When training a puppy or dog new skills, using positive reinforcement (ie: rewarding the desired behaviour) works best. It is also important to know how to use a ‘Schedule of Reinforcement’ correctly during the different stages of training a puppy or dog with the aim of strengthening the behaviour you are after. Firstly, find what motivates them When training a puppy or dog you need...

If you’re in the process of toilet training a puppy, or perhaps you might even have a dog that still has some issues with peeing inside, then there are a few things you can do that can assist in the process. Toilet training is not a quick process and there WILL be accidents around the house, so it is important to never punish your puppy...

Bringing a puppy home for the first time can be exciting for everyone. It’s important to remember though that their early experiences in those first few months form life-long memories, helping to either create a confident and well-adjusted adult dog or potentially create phobias and anxiety, so prepare your puppy for car travel from day one. Whilst pups are adaptable, we still need to consider...

Getting a new puppy is an exciting time for everyone.  Hopefully you are reading this before you have picked up your new bundle of fluff so that you are well prepared for their arrival and know how to puppy proof your home. To help, make sure you have a read of  the article on Preparing for a Puppy article  as well to ensure you have...

National Puppy Day is on March 23 and is a day to celebrate the magic and unconditional love that puppies bring to our lives. It's also a day to help save homeless puppies across the globe and raise awareness about the dark nature of puppy mills and backyard breeding practices by choosing to adopt not shop. Unfortunately I believe some people are still getting a...

Taking your dog away on holiday requires some preparation, but when taking a puppy on holiday, there are even more considerations to keep in mind. Identification Most puppies come microchipped but, if you’re not 100% sure, get a vet to check and also make sure they are wearing a collar and ID tag with your mobile number on it. All dogs should have one, but...

5th October 2019 | Bring your fur baby to Puppy Palooza at Highpoint Shopping Centre and join the Pooches at Play team for a pup-tastic day out!

When selecting a dog treat to reward your puppy, it’s important you are choosing the right treat for your puppy that will help meet the different nutritional needs they have compared to an older dog. We tend to use a lot of treating to train puppies, so they are often being used a lot more than you might for an older dog. Therefore, not only...

Bringing a new puppy home is an exciting time for everyone. It’s also a crucial time for puppy socialisation activities to help ensure it can overcome the instinctive fear that dogs have of humans and many other things in our world. The reason why we need focus on puppy socialisation as early and as positively as possible, is that because everything that a dog learns...

Getting a new puppy can be both exciting and daunting. Like bringing home a new baby for the first time, it can provide many challenges and a change of lifestyle for the whole family – which is where PETstock puppy school can help. Ask any new puppy owner and there’s probably been a few sleepless nights, some toileting accidents, chewed up toys, socks (or anything left...