Deciding on Your New Puppy
The idea of raising a new pup on your own is stressful. You need a dog that is going to match  beautifully with your everyday life. Your life in Piedmont, California can be stressful, you may have a full-time profession, a young family, you may like to travel or you’ve just retired. We provide a stress and anxiety free experience to add that  outstanding dog to your life.

The Process Starts With a Assessment
We think it’s very important that you know who you will be teaming up with. Establishing a relationship is exceptionally important to our team in Piedmont, California. Our conversation starts with easy questions and leads into an thorough conversation, which will give us a better idea of who you are and what your perfect dog might be. We want to have a great working relationship with you. It starts the journey to pick, teach and raise your puppy.

Finding The Perfect Breed For Your Family
Once you have decided you want to add that amazing dog to your life in Piedmont, California. You have your heart set on a certain breed or maybe you want one of our dogs that are presently in our puppy raising program. There are things to take into consideration including the type of house you live in, how much you work, maybe you are raising a  little family, you you may love to go on vacation or you’ve recently retired. All this will not limit your options, yet help clarify your way of life in Piedmont, CA. We help guide you in the decision making process. As we get to know you better, we can aid you pick what you want and which dog will best accommodate your life-style.

Choosing The Perfect Breeder in Piedmont, California
We partner with responsible breeders who are truly interested in improving their breed with good health and fantastic temperament of their pups. The first eight weeks of a new puppy’s life are as essential as to what comes after. A good breeder recognizes this and helps get the puppy off to a great start.

We have developed a relationship with many outstanding breeders. We specifically pursue breeders who know the early role they play in a puppies life. They know when one of their puppies goes through our program, it ensures the puppy will end up having a wonderful life.  It’s really important to work carefully with the breeder. We depend on the breeder’s feedback in addition to our years of experience to pick the puppy with the best temperament for the prospective new family.

The Puppy‘s Training in Piedmont, California
Training your pup is a combo of teaching new skill-sets including manners, setting boundaries, fostering healthy relationships, and also exposing your dog successfully to people, other dogs and desensitizing him or her to all types of environments. For instance, we have the pup stay overnight with various people in various environments; which creates a dog for you who is comfortable and easy to live with because he or she adapts|adjusts} to your lifestyle. Because of this and exposures to other variables your dog readily connects with you and your family.

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

Training starts the moment a new puppy is in our care in Piedmont, California. Once we pick the puppy from the litter, the very first thing we wish to achieve 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. Such as, getting him or her to follow us, go up and down stairs, walk over branches, and maybe even get somewhat near to loud noises. By doing this, we are environmentally socializing your dog to the world while strengthening our bond. We are huge dog lovers, yet significantly 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 having the presence 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 restriction as to what we may integrate into our techniques. Frequently we utilize certain spots or objects to create an encounter for the pup. At times a spur of the moment opportunity may present itself in Piedmont, California. Our options and imagination are unlimited. Every exposure and experience builds on the previous one. Through all of this, we thoroughly monitor the puppy. We do not limit ourselves to rigid rules. We try to be more creative, think outside the box, and benefit from events that manifest before us. Those opportunities are invaluable when it comes to teaching the pup.

Every interaction with the new puppy is a teaching moment. We like to think about it as an early investment in the life of this puppy. This is the first time away from their littermates and living with us in Piedmont, 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 they can learn in a lifetime. The quality and quantity of what they experience will have a significant impact on their future personalities and determine a lot of their “good” or “bad” behavior tendencies. Throughout the imprinting period, every experience is important. It is important to build their confidence. The expression ‘don’t sweat the small stuff’ does not apply to their early interactions. Because puppies are soaking up every experience like a sponge, we must stay very aware of all interactions and yet still have a good time with our new pup.

A Well-Mannered Friend
4 to 6 months 

A trained pup is so 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 critical. Additionally, desensitization, exposure to various distractions and situations, as well as being comfortable to fit into a lifestyle in Piedmont, 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 continues as we improve the dog’s behavior. The goal is to have a stable foundation by about 4 to 6 months. We practice obedience, keeping it a standard request in our everyday routine in addition to within each new situation we expose your puppy to. We go from shaping to defining 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 giving 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 immediately.

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

Enter the teenage years– adolescence. This is the typical age when many dogs are re-homed or given up to shelters. The adolescent stage can find your sweet pup developing into a monster. That nice puppy can be more mouthy and disobedient than you could ever think of. Many owners hope their canine will outgrow unwanted 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 Piedmont, California 
We work to reduce any unwanted behavior by instilling boundaries and practicing obedience in high distraction locations. Such as, we practice recalls when your dog is extremely distracted possibly chasing something like a squirrel. We test and proof obedience in high traffic spots, around barking dogs, near playgrounds and within public places.

As the puppy moves through the adolescent stage we continue to challenge the dog by putting it in various situations. 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 striving to teach a dog how to cope in every new and various setting or situation. We are raising a dog that isn’t dependent on continual commands that dictate what he or she should and shouldn’t do. Rather, we prefer a dog that can make great choices. Our number one priority is to have a well-balanced dog, who will be comfortable your home.

We continue to reinforce and fine-tune good manners making good behavior a habit for the dog. During this time, the puppy has been residing with the dog trainer in their own home. During this time, your puppy will also spend a few days and nights staying with another relative or friend. Providing them with this chance, encourages your puppy to continue to be confident and comfortable in brand-new environments. This ensures those habits and good manners will remain when he goes on to your home in Piedmont, CA.