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In-Home Based Training
Tucson & Surrounding Areas

Free Socialization Classes

K9 Guidance To Inclusion is proud to offer, free to the Tucson and surrounding areas, our weekly Small Dog & Puppy Socialization classes. These classes are designed and structured for you and your puppy or dog to receive the most beneficial interactions between dog-to-dog play. Each class will help your puppy/dog develop into a social, appropriate and friendly dog.  By bringing your puppy/dog, you will help enrich their life by fulfilling their basic needs for social interactions and continuing to foster their need to explore new environments.

Dog parks can be a danger to your puppy or older dog for numerous reasons. They are infested with the potential for disease, no consistency for dogs with appropriate social temperament, owners who don’t pay attention, inappropriate behaviors allowed to happen and escalate, with the serious potential for your dog to get into a scuffle, fight or even attacked.  These are all very real, and very serious issues our clients faced prior to training with us. This is our motivation to offer these classes free to you!

Our class structure is designed to teach healthy, appropriate play.  We help teach puppies and dogs how to play with dogs of every size, not to be bullies, how to say “no” and how to respect when another puppy says “no”, and so much more!  They will play, run, jump, learn and explore through each free, weekly class they attend.  We would love to have you and your new best friend join us! We can’t wait to share in the laughs, puppy breath and cuteness overload that will ensue!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What breeds are able to join?
    • We accept all breeds, as long as they fit into our age and weight requirements.
  • What are the weight and age requirements?
    • We accept puppies that are up to 6 months of age, and small dogs (regardless of age) under 25 lbs.
  • What is the best age to start socializing a puppy?
    • We recommend starting a puppy’s socialization at 8 weeks of age.  There is a critical socialization window in a young puppy’s life between 8 to 16 weeks of age.  After this age, the socialization window drastically changes.  Here is an excellent position article from the American Veterinary Medical Association explaining the importance of beginning socialization immediately: https://www.avma.org/News/JAVMANews/Pages/081001c.aspx
  • Are these classes play dates for the puppies?
    • These are specially structured classes that focus on the importance of safe socialization first.  While most puppies and dogs will play, our goal is to help your dog feel emotionally well around the other dogs.  By following this system, we help your dog become comfortable enough to play.
  • What happens if my puppy or small dog is too scared to interact with the other dogs?
    • Our classes promote creating an environment in which your dog can feel safe through advocating for their space.  Once your dog feels safe, they can find comfort and begin to become curious with their surroundings.
  • My vet said not to take my puppy anywhere until they’ve had all their shots.  How do you keep the puppies healthy?
    • We take the health and well-being of every puppy and dog very seriously.  We maintain strict records of each puppies vaccinations and fecal tests.  We also clean and sanitize directly behind each bowel movement during every class to ensure the least possible chance of transfer of fecal matter.

Fill out the registration form below to confirm your puppy in our classes.  Please bring your puppy’s most current vaccination records with you to your first class!

Here are some excellent downloads that discuss important developmental periods and when to expect them: