SPPOT’s 7-week Foundation Training Course provides all the essential information, guidance and skills training you need to raise a happy, healthy dog whom you can be proud of
About the course
SPPOT’s Foundation Training Courses provide a complete package of training, guidance and support to enable you to train your puppy or novice older dog in all the skills they need to become a happy, sociable, well-trained companion dog and gain a Good Companion Puppy or Foundation Award.
Foundation Training Courses are for any dog, in need of a good foundation of training. While we have a lot of puppies on these courses, we know through many years of experience, that dogs of all ages benefit from learning together, so novice older puppies and dogs are welcome too.
All our courses and services promote kind, fair and effective training and handling of dogs.
SPPOT Dog Headquarters
Our building is a modern, bright, warm, safe and accessible one-level building, with fully fenced gardens, close to Haverfordwest town centre with a bus stop out the front and wheelchair accessible dog walking areas directly behind.
We have a very large main training room which can be joined to or separated from the smaller training room. Each training room has access to the central kitchen, gardens, offices and bathrooms.
Dog training customers will enjoy a comfortable environment for both dogs and people, with a wide range of dog training equipment and toys available to try before you buy. We also have a select range of products available to purchase and card payment facilities.
The Induction Session
SPPOT’s 7 week Foundation Couse features a 90-minute Induction Session, packed with highly qualified and experienced bespoke advice, discussion and practical demonstrations.
The session covers the following:
- Correct socialisation & habituation, where the emphasis is on enabling your puppy to be calm around new people, dogs and other animals, being careful not to overwhelm or overstimulate your puppy in the process.
- Continuing or improving social skills for your older puppy or rescue dog.
- Diet and exercise: helping you choose what, when and how to feed your puppy or dog for long term health and wellbeing.
- Housetraining & crate training: where to toilet and learning how to be alone and self-settle & play to avoid separation anxiety.
- Play-biting & chewing: teach your puppy or dog what they can chew and what they can’t, including bite-inhibition through managing play-biting.
- Travelling with your dog: steps to teaching a puppy to enjoy car travel and public transport and helping older dogs who dislike the car.
- Health care & legal aspects: your responsibilities as a dog owner legally, including health and wellbeing.
- Canine learning – how dogs learn, how to teach them what you do want and how to stop the behaviour you don’t want, using only humane methods that will enable you to raise a happy, healthy, well-behaved dog.
The six practical training sessions that follow are all held at SPPOT Accredited Canine Education Services, Furzy Park, Haverfordwest, SA61 1HT
The following six sessions, each of ninety minutes, provide you with the coaching to train your dog or puppy to achieve a solid foundation in the following skills:
- Response to name
- Recall (coming back when called)
- Loose lead walking
- Calm greetings
- Self-control (wait) around food, doorways and vehicles
- Sit & lie down
- Play skills
The sessions are a planned mix of practical training, discussion, play and rest, based on the individual ages and stages of the puppies and young dogs attending.
Upcoming Courses
Dog Training Course Resources
Every customer of our Foundation Training Course will receive free access to the online course of the same name. If you’ve ever worried about missing a session or remembering what you’ve learnt in a class (of any sort), our online course solves this for you, with detailed training notes, accompanying practical videos and helpful ‘homework aims’ to help you continue your puppy or dog’s training at home and on walks.
Our Prices & Concessionary Rates
SPPOT’s 7 Session Foundation Training Courses cost £120 per dog and as part of our ongoing commitment to improving the lives of dogs and people in our local communities, one place on every course is available to people who are registered as disabled, with a 25% discount.
Dog Training & Behaviour Practitioners
Our Foundation Training Courses are taught by our team of fully qualified and professionally affiliated dog trainers and accredited volunteer class assistants. All SPPOT’s dog training services are managed by Kerri Bee who holds a foundation degree in canine behaviour and is a full member of the UK’s largest dog training organisation, the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and several other ethical, reputable dog training organisations.
