Puppies have a finite socialization window that starts around 3 weeks of age and lasts through about 14-16 weeks of age. What this means is that your puppy is extra impressionable during this window. We DO want to get your puppy out into the world in safe ways so that they can be the most well-adjusted adult dogs they can possibly be. Taking your puppy to the dog park is not recommended due to the health and behavior risks. Ultimately, we don’t know what diseases or unfriendly dogs are lurking at the dog park. Now, we do want your puppy to have the opportunity to play with other dogs. Working with a trainer and attended well-run puppy socials can be part of that. Not sure where to look? No worries, we’ve got you covered!

Dog training is not a regulated industry. What does this mean? Well it means anyone can wake up and decide to start charging you money for helping you “train” your dog! The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior put together a great PDF aimed to help you pick a trustworthy and qualified dog trainer, which you can find HERE. Below are a few dog trainers and service providers that travel to the Gresham area that we feel comfortable standing behind.

Often the first place that comes to mind when thinking about how to socialize our dogs and puppies is the dog park. Now, in the dog training community, dog parks are a topic that invites a lot of opinions. On one side, we have folks that are adamantly against the dog park. On the other side, we have people who understand that there are limited options for many people looking to let their dogs off-leash in a safe environment where they can interact with other dogs.