Choosing Your Puppy
The idea of raising a new young puppy by yourself might be overwhelming. You want a pup that can fit  wonderfully with your everyday life. Your life in San Carlos, California possible is busy, you may have a full time schedule, a young family, you may like to travel or you’ve just retired. We provide a anxiety free experience to add that  outstanding dog to your life.

The Experience Starts With a Assessment
We think it is important that you know who you will be partnering with. Establishing a relationship is extremely important to our team in San Carlos, California. Our conversation begins with easy questions and leads into an thorough discussion, which will provide us a clearer idea of who you are and what your ideal dog might be. We like to have a great working partnership with you. It begins the journey to decide on, teach and raise your pup.

Picking The Best Breed For Your Family
Once you have made a decision you want to add that amazing dog to your life in San Carlos, California. You have your heart set on a certain breed or maybe you’re interested in one of our pups that are currently in our puppy raising program. There are things to consider such as the type of house you live in, maybe you work full time, are raising a  little family, you love to travel or maybe you have recently retired. This information will not minimize your options, yet help shed light on your life-style in San Carlos, CA. We will help guide you in this decision making process. As we learn more about you, we can assist you decide what you want and which puppy will best accommodate your lifestyle.

Selecting The Right Breeder in San Carlos, California
We team up with amazing breeders who are genuinely interested in improving their breed with good health and exceptional temperament of their puppies. The first eight weeks of a new pups life are as significant as to what comes after. A excellent breeder recognizes this and helps get the puppy off to a great start.

We have developed a relationship with many exceptional breeders. We particularly seek breeders who understand the early part they play in a puppies life. They know when one of their pups goes through our program, it ensures the puppy will end up having a wonderful life.  It’s extremely important to work closely with the breeder. We count on the breeder’s feedback as well as our years of knowledge to pick the puppy with the best temperament for a prospective new family.

The Puppy‘s Training in San Carlos, California
Training your puppy is a combo of teaching new skill-sets including manners, setting boundaries, encouraging healthy relationships, as well as exposing your puppy successfully to people, other dogs and desensitizing him or her to all types of environments. For instance, we may have the pup stay overnight with different people in different settings; which creates a dog for you who is relaxed and easy to live with because he or she can easily adapt|adjusts} to your lifestyle. Because of this and exposures to other factors your dog readily connects with you and your family.

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

Training starts the moment a new puppy is in our care in San Carlos, California. Once we choose the pup from the litter, the very first thing we wish to achieve is developing confidence and a bond with this new puppy. We start our relationship having fun even though we’re always teaching. Under our close guidance, we begin exposing the puppy to its new world. For instance, getting him or her to follow us, climb stairs, walk over branches, and also get relatively close to loud noises. By doing this, we are environmentally socializing your dog to the world while enhancing our bond. We are huge dog lovers, yet remarkably aware in those moments it is imperative to focus more on being a leader and guide as the new puppy discovers this new world without the presence of its litter mates or mom.

The Essential time for learning
During the first few weeks we are teaching your new puppy boundaries, trust and focus. There is no limitation as to what we may integrate into our strategies. Often we use specific spots or objects to create an encounter for the puppy. At times a spur of the moment opportunity may present itself in San Carlos, California. Our options and creativity are unlimited. Every exposure and experience builds upon the last one. Through all of this, we very closely supervise the puppy. We do not restrict ourselves to rigid rules. We try to be more creative, think outside the box, and take advantage of occasions that unfold before us. Those opportunities are invaluable when it comes to teaching the dog.

Every interaction with the new pup is a teaching moment. We often think of it as an early investment in the life of this dog. This is the first time away from their littermates and living with us in San Carlos, 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 experience will have a substantial effect on their future personalities and determine a number of their “good” or “bad” behavior tendencies. During the course of the imprinting period, every experience is critical. 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 fun with our new puppy.

A Well-Mannered Dog
4 to 6 months 

A well-trained puppy is far 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 very important. Additionally, desensitization, exposure to various distractions and situations, along with being comfortable to fit into a lifestyle in San Carlos, CA is equally important.

Our focus is to create a dog 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 improve the dog’s behavior. The goal is to have a strong foundation by about 4 to 6 months. We practice obedience, making it a standard request in our regular routine as well as within each new situation we expose your puppy to. We go from shaping to formalizing commands and testing them with distractions, duration and distance. Communication is at the center of our philosophy. Being very clear and consistent is key. We restrict 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 San Carlos, CA
6 months to young adult

Enter the teenage years– adolescence. This is the usual 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 pup can be more mouthy and disobedient than you could ever picture. Many owners hope their dog will grow out of undesirable behaviors. Their dog is testing what is permitted and what is not. Allowing a dog to continue rehearsing naughty acts makes changing undesirable behavior more challenging.

Testing in the Real World in San Carlos, California 
We work to reduce any unwanted behavior by instilling boundaries and practicing obedience in high distraction areas. Such as, we practice recalls when your dog is highly distracted maybe chasing something like a squirrel. We test and proof obedience in high traffic areas, around barking dogs, around playgrounds and within public places.

As the puppy goes through the adolescent stage we continue to challenge the dog by putting it in various scenarios. We imagine each situation as a picture. How does that look like to the puppy? How does that picture shift from day to day or location to location. We are working to teach a dog how to adapt in each new and various environment or scenario. We are raising a dog that isn’t dependent on constant 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 strengthen and refine good manners making good behavior a habit for the dog. Throughout this time, the puppy has been living with the trainer in their individual home. During this time, your puppy will also spend a few days and nights staying with another loved one or close friend. Giving this chance, encourages your puppy to continue to be confident and comfortable in new surroundings. This ensures those habits and good manners will stay when he goes on to your house in San Carlos, CA.