Puppy Classes in Sittingbourne, Kent

Give Your Puppy The Best Start In Life

puppy classes Sittingbourne Rainham Maidstone Isle of Sheppey Gillingham Rochester Gravesend Dartford

Bringing home a puppy is exciting.

It’s also overwhelming.

One minute you’re imagining lovely walks together, and the next you’re wondering whether the biting will ever stop, why they won’t sleep, whether you’re socialising them properly, and if you’re somehow getting it all wrong.

Most puppy owners feel exactly the same.

That’s why we created SAFER® Way Puppy Foundations.

Unlike traditional puppy classes that focus purely on obedience, Puppy Foundations helps you understand your puppy, build confidence at both ends of the lead, and develop the life skills that matter most.

Raising a calm, confident dog is about far more than teaching sit, down and stay.

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Why We Do Puppy Training Differently

After many years helping reactive dogs, fearful dogs and over-excited dogs, we realised something important. Most behaviour problems don’t start when dogs are two or three years old. They start much earlier, during puppyhood, often without anyone noticing.

That’s why Puppy Foundations isn’t just about teaching obedience exercises and puppy play. It’s about helping your puppy learn how to cope with life. Feeling safe and confident. Learning calmly around distractions. Building focus, resilience, and real social skills, not just saying hello to every dog and person they meet, but understanding how to read the world around them and feel okay in it.

Get this right early, and so much of what worries owners later, the reactivity, the overwhelm, the unpredictability, becomes far less likely to take hold.

Everything we teach is based on The SAFER® Way and uses positive, reward-based training methods.

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Introducing The SAFER® Way Puppy Foundations

Every puppy starts here.

Puppy Foundations is designed to give you and your puppy everything you need to get off to the best possible start.

Included:

✔ Live Online Puppy Foundations Workshop (Mondays at 6pm)

✔ In-Person Orientation Session (Saturdays at 9am)

✔ Four Foundation Training Sessions (Saturdays at 9am)

✔ Puppy Handbook

✔ Ongoing Guidance and Support

Puppy Foundations Workshop

Our live online workshop is designed specifically for puppy owners.

Without the distraction of managing your puppy at the same time, you’ll learn:

✔ Appropriate socialisation

✔ Puppy biting and mouthing

✔ Toileting and routines

✔ Sleep and emotional wellbeing

✔ Crate training

✔ Preventing future behaviour problems

✔ Confidence building

✔ Understanding puppy behaviour

This session gives you the knowledge and understanding that many owners wish they’d had from day one.

In-Person Orientation Session

Once you’ve completed the workshop, you’ll attend an in-person orientation session with your puppy.

We’ll introduce marker training, focus foundations, engagement exercises, calmness around distractions, body language awareness, and appropriate social interactions, giving you and your puppy the foundations needed before progressing further.

Foundation Training Sessions

Following orientation, you’ll attend four practical Foundation Training Sessions where we’ll begin putting everything into practice.

Including:

✔ Recall foundations

✔ Loose lead walking

✔ Settle training

✔ Vet handling confidence

✔ Appropriate social skills

✔ Confidence building

✔ Focus around distractions

✔ Real-life training skills

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Who Is Puppy Foundations Suitable For?

Puppy Foundations is ideal for first-time owners who want to get it right from the start, families looking for support and guidance, and puppies who are nervous, over-excited, or anywhere in between.

If you want more than basic obedience classes, and you’re hoping to raise a calm, confident dog you can take anywhere, this is for you.

Suitable for puppies following vaccinations.

What Happens After Foundations?

Many owners choose to continue their journey through our SAFER® Way Puppy Club.

Puppy Club provides ongoing support, real-world training opportunities, field trips, life skills training and guidance as your puppy grows through adolescence and beyond.

We’ll tell you more about Puppy Club during Foundations.

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Learn Exactly What it Takes to Raise Your Perfect Puppy!

Get your free SAFERⓡ puppy training guide here. Packed with practical advice on puppy biting, toilet training, play, enrichment, socialisation, and a whole lot more!

HELP ME RAISE A PERFECT PUPPY!

Thanks

Help from the start

I can’t recommend Canine Connection enough!

When I decided to get my little ball of fluff when he was 10 weeks old, I didn’t have a clue what to do with him (literally not a clue!)

From the very beginning, Rachel has taught me how to train Winston and at 8 months he has learnt so much that I would never have thought he would be able to do!

Thanks Rachel for helping me with him and making him into the well behaved ( well most of the time ) and fun loving dog he is!

Emily & Winston

Why Owners Love Training The SAFER® Way

The SAFER® Way helps dogs feel safe, reduces stress and overwhelm, builds confidence, and improves communication and calm focus around distractions. When puppies feel better, they learn better.

Our goal isn’t to create perfectly obedient puppies. It’s to help you raise a dog you genuinely enjoy living with, and have the freedom to take everywhere.

Frequently Asked Questions

What age can puppies join The SAFER® Way Puppy Club?

The Puppy Club is suitable for puppies following their vaccinations. If your puppy is older than 6 months, get in touch and we’ll talk through the best options for you.

What areas do you cover?

Our puppy classes are based in Sittingbourne, Kent and we welcome owners from across the surrounding areas including Rainham, Maidstone, Gillingham, Rochester, Gravesend, Dartford and the Isle of Sheppey.

How many puppies are in each class?

Classes are kept intentionally small so every puppy and owner gets the time, attention and support they need.

Do I have to complete the Puppy Foundations sessions before joining Puppy Club?

Yes, and it’s genuinely worth it. The Puppy Foundations Workshop and Orientation Session give you and your puppy the groundwork that makes everything in Puppy Club land so much better. It’s a small investment that makes a big difference.

Do you use punishment-based training methods?

Never. We use only positive, reward-based methods. The SAFER® Way is built entirely around emotional wellbeing, calmness and communication, no aversives, no punishment, no exceptions.

What if I can’t make a session?

Puppy Club offers flexible attendance, life happens, and we’ve built the membership with that in mind. There are no long-term contracts, and you can stay for as long as suits you and your puppy.

Is this suitable for nervous or overexcited puppies?

Absolutely, in fact, these are exactly the puppies who benefit most from The SAFER® Way. Our approach is built around individual emotional needs, so nervous puppies are supported to build confidence gently, and overexcited puppies learn to settle and focus without being overwhelmed.

Unforgettable Moments. Welcoming Our New Furry Family Member

Ready To Give Your Puppy The Best Start?

If you’re looking for puppy classes in Sittingbourne, Rainham, Maidstone, Gillingham, Rochester, Gravesend, Dartford or the surrounding Kent areas, we’d love to help.

Spaces are intentionally limited to ensure every puppy and owner receives the support they need.

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