. Turn left off of Shot Town Rd onto the driveway just past 3 mailboxes (this will be after the GPS indicates you have arrived). Follow the gravel road to the end and park by the red house. Follow the walking trail to the left of the fenced-in yard, up the hill. Veer right past the trampoline and you will see a 6-foot fenced-in area we use for puppy social. Please park on the right side of the gravel driveway/grass. Please do not park in front of the garage door. This class is outside. We aim to hold class in the shade. Wearing a hat, sunscreen, and bug spray is recommended. We *highly* recommend your dog be on flea & tick prevention. Feel free to bring a blanket for your dog to lay down on during class. There is no seating available during class, you are welcome to bring a chair with you. Please bring to class: Treats or kibble, a standard leash 6 ft (not retractable), a flat buckle collar and any/all training tools you may use (harness, prong collar, gentle leader). Reminder: Please don't let your dog approach or greet other dogs in the class and your leash needs to be in your hand at all times during class unless instructed otherwise by a trainer. This class is temperature and weather-dependent. If there is an 80% chance of inclement weather or the temperature predicted to be 88 degrees or higher/ 40 degrees or colder at the start of this class the class will be canceled and you will receive an email notification. We base all cancellations off of the information provided by 'The Weather Channel' app. We will notify you at least one hour before the start of class.