Puppy Play Group
Puppy Playtime at CIC HQ!
Puppies need opportunities to learn how to interact with other dogs—but healthy socialization isn't just about letting puppies play!
Our puppy play group gives puppies a safe, supervised place to play, take breaks, learn boundaries, and practice being around other dogs. For puppies 6 months and under, if your pup is over 6 months, check out our Play Clinic!
Schedule
Monday October 19th from 4:30-5:30pm
Sunday November 15th from 11:30-12:30pm
Sunday December 6th from 4-5pm
Finding an appropriate playmate...
We'll match puppies based on things like:
Age
Size
Energy level
Confidence
Play style
This means your puppy won't necessarily play with every puppy in the group. We'll look at each puppy as an individual and make curated decisions about who they play with and when!
Not every puppy will be a playmate—and that's okay!
Just like people, puppies don't necessarily enjoy playing with everyone they meet. Sometimes two puppies may have very different play styles. One might love chasing while the other prefers wrestling. One might be very energetic while the other needs more breaks. That's okay!
Learning that they don't have to play with every dog is an incredibly important piece when it comes to developing social skills. Puppies will also get opportunities to practice simply being around other dogs without needing to interact with them! This helps build neutrality—the ability to see another dog and think, “Oh, there's a dog!” rather than “I HAVE TO GO SAY HI!”
We'll teach puppies (and their parents!) to recognize...
Appropriate play
When to take breaks
How to read another dogs body language signals
How to disengage when play gets too intense
Settle and relax around other dogs
Respect when another puppy doesn't want to play
Feel comfortable around different types of dogs
What if my puppy doesn't want to play?
That's completely okay!
A puppy who spends part of the session watching, sniffing, taking breaks, or hanging out near the other puppies is still learning valuable social skills.
We don't want puppies to feel like they have to play. Instead, we'll help them learn how to make good choices and feel comfortable in a social environment.
We're helping them become confident, socially savvy dogs who know how to play when it's appropriate—and how to relax when it isn't.
A good puppy play session isn't the one where everyone plays nonstop. It's the one where every puppy leaves having had positive, successful experiences.
Get started by signing up below!
About Trainer Sydney:
Sydney began working in the dog industry in 2017 and has been training dogs professionally for over four years! Sydney also has extensive experience working at doggy daycare and off leash puppy training programs. Sydney is a Fear Free Certified Professional, a Family Dog Mediator, and an approved AKC Canine Good Citizen & STAR Puppy Evaluator. She is also currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, further deepening her understanding of behavior and the human-animal bond. In her spare time, Sydney likes to spend her days sitting in the sun with her senior golden retriever, Ace.
Important information for dog training classes:
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For puppy class:
Puppies of all ages will need to have started their DA2PP (or equivalent) vaccine series before beginning class, ideally 7 days prior to the first day of class. We strongly encourage you to discuss other vaccines with your veterinarian, including but not limited to, Bordetella, Leptospirosis, and Canine Influenza before starting class.
Puppies 16 weeks and older are required to have their Bordetella and Rabies vaccine.
For all other training classes:
Dogs 16 weeks of age and older are required to have their DA2PP(or equivalent), Bordetella, and rabies. We strongly encourage discussing other vaccinations with your veterinarian, including but not limited to leptospirosis, canine influenza, lyme.
Proof of vaccinations are not required to be submitted before the start of class, however CIC may request records at anytime.
Dogs completing Therapy Dog training are required to complete an Annual Health form, click to view all required veterinary items.
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Training class participants may receive a full or partial refund if they are no longer able to
participate in class. Refund requests must be made via email to Taylor at taylor@canineinspiredchange.org.
Request received prior to the first day of class:
7 or more days: Full refund of enrollment fee; or transfer payment to future class
6 - 3 days: Partial refund of enrollment fee minus $25; or transfer payment to future class
2 or less days: Partial refund of enrollment fee minus $50; or transfer payment to future class
Withdrawal after class session has started: Transfer payment to future class
Training teams that are unable to complete a training class due to trainer recommendation may receive a full refund based on trainer and CIC staff discretion.
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Each training class will have different recommendations for training tools, treats, and equipment. CIC will reach out to you about 1 week before the start of your class with more information and what to expect. If you did not receive this email, check your spam folder.
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We offer financial assistance for both private training and training classes. Scholarships are available to help cover part or all of your training. Click here to apply!
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Puppy Class:
In order to graduate as an AKC STAR Puppy, students may not miss any classes.
Foundational Skills:
Students cannot miss more than 1 class session in order to move into Therapy Dog training class.
Therapy Dog Training:
Attendance at the first and final class sessions are mandatory. You will not bring your dog to the first session. Evaluations will be held on the final day of class. In order to be eligible for evaluation participants can miss no more than 1 class session. Anyone who wishes to volunteer as a CIC therapy dog team must be present with their dog throughout training.
With all dog training classes, we recommend selecting a class in which you can attend all classes. Dogs (and humans!) best learn through consistency.