Selecting Your Pup
The thought of raising a new pup on your own is stressful. You need a dog that will fit  beautifully with your lifestyle. Your life in Belvedere, California may be fast paced, you’ve got a full-time profession, a young family, you like to travel or may be you just retired. Peace of Mind Puppy provides a worry free experience to add that  remarkable dog to your life.

The Program Starts With a Consultation
We know it’s important that you know who you will be working with. Developing a rapport is extremely important to our team in Belvedere, California. Our discussion starts with simple questions and leads into an thorough discussion, which will provide us a clearer idea of who you are and what your dream dog would be. We want to have a fantastic working relationship with you. It starts the journey to pick, teach and raise your pup.

Finding The Best Breed For Your Household
Once you have determined you want to add that perfect dog to your life in Belvedere, California. You may have your heart set on a particular breed or maybe you want one of our dogs that are currently in our puppy raising program. Certainly there are things to take into account like the type of house you live in, how much you work, are raising a young family, you love to go on vacation or you’ve recently retired. All this will not minimize your options, but instead help clarify your life-style in Belvedere, CA. We help guide you in your decision making process. As we learn more about you, we can aid you pick what you want and which breed will best match your lifestyle.

Picking The Best Breeder in Belvedere, California
We collaborate 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 critical as to what comes after. A excellent breeder understands this and helps get the puppy off to a great start.

We have built a rapport with many outstanding breeders. We specifically seek breeders who understand 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 excellent life.  It’s really important to work carefully with the breeder. We count on the breeder’s knowledge along with our years of experience to choose the puppy with the best temperament for the potential new family.

Your Puppy‘s Training in Belvedere, California
Training your puppy is a combo of teaching new skill-sets including manners, setting boundaries, encouraging healthy relationships, together with exposing your dog successfully to people, other dogs and desensitizing him or her to all different types of environments. For instance, we have the puppy sleep overnight with different people in different environments; which in turn produces 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 variables your dog easily bonds 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 Belvedere, California. Once we pick the puppy from the litter, the first thing we wish to achieve is building confidence and a bond with this new puppy. We start our relationship having fun while always teaching. Under our close guidance, we start exposing the puppy to its new world. Such as, getting him or her to follow us, go up and down stairs, walk over various things, and also get somewhat near to loud noises. By doing this, we are environmentally socializing your dog to the world while boosting 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 learns about this new world without having the companionship 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 integrate into our methods. Frequently we utilize specific places or objects to create an encounter for the puppy. Occasionally a spur of the moment opportunity may present itself in Belvedere, California. Our decisions and imagination are limitless. Every exposure and experience builds on the prior one. Through all of this, we closely monitor the puppy. We don’t confine ourselves to rigid rules. We try to get more creative, think outside the box, and take advantage of occasions that unfold before us. Those opportunities are invaluable when it comes down to teaching the puppy.

Every interaction with the new pup 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 living with us in Belvedere, 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 huge impact on their future personalities and decide a lot of their “good” or “bad” behavior tendencies. During the imprinting stage, every experience is vital. It is important to build their self-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 fun with our new dog.

A Well-Mannered Dog
4 to 6 months 

A trained puppy is a lot more than just obedient. Knowing how to sit, stay or walk nicely on a loose leash are very important things to learn. Good manners, great social skills and a healthy relationship with his or her family are paramount. In addition, desensitization, exposure to many different distractions and situations, as well as being comfortable to fit into a lifestyle in Belvedere, CA 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 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 normal request in our everyday 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 center of our philosophy. Being very clear and consistent is key. We limit 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 right away.

Proofing Behavior in a Social World in Belvedere, 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 think of. Many owners hope their puppy will outgrow unwanted behaviors. Their dog is testing what is allowed and what is not. Allowing a dog to continue rehearsing naughty acts makes changing undesirable behavior more challenging.

Testing in the Real World in Belvedere, 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 extremely distracted perhaps 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 goes through the adolescent stage we continue to challenge the dog by putting it in various situations. We think of 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 striving to teach a dog how to adapt in every new and different setting or situation. We are raising a puppy that isn’t reliant on constant commands that determine what he or she should and should not do. Instead, we prefer a dog that can make great choices. Our number one priority is to have a well-balanced puppy, who will fit into your home.

We continue to reinforce and refine good manners making good behavior a habit for the dog. Throughout this time, the puppy has been staying with the dog trainer in his/her individual home. Throughout this time, your puppy will also spend a few days and nights staying with another relative or friend. Offering this chance, encourages your dog to continue to be confident and comfortable in different surroundings. This ensures those habits and good manners will remain when he/she moves on to your home in Belvedere, CA.