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Like any shy youngster, Zeke Diedrichsen was apprehensive on his first day of school. He had problems wetting himself, didn’t always fit in with the popular, rambunctious crowd and was a loner.
Then he stepped his paw into Puppy Kindergarten. Like a “mommy and me” for mutts, this basic class helps owner and dog work through anxieties, behavioral issues and key socialization techniques.
For his part, owner Jan Diedrichsen, 41, and Zeke, a mini-boxer/ English bulldog, are now proud graduates of the program.
Given at The Spot Experience, a dog-care center with multiple Manhattan locations, the kindergarten program sets itself apart from other classes because of its 2,500-square-foot space, rarefied backyard area and high-class trainers. It was such a success in its inaugural year that they had to cap the classes at 10 dogs. (And you thought private versus public was the only NYC school woe to worry about!).
“Classes are geared to whoever’s [enrolled],” says Karen Congdon, membership adviser in the bustling TriBeCa location, which begins classes today for pups 8 months and under. “In the past we’ve tailored classes to small, fluffy dogs or pugs or large dogs.”
Zeke, who enrolled in the uptown location’s five-week course, learned to build up his confidence, boasts Diedrichsen. “He was skittish in the street — in the city, on the sidewalks — it was scary and overwhelming for him, with so much congestion,” he says. “I wanted to make sure he had the skills to socialize.”
And at $350, Diedrichsen says the money was “absolutely” worth it.
Christian Polhamus, head behaviorist for the past four years at the Spot Experience Columbus Avenue location, which kicks off its second school year Sept. 13, stresses the importance of parental involvement. “We arm the owners with an arsenal of information to get the dog’s energy out in a healthy way. Taking the class is the best way to raise a dog,” he says.
The learning, of course, doesn’t stop in the classroom. With any bout of education comes homework — but not too much, says Congdon. “It’s important because it keeps the lesson fresh in the pup’s mind. But most can’t handle longer than [five to 10 minutes of training] a day.”
So what’s involved? “They go over the basics: commands (heeling or sitting), what’s acceptable behavior (licking) and what’s not (biting). It’s a good foundation for having a well-balanced dog,” she says.
The program even turns out some overachievers. Humphrey Scibelli, for example, knows there’s no rest for the weary. Although the 33-pound mini-walrus took the summer off, he plans to return to the classroom when the school year starts. His Harlem-based owner Sandra Scibelli is a big believer in higher education.
“I like to take him to Central Park off the leash — and after the class, he followed directions so well,” gushed the proud mom of the 17-month-old. “He’s a well-behaved dog now and the classes really helped with that.”
Now if only he could bark his ABCs.
dlewak@nypost.com