Choosing Your Puppy
The thought of raising a new pup by yourself is stressful. You really want a dog that is going to match  very well with your daily life. Your life in Thousand Oaks, California may be hectic, you may have a full-time job, a young family, you may like to travel or you’ve just retired. We provide a stress and anxiety free experience to add in that  incredible dog to your life.

The Process Starts With a Assessment
We know it’s essential that you know who you will be coordinating with. Developing a rapport is extremely important to us in Thousand Oaks, California. Our talk begins with easy questions and leads into an thorough discussion, which will provide us a better idea of who you are and what your ideal dog will be. We like to have a excellent working partnership with you. It begins the journey to select, teach and raise your pup.

Finding The Perfect Breed For Your Home
Once you have decided you are ready to add that perfect dog to your life in Thousand Oaks, California. You may have your heart set on a particular breed or maybe you’re interested in one of our pups that are presently in our puppy raising program. There are things to consider for example, where you live, your schedule, maybe you are raising a  little family, you love to travel or you’ve recently retired. All this will not reduce your choices, but instead help shed light on your way of life in Thousand Oaks, CA. We help guide you in your decision making process. As we learn more about you, we can aid you choose what you want and which breed will best fit your lifestyle.

Finding The Perfect Breeder in Thousand Oaks, California
We work with amazing 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 pups life are as crucial as to what follows. A excellent breeder knows this and helps get the puppy off to a great start.

We have established a rapport with many exquisite breeders. We particularly seek breeders who comprehend 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 fantastic life.  It is really important to work carefully with the breeder. We count on the breeder’s knowledge together with our years of experience to pick the puppy with the best temperament for the prospective new family.

Your Puppy‘s Training in Thousand Oaks, California
Training your new puppy is a combination of teaching new skills including manners, setting boundaries, fostering healthy relationships, in addition to exposing your dog successfully to people, other dogs and desensitizing him or her to all different types of environments.Such as, we have the pup sleep overnight with different people in various environments; which in turn creates a dog for you who is comfortable 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 connects with you and your family members.

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

Training starts the moment a new puppy is in our hands in Thousand Oaks, California. Once we decide on the pup from the litter, the very first thing we wish 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 begin exposing the puppy to its new world. Such as, getting him or her to follow us, go up and down stairs, walk over logs, and also get somewhat near to loud noises. By doing this, we are environmentally socializing your puppy to the world while at the same time boosting our bond. We are huge dog lovers, yet very aware in those moments it is essential to concentrate more on being a leader and guide as the new pup discovers this new world without having the presence 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 incorporate into our techniques. Frequently we take advantage of particular places or objects to create an experience for the pup. At times a spur of the moment opportunity may present itself in Thousand Oaks, California. Our options and vision are unlimited. Every exposure and experience builds on the prior one. Through all of this, we closely monitor the puppy. We do not restrict ourselves to inflexible rules. We try to get more creative, think outside the box, and take advantage of events that manifest before us. Those opportunities are priceless when it comes to teaching the dog.

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 his or her littermates and staying with us in Thousand Oaks, 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 encounter will have a massive influence on their future personalities and determine many of their “good” or “bad” behavior tendencies. During the imprinting period, every experience is critical. 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 absorbing every experience like a sponge, we need to stay very aware of all interactions and yet still have a good time with our new pup.

A Well-Mannered Dog
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 necessary things to learn. Good manners, great social skills and a healthy relationship with his or her family are vital. Additionally, desensitization, exposure to many different distractions and situations, in addition to having the flexibility to fit into a lifestyle in Thousand Oaks, CA is equally important.

Our focus is to create a puppy with remarkable manners and social skills. We begin by teaching obedience the day we bring them home from the breeder; which continues 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 puppy 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 limit our words when giving 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 right away.

Proofing Behavior in a Social World in Thousand Oaks, 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 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 envision. Many owners hope their puppy will grow out of unwanted behaviors. Their dog is testing what is allowed and what is not. Allowing a dog to continue rehearsing naughty acts makes changing unwanted behavior more difficult.

Working in the Real World in Thousand Oaks, California 
We work to stop any unwanted behavior by instilling boundaries and practicing obedience in high distraction areas. For example, we practice recalls when your dog is very distracted possibly chasing something as common as a squirrel. We practice and proof obedience in high traffic places, around barking dogs, around playgrounds and within public places.

As the dog moves through the adolescent stage we continue to challenge the dog by putting him or her in various situations. We think of each situation as a picture. What does that look like to the dog? How does that picture change from day to day or location to location. We are aiming to teach a dog how to adapt in every new and various environment or situation. We are raising a dog that isn’t reliant on continual commands that determine what he or she should and shouldn’t do. In fact, we prefer a dog that can make great choices. Our top goal is to have a well-balanced dog, who will be comfortable your home.

We continue to reinforce and refine manners making good behavior a habit for the dog. During this time, the puppy has been residing with the dog trainer in his or her 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 dog to continue to be confident and comfortable in new surroundings. This makes sure those habits and good manners will stay when he/she moves in to your home in Thousand Oaks, CA.