Selecting Your Puppy
The thought of raising a new pup on your own is frustrating. You want a puppy that is going to fit in  nicely with your life. Your life in West Menlo Park, California might be busy, you’ve got a full time job, maybe you’re raising a young family, you may like to travel or you’ve just retired. Peace of Mind Puppy provides a stress and anxiety free experience to add in that  remarkable dog to your life.

The Process Starts With a Assessment
We know it is crucial that you know who you will be dealing with. Developing a rapport is exceptionally important to our team in West Menlo Park, California. Our talk begins with easy questions and leads into an thorough conversation, which will provide us a much better idea of who you are and what your ideal dog will be. We would like to have a fantastic working partnership with you. It starts the journey to decide on, teach and raise your puppy.

Finding The Best Breed For Your Family
Once you have made a decision you want to include that amazing dog to your life in West Menlo Park, California. You may have your heart set on a particular breed or maybe you want one of our pups that are presently in our puppy raising program. There certainly are things to think of like the type of house you live in, maybe you work full time, are raising a young family, you you may love to travel or you’ve recently retired. This information will not limit your options, but instead help shed light on your lifestyle in West Menlo Park, CA. We help guide you in the decision making process. As we get to know you better, we can certainly help you decide what you want and which breed will best accommodate your life-style.

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

We have developed a rapport with many fine breeders. We particularly pursue breeders who know the early role they play in a puppies life. They know when one of their pups grows through our program, it ensures the puppy will end up having a terrific life.  It’s quite important to work closely with the breeder. We count on the breeder’s input along with our years of knowledge to choose the puppy with the best temperament for the potential new family.

Your Puppy‘s Training in West Menlo Park, California
Training your pup is a mixture of teaching new skill-sets including manners, setting boundaries, nurturing healthy relationships, together 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 sleep overnight with different people in various environments; which in turn develops a dog for you who is comfortable 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 easily connects 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 hands in West Menlo Park, California. Once we pick the puppy from the litter, the first thing we would like 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 pup to its new world. For example, getting him or her to follow us, climb stairs, walk over branches, and maybe 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 incredibly 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 the company of its litter mates or mom.

Most important 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 may incorporate into our techniques. Typically we make use of particular areas or objects to create an encounter for the pup. Occasionally a spur of the moment opportunity may present itself in West Menlo Park, California. Our options and vision are limitless. Every exposure and experience builds on the prior one. Through all of this, we very closely observe the puppy. We never limit ourselves to inflexible rules. We try to be more creative, think outside the box, and make the most of events that unfold before us. Those opportunities are priceless when it comes to teaching the dog.

Every interaction with the new pup is a teaching moment. We like to think of it as an early investment in the life of this pup. This is the first time away from his or her littermates and living with us in West Menlo Park, 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 significant effect on their future personalities and determine much of their “good” or “bad” behavior tendencies. Throughout the imprinting period, every experience is vital. It is important to build their confidence. The phrase ‘don’t sweat the small stuff’ does not apply to their early interactions. Because puppies are soaking up every experience like a sponge, we need to stay very aware of all interactions and yet still have a good time 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 vital. In addition, desensitization, exposure to various distractions and situations, as well as having the flexibility to fit into a lifestyle in West Menlo Park, 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 refine 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 day-to-day routine as well as within each new situation we expose your dog 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 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 immediately.

Proofing Behavior in a Social World in West Menlo Park, 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 developing into a monster. That nice pup can be more mouthy and disobedient than you could ever envision. Many owners hope their canine will outgrow unfavorable 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.

Working in the Real World in West Menlo Park, California 
We work to prevent any unwanted behavior by instilling boundaries and practicing obedience in high distraction places. Such as, we practice recalls when your dog is highly distracted possibly chasing something like a squirrel. We practice and proof obedience in high traffic areas, 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 it in various situations. We consider each situation as a picture. How does that look like to the puppy? How does that picture differ from day to day or location to location. We are striving to teach a dog how to cope in each new and different setting or situation. We are raising a puppy that isn’t reliant on continual commands that determine what he or she should and shouldn’t do. Rather, we want a dog that can make good choices. Our top priority is to have a well-balanced puppy, who will be comfortable your home.

We continue to strengthen and fine-tune manners making good behavior a habit for the dog. During this time, the dog has been residing with the dog trainer in their personal home. During this time, your dog will also spend a few days and nights staying with another family member or friend. Giving this chance, encourages your puppy to continue to be confident and comfortable in brand-new areas. This makes sure those habits and good manners will remain when he/she moves on to your house in West Menlo Park, CA.