Puppy Training Clovelly
Someone on Clovelly Road messaged us in spring, their 9-week-old schnauzer wouldn't stop barking at every person who walked past their house. They were getting complaints from neighbours and didn't know what to do. Does your puppy bark at everything that moves?
Puppy training Clovelly means dealing with a tight-knit community where noise travels and everyone knows everyone. Your puppy needs to learn good behaviour early, especially around people and other dogs, because you'll encounter both constantly in this friendly suburb.
The ones who start puppy training early have dogs who fit seamlessly into the Clovelly community lifestyle.
Puppy Preparation (0-8 Weeks)
Before your puppy arrives in Clovelly, preparation is key. Most people don't realise how much work a new puppy involves until they're in the thick of it at 2am, dealing with crying and accidents.
Our pre-puppy program covers everything you need to know before bringing your puppy home. You'll learn how to set up your space for a puppy, what supplies are actually necessary, and how to create a schedule that works with your lifestyle.
We also cover breed selection - this matters more than people think. Getting a high-energy working breed when you work long hours is asking for trouble. Getting a companion breed when you want a running partner might leave you disappointed.
You'll learn about the socialisation window (8-16 weeks - the most important period), toilet training approaches that actually work, and how to start building good habits from day one.
For Clovelly specifically, think about how you'll exercise your puppy. There's the ocean pool and beach access, plus Burrows Park. Your puppy will eventually enjoy these spaces, but they need training first.
Starting puppy training Clovelly with proper preparation means your not making easily avoidable mistakes in those critical first weeks.
Puppy Program including Puppy School (8-16 Weeks)
The 8-16 week period is when puppy training really matters. This is your puppys socialisation window - when their brain is primed to learn about the world. Positive experiences now create confident adult dogs. Negative experiences (or lack of experiences) create anxious, reactive dogs.
Our puppy school runs with 8-10 puppies in each class. This size is perfect - enough puppies for proper socialisation and play, but manageable enough that each pup gets individual attention when needed.
The program focuses on:
- Socialisation with different dogs, people, environments
- Basic obedience (sit, drop, come, loose lead walking)
- Appropriate play behaviour
- Building confidence around new experiences
- Learning to settle and stay calm
- Early recall training
For Clovelly puppies, we make sure they experience beach environments, ocean sounds, pool areas, and busy community spaces. A puppy who only knows your house and street will struggle when you take them to Clovelly Beach or the ocean pool.
Last year, a family near Burrows Park had a rescue puppy who was scared of everything. Wouldn't walk on grass, terrified of other dogs, complete mess. Through gradual exposure and positive experiences in our puppy training program, that dog transformed into a confident, happy pup who now loves exploring Clovelly.
Don't waste the 8-16 week window. Proper puppy training Clovelly during this period makes everything easier for the next 10-15 years.
Post Puppy Program (16-52 Weeks)
Around 16 weeks, adolescence starts. Your sweet, biddable puppy might suddenly become stubborn, distracted, and challenging. This phase catches many owners off guard, especially in community-focused suburbs like Clovelly where dog behaviour really matters.
Our post puppy program includes 2 in-depth group training sessions, plus months of online support. We help you spot potential issues before they become ingrained problems, and provide training for everything that might come up during the 16-52 week period.
Online modules cover:
- Reactivity and aggressive behaviour
- Off lead walking and better walking practise
- Stopping jumping up on people (big issue in friendly suburbs)
- Dealing with separation anxiety
- Biting and chewing problems
- Poor or no recall
- Reducing unnecessary barking (your Clovelly neighbours care about this)
- Managing hyperactive or fearful dogs
- Potty training issues
Someone near the ocean pool had a terrier who started barking aggressively at other dogs around 7 months old. Made walks stressful and embarrassing. They used our post puppy program modules on reactivity and within weeks, the barking stopped. Now that dog walks calmly past other dogs.
Adolescence is temporary, but bad habits formed during this period can last forever. Our post puppy program for Clovelly families gives you the knowledge and support to navigate this challenging phase successfully.
