Deciding on Your Pup
The idea of raising a new pup by yourself may be frustrating. You want a doggy that can fit in  beautifully with your life. Your life in San Ramon, California is hectic, you may have a full-time job, maybe you’re raising a new family, you may like to travel or you’ve just retired. We provide a stress free experience to add in that  incredible dog to your life.

The Process Starts With a Assessment
We think it is vital that you know who you will be dealing with. Building a relationship is incredibly important to us in San Ramon, California. Our talk begins with easy questions and leads into an in depth discussion, which will give us a better idea of who you are and what your dream dog will be. We would like to have a fantastic working relationship with you. It begins the journey to select, teach and raise your pup.

Selecting The Perfect Breed For Your Home
Once you have decided you are ready to include that perfect dog to your life in San Ramon, California. You have your heart set on a specific breed or maybe you want one of our dogs that are currently in our puppy raising program. There are things to take into account such as where you live, maybe you work full time, maybe you are raising a  little family, you love to travel or maybe you have recently retired. This information will not minimize your choices, yet help shed light on your lifestyle in San Ramon, CA. We will help guide you in your decision making process. As we get to know you better, we can aid you decide what you want and which dog will best fit your lifestyle.

Finding The Perfect Breeder in San Ramon, California
We work with responsible breeders who are truly interested in improving their breed with good health and excellent temperament of their puppies. The initial eight weeks of a new pups life are as significant as to what follows. A excellent breeder is aware of this and helps get the puppy off to a great start.

We have built a relationship with many amazing breeders. We specifically pursue breeders who are aware of the early role they play in a puppies life. They understand when one of their pups grows through our program, it ensures the puppy will end up having a great life.  It’s quite important to work carefully with the breeder. We rely on the breeder’s input together with our years of expertise to select the puppy with the best temperament for a potential new family.

Your Puppy‘s Training in San Ramon, California
Training your puppy is a mixture of teaching new skills 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 sleep overnight with different people in various environments; which produces a dog for you who is relaxed and easy to live with because he or she adapts|adjusts} to your lifestyle. As a result of this and exposures to other variables your dog readily bonds with you and your family members.

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

Training starts the instant a new puppy is in our care in San Ramon, California. Once we select the pup from the litter, the first thing we want to accomplish is building 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 start exposing the pup to its new world. For example, getting him or her to follow us, go up and down stairs, walk over logs, and also get somewhat close to loud noises. By doing this, we are environmentally socializing your puppy to the world while building up our bond. We are huge dog lovers, yet significantly aware in those moments it is imperative to focus more on being a leader and guide as the new pup learns about this new world without having the company of its litter mates or mom.

Crucial time for learning
During the first few weeks we are teaching your new puppy boundaries, trust and focus. There is no restriction as to what we will integrate into our strategies. Often we take advantage of particular places or objects to create an experience for the pup. Sometimes a spur of the moment opportunity may present itself in San Ramon, California. Our options and imagination are limitless. Every exposure and experience builds upon the previous one. Through all of this, we closely supervise the puppy. We don’t limit ourselves to inflexible rules. We try to be more creative, think outside the box, and make the most of activities that manifest before us. Those opportunities are priceless 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 pup. This is the first time away from their littermates and living with us in San Ramon, 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 huge effect on their future personalities and decide many of their “good” or “bad” behavior tendencies. During the imprinting stage, every experience is important. It is essential to build their self-confidence. The phrase ‘don’t sweat the small stuff’ does not apply to their early interactions. Because puppies are absorbing every experience like a sponge, we need to stay very aware of all interactions and yet still have fun with our new puppy.

A Well-Mannered Pup
4 to 6 months 

A well-trained pup is a lot 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 vital. Furthermore, desensitization, exposure to various distractions and situations, as well as having the flexibility to fit into a lifestyle in San Ramon, CA is equally important.

Our focus is to raise 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 solid 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 puppy to. We go from shaping to defining commands and testing 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 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 right away.

Proofing Behavior in a Social World in San Ramon, 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 rescues. The adolescent stage can find your sweet pup becoming a monster. That nice puppy can be more mouthy and disobedient than you could ever imagine. 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 practicing naughty acts makes changing undesirable behavior more difficult.

Testing in the Real World in San Ramon, California 
We work to stop any unwanted behavior by instilling boundaries and practicing obedience in high distraction locations. For example, we practice recalls when your dog is extremely distracted maybe chasing something like a squirrel. We test and proof obedience in high traffic spots, 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 it in various situations. We consider each situation as a picture. What does that look like to the dog? How does that picture differ from day to day or location to location. We are aiming to teach a dog how to adapt in each new and different environment or situation. We are raising a dog that isn’t dependent on ongoing commands that control what he or she should and shouldn’t do. In fact, we desire a dog that can make great decisions. Our main goal is to have a well-balanced puppy, who will fit into your home.

We continue to strengthen and refine good manners making good behavior a habit for the dog. Throughout this time, the dog has been staying with the trainer in his/her own home. During this time, your dog will also spend a few days and nights hanging out with another relative or friend. Providing the puppy with this chance, encourages your puppy to continue to be confident and comfortable in different environments. This makes sure those habits and good manners will stay when he goes on to your house in San Ramon, CA.