Picking Your Young puppy
The idea of raising a new puppy by yourself might be stressful. You want a doggy that can fit  wonderfully with your life-style. Your life in Glencoe, Illinois is fast paced, you’ve got a full-time schedule, you may be raising a new family, you may like to travel or you’ve just retired. Peace of Mind Puppy provide s a stress and anxiety free experience to add in that  amazing dog to your life.

The Experience Begins With a Assessment
We think it is important that you know who you will be partnering with. Building a relationship is very important to us in Glencoe, Illinois. Our conversation starts with simple questions and leads into an in depth discussion, which will give us a much better idea of who you are and what your ideal dog might be. We would like to have a fantastic working relationship with you. It begins the journey to choose, teach and raise your pup.

Picking The Perfect Breed For Your Home
Once you have determined you are ready to add that perfect dog to your life in Glencoe, Illinois. You have your heart set on a particular breed or maybe you want one of our pups that are presently in our puppy raising program. Certainly there are things to think of such as where you live, your schedule, are raising a young family, you love to go on vacation or maybe you have recently retired. This information will not reduce your choices, yet help clarify your life-style in Glencoe, IL. We will help guide you in your decision making process. As we get to know you better, we can certainly assist you choose what you want and which puppy will best suit your lifestyle.

Choosing The Perfect Breeder in Glencoe, Illinois
We work with amazing breeders who are genuinely interested in improving their breed with good health and excellent temperament of their pups. The initial eight weeks of a new puppy’s life are as crucial as to what happens after. A excellent breeder understands this and helps get the puppy off to a great start.

We have established a rapport with many exceptional breeders. We particularly pursue breeders who recognize the early part 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 good life.  It is really important to work carefully with the breeder. We count on the breeder’s knowledge together with our years of expertise to pick the puppy with the best temperament for a prospective new family.

The Puppy‘s Training in Glencoe, Illinois
Training your new puppy is a mixture of teaching new skills including manners, setting boundaries, encouraging healthy relationships, as well as exposing your dog successfully to people, other dogs and desensitizing him or her to all various environments.For example, we may have the puppy 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 way of life. Because of this and exposures to other factors your dog easily bonds with you and your family members.

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

Training starts the minute a new puppy is in our care in Glencoe, Illinois. Once we choose the puppy from the litter, the very first thing we would like to achieve is building confidence and a bond with this new puppy. We begin our relationship having fun while always teaching. Under our close guidance, we begin exposing the puppy 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 near 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, but still very 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 company of its litter mates or mom.

The Essential time for learning
In the first few weeks we are teaching your new puppy boundaries, trust and focus. There is no limit as to what we will incorporate into our methods. Typically we utilize particular places or objects to create an encounter for the pup. Sometimes a spur of the moment opportunity may present itself in Glencoe, Illinois. Our options and creativity are unlimited. Every exposure and experience builds upon the prior one. Through all of this, we carefully monitor the puppy. We do not confine ourselves to stiff rules. We try to get more creative, think outside the box, and take advantage of occasions that manifest before us. Those opportunities are invaluable when it comes down 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 Glencoe, Illinois. 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 period than they can learn in a lifetime. The quality and quantity of what they experience will have a substantial effect on their future personalities and decide much of their “good” or “bad” behavior tendencies. During the course of the imprinting phase, every experience is crucial. It is essential 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 need to stay very aware of all interactions and yet still have a good time with our new pup.

A Well-Mannered Puppy
4 to 6 months 

A trained pup 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 important. Furthermore, desensitization, exposure to various distractions and situations, as well as having the flexibility to fit into a lifestyle in Glencoe, IL  is equally important.

Our focus is to raise a dog with remarkable manners and social skills. We start 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, making it a standard request in our day-to-day routine as well as within each new situation we expose your dog to. We move from shaping to defining commands and testing 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 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 Glencoe, IL
6 months to young adult

Enter the teenage years– adolescence. This is the usual age when many dogs are re-homed or surrendered to rescues. The adolescent stage can find your sweet pup becoming a monster. That nice pup can be more mouthy and disobedient than you could ever think of. 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 Glencoe, Illinois
We work to stop any unwanted behavior by instilling boundaries and practicing obedience in high distraction places. Such as, we practice recalls when your dog is extremely distracted possibly chasing something as common as a squirrel. We test and proof obedience in high traffic locations, 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 situations. We consider each situation as a picture. How does that look like to the dog? How does that picture differ from day to day or location to location. We are working to teach a dog how to adapt in every new and various setting or scenario. We are raising a puppy that isn’t depending on ongoing commands that determine what he or she should and shouldn’t do. Instead, we desire a dog that can make good choices. Our main priority is to have a well-balanced puppy, who will fit into 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 trainer in their personal home. Throughout this time, your dog will also spend a few days and nights hanging out with another relative or friend. Giving this opportunity, encourages your dog to continue to be confident and comfortable in brand-new settings. This makes sure those habits and good manners will remain when he moves in to your home in Glencoe, IL.