Choosing Your Young puppy
The thought of raising a new puppy on your own might be overwhelming. You want a doggy that can match  perfectly with your life style. Your life in Napa, California may be chaotic, you’ve got a full-time schedule, a new family, you may like to travel or you’ve just retired. Peace of Mind Puppy provides a anxiety free experience to add that  incredible dog to your life.

The Experience Starts With a Assessment
We think it is crucial that you know who you will be partnering with. Developing a rapport is very important to our company in Napa, California. Our discussion starts with straightforward questions and leads into an detailed discussion, which will give us a much better idea of who you are and what your perfect dog might be. We want to have a great working partnership with you. It begins 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 perfect dog to your life in Napa, California. You have your heart set on a certain breed or maybe you’re interested in one of our dogs that are presently in our puppy raising program. Certainly there are things to consider including the type of house you live in, how much you work, are raising a young family, you you may love to travel or maybe you have recently retired. All this will not restrict your choices, yet help shed light on your everyday life in Napa, CA. We help guide you in this decision making process. As we get to know you better, we can certainly assist you decide what you want and which dog will best suit your lifestyle.

Choosing The Best Breeder in Napa, California
We partner with responsible breeders who are genuinely interested in improving their breed with good health and great temperament of their puppies. The first eight weeks of a new pups life are as crucial as to what happens after. A great breeder is aware of this and helps get the puppy off to a great start.

We have developed a rapport with many exquisite breeders. We particularly seek breeders who are aware of 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 fantastic life.  It’s very important to work carefully with the breeder. We rely on the breeder’s knowledge and also our years of knowledge to pick out the puppy with the best temperament for the potential new family.

Your Puppy‘s Training in Napa, California
Training your puppy is a mixture of teaching new skill-sets including manners, setting boundaries, promoting healthy relationships, along with exposing your puppy successfully to people, other dogs and desensitizing him or her to all various environments.For example, we may have the puppy stay overnight with various people in various environments; which in turn produces a dog for you who is relaxed and easy to live with because he or she adapts|adjusts} to your way of life. Because of this and exposures to other factors your dog readily bonds with you and your family.

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

Training starts the instant a new puppy is in our hands in Napa, California. Once we decide on the pup from the litter, the first thing we would like to achieve is building 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 puppy to its new world. For example, getting him or her to follow us, climb stairs, walk over various things, and even get somewhat close to loud noises. By doing this, we are environmentally socializing your puppy to the world while enhancing our bond. We are huge dog lovers, but still extremely aware in those moments it is imperative to concentrate more on being a leader and guide as the new puppy learns about this new world without having the companionship of its litter mates or mom.

The Essential time for learning
In the initial few weeks we are teaching your new puppy boundaries, trust and focus. There is no limit as to what we will integrate into our strategies. Often we utilize specific places or objects to create an experience for the puppy. In some cases a spur of the moment opportunity may present itself in Napa, California. Our options and vision are limitless. Every exposure and experience builds upon the last one. Through all of this, we very closely observe the puppy. We do not limit ourselves to inflexible rules. We try to become more creative, think outside the box, and make the most of occasions that unfold before us. Those opportunities are invaluable when it comes 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 puppy. This is the first time away from his or her littermates and living with us in Napa, 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 period than they can learn in a lifetime. The quality and quantity of what they experience will have a huge influence on their future personalities and determine a lot of their “good” or “bad” behavior tendencies. During the imprinting phase, every experience is important. It is essential to build their confidence. The phrase ‘don’t sweat the small stuff’ does not apply to their early interactions. Because puppies are taking in every experience like a sponge, we must stay very aware of all interactions and yet still have a good time with our new dog.

A Well-Mannered Dog
4 to 6 months 

A trained puppy is much more than just obedient. Knowing how to sit, stay or walk nicely on a loose leash are important things to learn. Good manners, great social skills and a healthy relationship with his or her family are paramount. Furthermore, desensitization, exposure to various distractions and situations, along with having the flexibility to fit into a lifestyle in Napa, CA is equally important.

Our focus is to create a puppy with impeccable manners and social skills. We start 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 regular request in our day-to-day routine as well as within each new situation we expose your puppy to. We go from shaping to formalizing commands and proofing them with distractions, duration and distance. Communication is at the core of our philosophy. Being very clear and consistent is key. We limit our words when providing commands. We want your dog to understand what we want when we give them the command. When we say ‘come’ or ‘here’ we expect 100% response immediately.

Proofing Behavior in a Social World in Napa, 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 turning into a monster. That nice pup can be more mouthy and disobedient than you could ever picture. Many owners hope their canine will outgrow undesirable behaviors. Their dog is testing what is allowed and what is not. Allowing a dog to continue rehearsing naughty acts makes changing undesirable behavior more difficult.

Testing in the Real World in Napa, California 
We work to prevent any unwanted behavior by instilling boundaries and practicing obedience in high distraction locations. For instance, we practice recalls when your dog is extremely distracted perhaps chasing something as common as a squirrel. We test and proof obedience in high traffic locations, around barking dogs, around playgrounds and within public places.

As the dog goes through the adolescent stage we continue to challenge the dog by putting him or her in various scenarios. We think of 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 striving to teach a dog how to adapt in every new and various setting or scenario. We are raising a puppy that isn’t depending on continual commands that determine what he or she should and should not do. In fact, we prefer a dog that can make good choices. Our number one goal is to have a well-balanced dog, who will be comfortable your home.

We continue to reinforce and improve good manners making good behavior a habit for the dog. Throughout this time, the puppy has been residing with the dog trainer in his/her individual home. During this time, your puppy will also spend a few days and nights hanging out with another loved one or friend. Offering this opportunity, encourages your puppy to continue to be confident and comfortable in different areas. This makes sure those habits and good manners will stay when he moves on to your house in Napa, CA.