Pet School
Puppy Preschool · Pet SchoolPuppy Preschool · Pet School

Your puppy will never be 8 weeks old again.

Puppy Preschool is a four-week, vet-recommended course for puppies aged 8 to 16 weeks - the narrow socialisation window when their brain is wired to soak up everything you teach them. Sit, drop, recall, lead manners, bite inhibition, and the calm-around-anything temperament that makes the next 14 years easier.

  • Puppies 8-16 weeksPuppies 8-16 weeks
  • 4 weeks · 1hr/wk4 weeks · 1hr/wk
  • Max 8 puppies per classMax 8 puppies per class
  • $189$189
Book your spot See class details
Your puppy will never be

Puppy Preschool

Indoors · max 8 puppies

Watch

See Puppy Preschool in action

A real Puppy Preschool class at Kellyville Pets

The 8-to-16-week socialisation window only happens once.Book now to secure a spot in the next class

Book your spot
WHY this Matters

"You should enrol them in puppy preschool" - and here's why.

Most new puppy owners are told to enrol in a puppy class. Few are told why. Between 8 and 16 weeks of age, your puppy's brain is in a once-in-a-lifetime mode for socialisation — they're wired by nature to figure out what's safe, who's family, and how the world works. What they learn now becomes who they are at three, eight, and twelve years old.

A confident, friendly, settled adult dog almost always started as a puppy who was thoughtfully exposed to other dogs, other people, traffic, kids, the vet, the groomer, the doorbell, and a hundred other "normal" things - in a controlled, positive environment. That's what these four weeks are for.

Early socialisation with other dogs, people, environments and sounds is extremely important. Puppy classes provide a safe, controlled environment for this to occur -they can help give confidence to a shy, timid puppy who may otherwise become a nervous, fear-aggressive adult, or help you gain control of a boisterous, bossy puppy.

From the Kellyville Pets puppy preschool guide
Why timing matters

The socialisation window won't wait.

There's a short stretch in your puppy's life when their brain is wired to accept new experiences. Miss it and you spend years undoing it.

  1. Weeks 8–11

    The "everything is interesting" stage

    Maximum openness to new experiences. Get the vet visits, car rides, vacuum cleaner, bath, and every sound on Earth into their world now.

  2. Weeks 12–14

    The "wait, what's that?" stage

    Healthy caution starts to creep in. Still very malleable, but new things need positive associations or they'll start to scare your puppy.

  3. Weeks 15–16

    The window closing

    The brain shifts gears. Socialisation gets harder, slower, and more remedial after this point. Last chance to lay foundations the easy way.

Class details

Week-by-week: what your puppy will actually learn.

Same day and time each week, 1 hour per session, indoors at our Beaumont Hills training room. Every week builds on the last - and every week your puppy gets a controlled dose of structured socialisation with the other puppies in the class.

Foundations

  • Eye contact & bonding
  • Toilet training basics
  • Mouthing & biting
  • Social interaction

Building blocks

  • Eye contact & bonding
  • Heel position
  • Social interaction

Manners & tricks

  • Tricks: shake hands, high five, roll over
  • Loose-lead walking
  • Mat training
  • Social interaction

Graduation

  • Pairing
  • Obedience to source / scent
  • Unknown locations
At a glance

The essentials.

Everything you need to know before you book - cost, duration, class size and who it's for.

  • Cost $189
  • Duration 4 weeks
  • Per session 1 hour
  • Class size Max 8
  • Suitability Puppies 8–16 wks
See start dates & book
Donna Edmonds - over 30 years of puppies, and counting.
Meet your trainer

Donna Edmonds - over 30 years of puppies, and counting.

Donna teaches every Pet School class herself. Over 30 years of training, 25 of them at Kellyville Pets, plus a Vet Nurse and Nutrition Advisor qualification, means she reads puppy body language at a level most trainers don't - which matters when your puppy is communicating in a language you're still learning. There is, as Donna would say, nothing she hasn't tackled. Toilet training, naughty nipping, the lot.

  • 25+ Years at Kellyville Pets25+ Years at Kellyville Pets
  • 30+ Years Training Experience30+ Years Training Experience
  • Australian Accredited Canine Good Citizen InstructorAustralian Accredited Canine Good Citizen Instructor
  • Force-free methodsForce-free methods
  • Qualified Vet Nurse & Nutrition AdvisorQualified Vet Nurse & Nutrition Advisor
Before week 1

What to bring (and what to leave at home).

Scent School is light on gear. The work happens in your dog's nose - your job is mostly to bring the rewards and stay out of the way.

Bring

Vaccination record

Proof of first C5 vaccination (at least 7 days before Week 1). Bring the certificate to Week 1.

Leave at home

Choke chains, prongs, retractables

Choke chains, prong collars, slip leads on a tight setting, and retractable leads aren't permitted.

Upcoming Puppy Preschool classes

Pick a date that works for you.

Pay in full at booking · non-refundable, transferable.

Stay in the loop

Need a different date?

Be first to know when new dates open. No spam — just good dog stuff.

We'll only email you about Pet School. Unsubscribe anytime.

The natural next step: Junior School.
After puppy Preschool

The natural next step: Junior School.

Most of our Puppy Preschool graduates roll straight into Junior School at the 4-to-6-month mark. Same trainer, same room, building on every command from Weeks 1–4 with the kind of stays, distractions, and real-world manners adolescents need. Book your Puppy Preschool spot first — we'll talk Junior at graduation.

  • $199
  • 4 weeks
  • 1 hour per week
  • Max 8 puppies

Kellyville Pets puppy preschool class is a prerequisite

Class detailsBook a spot
BEFORE YOU BOOK

Puppy Preschool FAQ.

  • How old does my puppy need to be?

    Between 8 and 16 weeks at Week 1 of class, and at least 7 days past their first C3 vaccination. If your puppy is approaching 16 weeks, book the next available cohort - late is much better than missed entirely.

  • What if my puppy turns 17 weeks during the course?

    That's fine. As long as they were 16 weeks or under at Week 1. After the course, the natural next step is Junior School (from around 4 months).

  • What vaccinations does my puppy need?

    Your puppy needs to have had their first C3 vaccination at least 7 days before Week 1. Bring your vet certificate — we'll sight it before class begins.

  • Can I bring my kids?

    Yes, with one rule: no children under 5, and a maximum of two people per puppy. Training works best when one person leads and the rest observe - too many handlers and the puppy looks at all of you instead of one of you.

  • What if I miss a week?

    We'll try to catch you up the following week before class starts. If you'll miss two weeks or more, it's better to roll over to the next cohort - the lessons build and skipping the middle bits doesn't work well.

  • What's your refund policy?

    Bookings are non-refundable but may be transferable. To roll over to the next class or transfer your spot to a friend, email hello@kellyvillepets.com.au at least 48 hours before Week 1.

  • My puppy bites everything. Is that normal?

    Completely normal - and one of the things we cover in Week 1. Puppy biting peaks around 9–14 weeks and ends with the right approach, not by waiting it out. Bring the bitey one. They're our favourites.

  • Where exactly is the class held?

    Inside our Beaumont Hills store at 1-15 Millcroft Way - about 15 minutes from Castle Hill. Free parking on site. Look for the Pet School signage at the back of the store.

the fineprint

Terms & conditions.

  1. Class must be paid in full at time of booking.
  2. Classes are held inside Kellyville Pets, 1-15 Millcroft Way, Beaumont Hills NSW 2155. Please arrive 10 minutes before start time - classes start on time and won't be delayed.
  3. Puppies must be aged between 8 and 16 weeks at Week 1, and at least 7 days past their first C3 vaccination.
  4. All puppies must be wormed and have begun their vaccination schedule before attending. Vaccination certificates must be sighted at Week 1.
  5. Owners must provide a flat collar, front-clip harness, or head halter, plus a 1.2–1.8m fixed lead. Choke chains, prong collars, and retractable leads are not permitted in the training room.
  6. All dogs must be currently wormed and vaccinated (C5 minimum). Vaccination certificates must be sighted at Week 1.
  7. No children under 5 permitted in the training room. Children under 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Maximum two people per puppy.
  8. The trainer reserves the right to refuse any puppy showing severe distress, illness, or unmanageable behaviour, and will recommend appropriate next steps.
  9. Owners are responsible for any injury, illness, or property damage their puppy may cause or incur during class.
  10. Bookings are non-refundable but transferable. Roll-overs and spot transfers must be requested at least 48 hours before Week 1 by emailing hello@kellyvillepets.com.au.
From 4500+ reviews

What pet parents are saying.

Real reviews from our pet parent community

Loading reviews…

In-store classes

Six classes, one trainer, every life stage.

Every tile below opens a full landing page with the week-by-week curriculum, what to bring, and a calendar of upcoming start dates.

Puppy Preschool8–16 weeks

Puppy Preschool

The foundations: socialisation, sit, drop, recall, lead manners, and the calm dog you want at the cafe.

$1894 wks · 1 hr/wk
See class details
Junior Dog Training4–6 months

Junior Dog Training

The natural next step after Puppy Preschool. Build on the basics with stays, distractions, and real-world manners.

$1994 wks · 1 hr/wk
See class details
Adolescent Dog Training18 weeks +

Adolescent Dog Training

Missed Puppy Preschool? Or hit the teenage stage and everything's gone sideways? Start here.

$2004 wks · 1 hr/wk
See class details
Trick SchoolAll ages

Trick School

Spin, weave, bow, paw, roll over — and the focus that comes with them. Free clicker included.

$2406 wks · 1 hr/wk
See class details
Scent SchoolAll ages · all breeds

Scent School

Tire your dog out with their nose, not their legs. Brilliant for anxious, reactive, or just bored dogs.

$2306 wks · 1 hr/wk
See class details
Heeling School6 months +

Heeling School

For the dog that pulls. End the arm-wrestle on every walk and learn the cues that actually stick.

$1503 wks · 45min/wk
See class details

Four weeks now. Fourteen years of payoff.

The 8-to-16-week window doesn't come back. Lock in your puppy's spot in the next cohort - and make the next decade easier on both of you.

Book now (02) 9629 3282