Selecting Your Puppy
The idea of raising a new pup on your own is overwhelming. You hope for a puppy that is going to match  very well with your way of life. Your life in San Miguel, California might be stressful, you’ve got a full time schedule, a new family, you may like to travel or may be you just retired. Peace of Mind Puppy provides a stress and anxiety free experience to add in that  outstanding dog to your life.

The Experience Starts With a Assessment
We know it’s vital that you know who you will be working with. Establishing a relationship is incredibly important to us in San Miguel, California. Our talk begins with basic questions and leads into an detailed discussion, which will give us a better idea of who you are and what your ideal dog would be. We want to have a wonderful working partnership with you. It starts the journey to select, teach and raise your puppy.

Finding The Perfect Breed For Your Home
Once you have made a decision you want to add that amazing dog to your life in San Miguel, California. You may have your heart set on a particular breed or maybe you’re interested in one of our pups that are currently in our puppy raising program. There are things to think about like the type of house you live in, how much you work, are raising a  little family, you you may love to go on vacation or maybe you have recently retired. This information will not limit your choices, yet help clarify your lifestyle in San Miguel, CA. We help guide you in this decision making process. As we learn more about you, we can certainly assist you choose what you want and which puppy will best suit your lifestyle.

Choosing The Perfect Breeder in San Miguel, California
We partner with responsible breeders who are genuinely interested in improving their breed with good health and excellent temperament of their pups. The initial eight weeks of a new puppy’s life are as important as to what follows. A excellent breeder recognizes this and helps get the puppy off to a great start.

We have developed a relationship with many fine breeders. We particularly search out breeders who know the early role they play in a puppies life. They know when one of their puppies grows through our program, it ensures the puppy will end up having a excellent life.  It’s extremely important to work carefully with the breeder. We rely on the breeder’s knowledge along with our years of knowledge to choose the puppy with the best temperament for a potential new family.

Your Puppy‘s Training in San Miguel, California
Training your dog is a combo of teaching new skills including manners, setting boundaries, nurturing healthy relationships, and also exposing your dog successfully to people, other dogs and desensitizing him or her to all different types of environments. For instance, we have the pup sleep overnight with different people in different environments; which creates a dog for you who is relaxed and easy to live with because he or she can easily adapt|adjusts} to your way of life. Because of this and exposures to other variables your dog readily connects with you and your family members.

Imprinting Good Behavior ~Birth to 16 Weeks
Getting your puppy from the breeder

Training starts the minute a new puppy is in our hands in San Miguel, California. Once we pick the pup from the litter, the first thing we wish to accomplish is developing confidence and a bond with this new puppy. We begin our relationship having fun even though we’re always teaching. Under our close guidance, we begin exposing the pup to its new world. For instance, getting him or her to follow us, climb stairs, walk over various things, and even get relatively near to loud noises. By doing this, we are environmentally socializing your puppy to the world while at the same time building up our bond. We are huge dog lovers, yet extremely aware in those moments it is essential to focus more on being a leader and guide as the new pup learns about this new world without the companionship of its litter mates or mom.

Most important time for learning
In the initial few weeks we are teaching your new puppy boundaries, trust and focus. There is no restriction as to what we may incorporate into our methods. Often we make use of specific spots or objects to create an experience for the pup. Sometimes a spur of the moment opportunity may present itself in San Miguel, California. Our options and creativity are unlimited. Every exposure and experience builds upon the prior one. Through all of this, we closely supervise the puppy. We never restrict ourselves to stiff rules. We try to get more creative, think outside the box, and make the most of events that manifest before us. Those opportunities are priceless when it comes down to teaching the puppy.

Every interaction with the new puppy is a teaching moment. We like to consider it as an early investment in the life of this dog. This is the first time away from his or her littermates and staying with us in San Miguel, California. Puppies have a small window of time during brain development when they are most impressionable. This is called the imprinting also known as the critical learning period. Puppies learn more during this time than any other period of time in their lives. The quality and quantity of what they encounter will have a significant influence on their future personalities and decide a number of their “good” or “bad” behavior tendencies. During the imprinting period, every experience is crucial. It is important to build their confidence. The phrase ‘don’t sweat the small stuff’ does not apply to their early interactions. Because puppies are soaking up every experience like a sponge, we need to stay very aware of all interactions and yet still have fun with our new pup.

A Well-Mannered Pal
4 to 6 months 

A trained pup is much more than just obedient. Knowing how to sit, stay or walk nicely on a loose leash are very important things to learn. Good manners, great social skills and a healthy relationship with his or her family are vital. In addition, desensitization, exposure to various distractions and situations, along with being comfortable to fit into a lifestyle in San Miguel, CA is equally important.

Our focus is to create a dog with remarkable manners and social skills. We begin by teaching obedience the day we bring them home from the breeder; which carries on as we fine-tune the dog’s behavior. The goal is to have a stable foundation by about 4 to 6 months. We practice obedience, keeping it a normal request in our everyday routine as well as within each new situation we expose your dog to. We move from shaping to formalizing commands and proofing them with distractions, duration and distance. Communication is at the core of our philosophy. Being clear and consistent is key. We restrict our words when providing commands. We want your dog to understand what we mean when we give them the command. When we say ‘come’ or ‘here’ we expect 100% response right away.

Proofing Behavior in a Social World in San Miguel, CA
6 months to young adult

Enter the teenage years– adolescence. This is the normal age when many dogs are re-homed or given up to shelters. The adolescent stage can find your sweet pup becoming a monster. That nice puppy can be more mouthy and disobedient than you could ever envision. Many owners hope their canine will outgrow unwanted behaviors. Their dog is testing what is permitted and what is not. Allowing a dog to continue rehearsing naughty acts makes changing unwanted behavior more challenging.

Testing in the Real World in San Miguel, California 
We work to stop any unwanted behavior by instilling boundaries and practicing obedience in high distraction areas. For instance, we practice recalls when your dog is highly distracted perhaps chasing something like a squirrel. We practice and proof obedience in high traffic locations, around barking dogs, near playgrounds and within public places.

As the puppy goes through the adolescent stage we continue to challenge the dog by putting him or her in various scenarios. We imagine each situation as a picture. How does that look like to the dog? How does that picture change from day to day or location to location. We are working to teach a dog how to cope in every new and various environment or situation. We are raising a dog that isn’t dependent on continual commands that control what he or she should and should not do. In fact, we desire a dog that can make great choices. Our main goal is to have a well-balanced dog, who will fit into your home.

We continue to strengthen and fine-tune manners making good behavior a habit for the dog. Throughout this time, the puppy has been staying with the trainer in his or her own home. During this time, your dog will also spend a few days and nights staying with another family member or friend. Providing the puppy with this opportunity, encourages your dog to continue to be confident and comfortable in different areas. This ensures those habits and good manners will remain when he/she goes on to your house in San Miguel, CA.