Puppy School

Welcoming a puppy into your life is truly transformative. Sharing your life with a dog can even improve your wellbeing — it’s magical! But we all know that puppy training can be challenging. That’s why I developed the Murphy & Me Puppy School after years of working closely with puppies and their owners, to give both puppies and their guardians the very best start together.

Our four-week Puppy School is designed to help you and your puppy being your life long journey together on the very best foundation.

The two most important elements of life with a dog are trust and communication. In Puppy School, we focus on building both. You’ll learn how to truly understand and effectively communicate with your puppy, and your puppy will begin learning how to confidently live in our human world.

To support learning and welfare, our classes are kept small, giving each puppy and their guardian the time, space, and individual attention they need. This benefits both canine learning and human understanding. Each week builds intentionally on the last, with simple, manageable homework to reinforce your progress at home.

As your puppy’s guardian, you are responsible for preparing them for adulthood. Your goal is to raise a happy, confident, well-behaved, and relaxed dog. We know that this responsibility can sometimes feel overwhelming. Puppy training isn’t always easy, but our weekly sessions are designed to support you, and I encourage as many questions as you like to make the process as clear and enjoyable as possible.

The first few months of your puppy’s life are the most important for training, habituation and social development. The optimal time for your puppy to attend Puppy School is between 12-20 weeks.

Our four week puppy school is designed to help you achieve this goal. Puppy school is ideal for all puppies aged 5 months and under. 

Week One – Foundations

We begin by learning how puppies communicate.

You’ll develop an understanding of basic canine body language, toilet training, nutrition, and how to read your puppy’s emotional state. We introduce foundational cues such as sit and lie down — not just as commands, but as tools to help your puppy regulate and feel safe.

Understanding your puppy’s emotions, and being able to effectively communicate with them, is key to everything that follows.

Week Two – Social Skills & Confidence

This week focuses on the imortance of effective socialisation, appropriate greetings and loose leash training.

We begin loose leash training and teach puppies how to greet people and other dogs calmly — without jumping. We explore the importance of positive social experiences while recognising that not every interaction needs to be overwhelming or high-energy.

You’ll also learn:

• How puppies communicate anxiety
• Why over-excitement can sometimes be a sign of stress
• Why rolling onto their back is often an anti-conflict gesture, not just an invitation for belly rubs
  

We address nipping and play biting, teaching you how to guide your puppy toward appropriate play and build strong bite inhibition skills

Week Three – Independence & Recall

In week three we build on your puppy’s growing skills.

We introduce:

• Recall training
  
• Stay, sit-stay and down-stay
  
• Expanding loose leash skills
  

We also focus on gently teaching independence — helping your puppy learn that being alone for short periods is safe and manageable. This is an essential life skill that supports long-term emotional stability.

Week Four: Life Skills and Graduation

Your puppy will learn essential skills such as ‘drop it’ and ‘leave it’, handling for grooming and veterinary care, and understanding teething, neutering, and general puppy care.

At the end of the course, puppies graduate with the coveted Murphy & Me Puppy School certificate, and you’ll have the opportunity to take a beautiful family photo with your puppy wearing their graduation cap.

Graduation is not the end — we continue to offer one-to-one sessions after graduation to ensure every puppy is fully prepared for life with their family.

Course Content:

• Socialisation and habituation
• Toilet training
  
• Bite inhibition
  
• Positive reinforcement and command training (sit, stay, recall, drop it, leave it, loose leash walking)
  
• Nutrition advice
  
• Lots of fun and cuteness!
  

Important notice:

All puppies must be vaccinated. Please provide a copy or photo of a signed vaccination certificate from a veterinary surgeon before the first class.

About the Trainer:

Classes are taught by Mairín, a qualified Clinical Animal Behaviourist and registered veterinary nurse.

Class Size & Booking:

Places are limited to 5 puppies per class to ensure individual attention for both puppy and guardian. Pre-booking is essential; payment reserves your spot.

Course Duration & Price:

• Complete four-week course
  
• Galway: €170 - Briarhill Business Park
• | Limerick: €180 - Childers Road
  

Enroll Your Puppy Today:

📞 087 7686118

📧 mairin@murphyandme.ie

To secure your puppy’s place in our Puppy School, please send a photo of their vaccination certificate to 0877686118, or mairin@murphyandme.ie and click the link below.