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Puppy Assisted Learning School (P.A.L.S.)

Level One – Nursery Classes

For fully vaccinated puppies up to 20 weeks of age at the start of the course

“Creating perfect puppies in an imperfect world!”

Cardiff P.A.L.S. Nursery Classes

What are the P.A.L.S. Nursery Classes?

Where:

and

NB Please use the Mervyn Rd entrance and not the Willows Avenue entrance.

Age: Puppies must be fully vaccinated and under 20 weeks of age at the start of the course

Cost: £75 (complete cost for seven session course)

Next Dates

Due to the Covid -19 pandemic we are currently only offering out of doors classes at a different venue to our usual venue and on various days and times. These are run subject to demand and not advertised on our website. We do believe we will soon be able to return to our usual indoor venue and the website will be updated to reflect this. If you are interested in our P.A.L.S. Nursery course please complete the booking form and we will add you to our waiting list and send you information on the next available class.

Next Dates (September - October 2020)

Introductory Session – at Tremorfa Community Hall

Date: Tuesday 8th September 2020

Time: 6:00pm – 7:30pm

Where: CCHA, Tremorfa Community Hall, Tweedsmuir Road, Tremorfa, Cardiff, CF24 2QZ

Practical Sessions – at Tremorfa Community Hall

Dates: Wednesday 9th September 2020 – Wednesday 7th October 2020

  • Wednesday 9th September 2020 at Tremorfa Community Hall
  • Wednesday 16th September 2020 at Tremorfa Community Hall
  • Wednesday 23rd September 2020 at Tremorfa Community Hall
  • Wednesday 30th September 2020 at Tremorfa Community Hall
  • Wednesday 7th October 2020 at Tremorfa Community Hall

Times: 5.00pm – 6.00pm or 6:00pm – 7:00pm or 7:00pm – 8:00pm

Where: CCHA, Tremorfa Community Hall, Tweedsmuir Road, Tremorfa, Cardiff, CF24 2QZ

Halloween Puppy Play & Activity Session – at Willows High School

Dates: Saturday 24th October 2020

Time: 1:00pm – 2:30pm

Where: Willows High School, Mervyn Rd, CF24 2YE (Get directions) NB Please use the Mervyn Rd entrance and not the Willows Avenue entrance.

Further Dates (October - November 2020)

Introductory Session – at Tremorfa Community Hall

Date: Tuesday 6th October 2020

Time: 6:00pm – 7:30pm

Where: Willows High School, Mervyn Rd, CF24 2YE (Get directions) NB Please use the Mervyn Rd entrance and not the Willows Avenue entrance

Practical Sessions – at Tremorfa Community Hall

Dates: Wednesday 14th October 2020 – Wednesday 18th November 2020

  • Wednesday 14th October 2020 at Tremorfa Community Hall
  • Wednesday 21st October 2020 at Tremorfa Community Hall
  • Wednesday 28th October 2020 at Tremorfa Community Hall
  • Wednesday 11th November 2020 at Tremorfa Community Hall
  • Wednesday 18th November 2020 at Tremorfa Community Hall

Times: 5.00pm – 6.00pm or 6:00pm – 7:00pm or 7:00pm – 8:00pm

Where: CCHA, Tremorfa Community Hall, Tweedsmuir Road, Tremorfa, Cardiff, CF24 2QZ

NB. No classes on Wednesday 4th November due to the likelihood of fireworks

Puppy Play & Activity Session – at Willows High School

Dates: Saturday 24th October 2020

Time: 1:00pm – 2:30pm

Where: Willows High School, Mervyn Rd, CF24 2YE (Get directions) NB Please use the Mervyn Rd entrance and not the Willows Avenue entrance

Further Dates (November - December 2020)

Introductory Session – at Tremorfa Community Hall

Date: Tuesday 17th November 2020

Time: 6:00pm – 7:30pm

Where: Willows High School, Mervyn Rd, CF24 2YE (Get directions) NB Please use the Mervyn Rd entrance and not the Willows Avenue entrance

Practical Sessions – at Tremorfa Community Hall

Dates: Tuesday 24th November 2020 – Tuesday 22nd December 2020

  • Tuesday 24th November 2020 at Tremorfa Community Hall
  • Tuesday 1st December 2020 at Tremorfa Community Hall
  • Tuesday 8th December 2020 at Tremorfa Community Hall
  • Tuesday 15th December 2020 at Tremorfa Community Hall
  • Tuesday 22nd December 2020 at Tremorfa Community Hall

Times: 5.00pm – 6.00pm or 6:00pm – 7:00pm or 7:00pm – 8:00pm

Where: CCHA, Tremorfa Community Hall, Tweedsmuir Road, Tremorfa, Cardiff, CF24 2QZ

Puppy Play & Activity Session – at Willows High School

Dates: Saturday 28th November 2020

Time: 1:00pm – 2:30pm

Where: Willows High School, Mervyn Rd, CF24 2YE (Get directions) NB Please use the Mervyn Rd entrance and not the Willows Avenue entrance

  • Fish4Dogs Puppy Club Pack
  • Feelwells Training Treats
  • A voucher for a FREE 1.5kg-4kg bag of Royal Canin Dog Food
  • A voucher entitling you to 1 months FREE insurance with Petplan, when you take out a new annual policy. Alternatively, they can be contacted on 0800 072 8365 or quote my name Caroline Cowan and the reference number NH403075761
  • Bob and Lush sample box
  • A voucher for 25% discount on your first groom at Mucky Pups Spa & Boutique
  • Email support from a qualified Canine Behaviourist for the duration of the course.

Useful Resources

Course Information

General Information

Congratulations on becoming a puppy parent!

We at Cardiff Canine Citizens understand that this is a very exciting but often a scary time for new puppy parents, irrespective of how much preparation you may have done! Don’t panic, we are here to support you and answer any questions you may have to help alleviate your fears. We have a proven track record and have welcomed thousands of puppies and their owners through our doors over the years, with many of our clients returning with subsequent puppies!

Not all puppy training schools are the same and unfortunately a badly organised puppy class can be even worse for your puppy than doing no classes at all.

All of our training is reward based and relies upon positive reinforcement.  We all would like a well behaved and obedient puppy but you can’t blame the puppy if you fail to train the puppy! They need to be taught how to behave, they aren’t born knowing this! At Cardiff Canine Citizens we believe your puppy deserves a first-class education. We provide this and a supportive learning environment for all, without breaking the bank!

Our specially designed puppy programme, created by a qualified and experienced Canine Behaviourist will start your puppy off on the right paw. Our unique three-part training programme is specifically designed to support you on your training journey from new puppy, through to the often-challenging adolescence stage and into young adulthood. Ensuring you have a well-behaved companion and socially acceptable canine citizen. We believe puppies and their owners learn more effectively when they are having fun. Included in our puppy programme are a variety of educational games specifically designed to ensure a well-balanced and confident family pet. We have a vast selection of equipment to further enhance your puppies learning experience.

We are an inclusive dog training school and our training methods are adapted to meet the needs of all puppies and owners and we do not use a one size fits all approach. Our classes are a fantastic way for you and your puppy to make new friends and our P.A.L.S closed Facebook group ensures you can keep in contact even after classes have ended!

Cardiff Canine Citizens is an inclusive dog training school we fully encourage and welcome children to participate in training and all of our venues have disabled access. If you have any specific needs or requirements please make us aware.

All puppies must be fully vaccinated and under 20 weeks of age at the start of a course. We look forward to meeting you and your puppy soon!

Introductory Session
At the Introductory Session, you may enrol and make payment for the course, via cash or cheque, cheques are payable to Cardiff Canine Citizens. You will also need to bring your puppy’s vaccination record with you. All puppies must be fully vaccinated and under 20 weeks of age to join this course.

There will be complimentary light refreshments available at this session, including; tea, coffee, fruit juice, biscuits and cakes.

Due to a particularly virulent strain of Kennel Cough, around at present, I would advise all clients to consider having their dog inoculated against this disease at least two weeks prior to attending classes. This is a subject best discussed with your own veterinarian. I am aware that this doesn’t prevent all strains of Kennel Cough but I feel that it may be a sensible precaution, although I’m happy for clients to take this decision themselves and not insist upon it. Protection against Kennel Cough is not part of a standard vaccination programme.

You will be given a free information pack and a goody bag containing a toy and treats and samples from premium dog food manufactures such as, Feelwells, Bob & Lush and Fish4Dogs.

We also have a competitively priced shop selling toys, treats and other canine related items, so you may wish to bring cash for any optional purchases. Your puppy is not required for this session but will be required for all of the following practical sessions.

This session is a fantastic opportunity to ask a qualified Canine Behaviourist about all those issues which you may be experiencing at home with your puppy, such as housetraining, mouthing, jumping up etc. However, if you need extra assistance during the course, Caroline is happy to answer any emailed queries between the weekly sessions, so that you are supported throughout the training course.

Practical Sessions
Your puppy is required for all practical sessions.

We don’t permit or advocate the use of aversive or punitive equipment or behaviour towards puppies in our classes. All of our training is reward based and relies upon positive reinforcement to teach our puppy how we would like it to behave. We all would like a well behaved and obedient puppy but you can’t blame the puppy if you fail to train the puppy! They need to be taught how to behave, they aren’t born knowing this!

Puppy classes have a maximum of ten puppies in a class, to ensure that each puppy gets the individual tuition they require but also that we have enough puppies to practice our exercises around. Most puppies will listen to their owners when in the home environment but not when out in the exciting, big, wide world! Our classes aim to address this.

Classes are designed to be fun and informative for the whole family and you are welcome to bring children to the classes and they can participate in training their dog.

Your puppy will learn; sit, down, stand, heel, leave, drop, stay and recall. We will also cover unwanted barking, attentions seeking, jumping up and handling and grooming your puppy. Everything they need to become well adjusted dogs and good canine citizens!

Previous client are welcome to continue to purchase from our shop, even when they have finished training with us! We would ask that you either contact us with your shopping list and we will assemble your order ready for you or shop with us either prior to classes starting or at the end of the weekly sessions.

Puppy Packages

At Cardiff Canine Citizens we understand the importance of correct socialisation and training in puppies to equip them with all the life skills they will require as adult dogs. So, we have a range of services and some special offers on our Puppy Packages!

  • (A) Puppy Package Offer A – Pre Vaccination Puppy Visit (b) plus the seven week Puppy Assisted Learning School (P.A.L.S.) Nursery Level Puppy Classes for £125.
  • (B) Puppy Package Offer B – Seven week Puppy Assisted Learning School (P.A.L.S.) Nursery Level Puppy Classes plus the six week Infants Level Course for £125.
  • (C) Puppy Package Offer C – Seven week Puppy Assisted Learning School (P.A.L.S.) Nursery Level Puppy Classes plus the six week Infants Course plus the six week Junior Level Course for £175.
  • (D) Puppy Package Offer D – Pre Vaccination Puppy Visit (b) plus Seven week Puppy Assisted Learning School (P.A.L.S.) Nursery Level Puppy Classes plus the six week Infants Course plus the six week Junior Level Course for £220.

To be eligible for the Puppy Packages full payment would need to be made for the complete package.

 Bespoke Puppy Package – Offering private, one to one home visits tailor made to owners individual requirements. This can be undertaken when you are at work or otherwise engaged! Including basic training, sit, down, stand, leave etc. car travel, meeting other dogs and animals, walking on a lead, no jumping up, recall, socialisation and habituation etc. Let us assist with that new puppy so that you can enjoy the experience more fully! Let us do the hard work for you!

Price vary – please enquire.

Procurement Package – Not sure which breed of puppy to choose, or which puppy from a litter? Decided you’d like to rescue a dog and need assistance on judging temperament and suitability? Let me help you with this major decision. I will help you locate, choose, meet and settle in your new arrival.

Prices vary-please enquire.

Download course information sheet (pdf)

How do I reserve a place on the course?

  1. Complete the online booking form
  2. Receive email offering availability
  3. Choose venue, date and time preference
  4. Receive confirmation via email
  5. Attend introductory session at venue, date and time specified (without your puppy)
  6. Attend practical sessions at venue, date and time specified (with your puppy)

Any further questions?

View FAQs

Testimonials

Missie attended Caroline’s puppy class for six weeks. We found it very helpful and educational in training our Yorkshire Terrier, Missie, who is a very hyper-active dog. Also the information Caroline gave us was of a very high standard. Caroline was very patient and very knowledgeable.
Cynthia Whitlock with Missie

Both Stewie (18 month old Jack Russell Terrier) and Ollie (7 month Lurcher x) have been attending classes with Caroline at Cardiff Canine Citizens since they were adopted as puppies from Cardiff Dogs Home. Stewie absolutely loves all the classes he has attended particularly Wag it games, and it is so good to see what could be a very mischievous little terrier if left to his own devices, get mental stimulation from learning new and fun activities and thoroughly enjoying himself at the same time! Ollie is a bit slower at learning than his older brother from another mother, but thanks to attending classes his obedience is very good and he is always complimented on his lovely attitude towards strangers and general manners when we’re out on walks. Both would be very different dogs in themselves and behaviour wise if they had not attended Cardiff Canine Citizens, we cannot recommend Caroline highly enough. She is very knowledgeable and offers advice tailored to each dog. We now travel an hour each way to classes due to moving house, and this is purely because of how much both we and both the dogs enjoy the classes and the benefit that they achieve from attending is more than worth the travel.
Gina Sanki (and Stewie and Ollie!)

Patch is a very energetic little Jack Russell terrier. Right from the word go we knew that we didn’t want to be one of those people you see out and about where their dogs are more in control or indeed just uncontrollable. We took the decision to socialise Patch as early as possible and get help with basic training. We asked our local vets who immediately recommended Caroline and Cardiff Canine Citizens as one, if not the best classes for dog training in South East Wales. So we booked Patch into the Puppy foundation class and off we went. Our first session included lots of theory and basic do’s and dont’s regarding your dog. All very useful information and immediately usable. We then took Patch along to the first actual session where we were flabbergasted to find that Patch could be taught to sit, lie down amongst other things in under an hour!!. The social side was really good too, Patch met a variety of other dogs, all bigger than him which has helped put him in his place! The lessons carried on over six weeks, and were always fun, and in a controlled environment. Whenever anyone had questions or problems Caroline would not only be able to tell you the answer but the underlying reason which made things understandable and left no room for doubt. Over the six weeks Patch has come on in leaps and bounds, he’s a very sociable little dog now and is mostly very well behaved (He is a terrier so he does have a stubborn streak.. ) He knows whats expected of him thanks to things we learned in class and this in turn makes his and our lives better. We are so pleased with Cardiff Canine Citizens that we’ve decided to take Patch along for further classes and now that he has his Foundation certificate we have already enrolled him up for the puppy returners Bronze level class. We cannot recommend Caroline and Cardiff Canine Citizens enough!! A quick note – Cardiff Canine Citizens don’t just offer puppy training, but also work with adult dogs, rescue dogs and even have classes for dogs with problem behaviour. We understand that agility classes etc are also on offer so may go down that route too. Once again a huge thank you to Caroline.
Paul and Luca

Caroline and her team have been absolutely fantastic from the start. Their advice and guidance is practical, easy to understand and absolutely imperative to ensuring your dog is well trained and most importantly, happy. We both love going to the classes and have learnt so much in a short space of time (and have had a good laugh along the way!). I cannot recommend Cardiff Canine Citizens enough for any dog owner.
Carys, Cardiff

Just to say a huge thank you to Caroline for all her help with making my gorgeous girl ‘Princess Dora’, now an 8 month old Shih Tzu, a good citizen. We have been through the KC Puppy Foundation Level class and have just completed the KC Bronze award. I had never had a dog before Dora and so did not have a clue where to start. Within days of having Dora back in March I had a very helpful call with Caroline with some good advice, even at that stage for example about how to settle her at home over the first few weeks, vaccinations etc. Through puppy class and Bronze I picked up loads of tips and advice on dealing with issues such as recall and house training, although that area still needs some work, and learning to control Dora more, for example when going through a door or at a road. It’s been absolutely brilliant and Dora has come on leaps and bounds and I feel that I have also come on leaps and bounds as an owner.

Through the classes I have met some new friends, along with Dora, who we meet up with regularly for walks and coffee. That side of it has also been invaluable as we share experiences and tips etc.. Ooh and the odd glass of wine. ;-) (for us not the dogs of course)

Ooh and a huge thank you for introducing Dora to the love of her life Pip. They absolutely love each other. :-) Shame he’s been done as they would have made gorgeous Shih Tzu pups!

Coming to Puppy Foundation Level class and Bronze returner were really important and useful for me and Dora and really appreciated all the advice and support offered by Caroline.

Thank you again Caroline… I have a feeling we’ll be back for silver.

Thanks for everything.

Lisa and Dora

Being a first time dog owner it was important for me and my family to be able to understand our puppy. I loved the approach that really explained how our behaviour will only encourage our puppy to respond, so we need to get it right. Classes are really good fun and we are all enjoying learning how to train him.
Helen Thorne with Gizmo

Found the puppy training class super helpful and informative. Would recommend the entry class to anyone with a new puppy as it helped us no end.
Andy with Bill

Kipper is a working cocker spaniel puppy which translates as loads of energy but also a smart dog. When he started classes he was not house trained and the only command he would reliably respond to was SIT. He was almost 4 months when classes began and I knew I needed help. The first class was a great start with lots of tips and a clear sense that Caroline would be an engaging trainer with lots of solutions for problem behaviours. Classes are really enjoyable and encourage owners to practise at home so that commands can be demonstrated at the next class. In five weeks Kipper has learnt DOWN, WAIT, LEAVE, STAY and COME. HEEL and DROP are a work in progress but the best thing for me is that I can confidently let Kipper off the lead and he will leave other dogs and COME HERE when called without straying. We both look forward to class as it’s great for socialisation of the puppies and confidence building for the owners. Also I like the reward based approach. At five months he is house trained too!
Jenny with Kipper