Free puppy training advice from the experts at Puppy School
The Growing Up with Puppy School email series is a free resource for all puppy owners, providing puppy training advice tailored to your puppy's age. Receive expert training, development and wellbeing tips throughout your puppy's first year - direct to your inbox.
Free puppy training advice for every stage of your puppy’s first year
That’s because puppyhood isn’t one single stage. During their first year, puppies go through significant physical, emotional and behavioural changes. The puppy you bring home at eight weeks can be very different from the adolescent dog sharing your home a few months later.
Understanding these puppy development stages can make it much easier to know what your puppy needs from you and which aspects of their training to focus on.
That’s why we’ve created Growing Up with Puppy School, a free email series providing expert puppy training advice tailored to your puppy’s age throughout their first year.
Why does puppy training advice change with age?
There is an enormous amount of puppy advice available online. The difficult part can be knowing which advice is relevant to your puppy, right now.
An eight-week-old puppy who has only recently left their mum and littermates has very different needs from a six-month-old puppy beginning to navigate adolescence.
During those early weeks and months, you might have questions about settling your puppy into their new home, toilet training, sleep, socialisation, puppy biting or teaching those important first skills.
As your puppy gets older, new questions often emerge. Their behaviour may change, they may become more independent, and things they previously found easy can sometimes become more challenging.
Good puppy training advice by age recognises these changes. Rather than expecting puppies to behave in the same way throughout their first year, it helps you understand what is happening developmentally and how you can support them through it.
Expert puppy advice that grows with your puppy
The Growing Up with Puppy School email series has been created to provide timely, reliable information as your puppy develops.
From eight weeks old through to their first birthday, you’ll receive up to 16 free emails, each timed to a particular stage in your puppy’s development.
Emails arrive when your puppy reaches:
- 8 weeks
- 9 weeks
- 10 weeks
- 12 weeks
- 14 weeks
- 16 weeks
- 18 weeks
- 20 weeks
- 22 weeks
- 6 months
- 7 months
- 8 months
- 9 months
- 10 months
- 11 months
- 1 year
You don’t need to join when your puppy is eight weeks old to benefit. You can sign up at any point during their first year and the series will begin at the appropriate stage for your puppy’s age.
The idea is simple: instead of trying to work out what information you need next, relevant puppy training tips and advice arrive directly in your inbox as your puppy grows.
What puppy advice will I receive?
Puppy development involves much more than teaching cues such as sit and stay. Raising a happy, confident dog means considering their emotional development, physical health, wellbeing, learning and experiences of the world around them.
Growing Up with Puppy School covers a range of topics relevant to each stage of puppyhood, including:
- Training and learning
- Behaviour and emotional development
- Socialisation and new experiences
- Health and wellbeing
- Common challenges at different ages
- Practical puppy training tips to use at home
- Links to further expert information within our Puppy Advice library
All of the guidance reflects Puppy School’s commitment to kind, reward-based training and evidence-based information.
Most importantly, the advice is chosen because it is relevant to the stage your puppy is approaching, helping you understand not only what you can do, but why your puppy may be behaving differently as they develop.
Understanding your puppy can make training easier
It’s very easy to look at changes in behaviour and wonder whether something has gone wrong with your puppy’s training.
Often, development is part of the picture.
Puppies’ brains and bodies are developing rapidly throughout their first year. Their confidence, independence, ability to regulate their emotions and responses to the world around them can all change along the way.
Understanding puppy development can help you adjust your expectations and your training accordingly.
For example, the support a very young puppy needs when first learning about the world won’t necessarily be the same support they need several months later as they move towards adolescence.
Knowing what might be happening at each stage can help you respond with patience, continue reinforcing the behaviours you want and give your puppy the support they need.
Reliable puppy training advice, without the endless searching
When something changes with your puppy, it’s tempting to immediately search online for an answer. Unfortunately, puppy training information online can range from excellent evidence-based guidance to outdated or inappropriate advice.
It can also be difficult to know whether the person giving that advice has appropriate training or behaviour expertise.
Growing Up with Puppy School gives you another option.
The emails have been developed by the Puppy School team to provide free puppy training advice based on modern, reward-based approaches to puppy training and behaviour.
When a topic needs a little more explanation, we’ll also point you towards relevant articles in our Puppy Advice library so you can learn more.
And, of course, an email can never replace individual support. If you need additional help with your puppy, your local Puppy School tutor can provide professional guidance and help you decide what support might be appropriate.
Supporting your puppy beyond their first training classes
Puppy classes can provide a fantastic foundation for life together, but learning doesn’t finish when your initial course does.
Your puppy will continue developing throughout their first year, and beyond.
Continuing to practise their skills, providing appropriate experiences and adapting training as they mature can help those early foundations develop into useful skills for everyday life.
That might mean continuing training at home, seeking advice when you encounter a new challenge or joining further training such as our Puppy University classes or other follow-on training classes available in your area.
Our Growing Up with Puppy School email series is designed to accompany you along the way, providing helpful reminders and information as your puppy reaches each new stage.
Get free puppy training advice straight to your inbox
There is a lot to learn during your puppy’s first year, for both of you. You don’t need to know everything from day one.
Growing Up with Puppy School gives you access to free, expert guidance that changes as your puppy changes. Simply tell us your puppy’s age and we’ll help you understand what comes next.
Testimonials
What Clients say
about Puppy School
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“I just thought it was extremely convenient, extremely well planned and extremely well led. I have no faults or critiques and when we eventually get another puppy, would look to come back again. We were always offered treats and different toys if needed, as well as just generally a lot of calming presence in what was at most times a very overwhelming scene for the puppies.”— Cassie
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“The whole family really enjoyed the puppy course. Elin was a brilliant instructor, extremely knowledgeable, helpful, welcoming and easy to understand. We have learnt a lot and thoroughly enjoyed the course. Thank you!”— Sam
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“Alice was absolutely lovely and helped us with some issues that weren't covered in the syllabus, she was so knowledgeable about everything puppy behaviours and she taught the class well. The venue was great, there was plenty of space for each puppy and for exercises without it being too big and scary. Nelly loved attending puppy school and we learnt so much about dog training and behaviour.”— Mandy
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“I couldn't fault it! Debbie was brilliant from start to finish and I have already seen such a massive difference in Honey and her training. ”— Steve
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“Big compliments to Claire! The way she just understands the dogs and being able to explain that has been a game changer. Her knowledge and expertise makes her a great puppy/dog trainer. I am already recommending Claire to everyone! She loves what she does and that shows. Would recommend to everyone with a puppy :)”— Emily