Picking Your New Puppy
The idea of raising a new young puppy by yourself can be frustrating. You want a dog that is going to fit  very well with your daily life. Your life in Madison, Connecticut is stressful, you’ve got a full time schedule, maybe you’re raising a young family, you like to travel or may be you just retired. We provide a stress and anxiety free experience to add that  incredible dog to your life.

The Process Starts With a Consultation
We know it is important that you know who you will be coordinating with. Building a relationship is exceptionally important to our team in Madison, Connecticut. Our discussion starts with easy questions and leads into an in detail conversation, which will give us a clearer idea of who you are and what your dream dog will be. We want to have a wonderful working relationship with you. It starts the journey to decide on, teach and raise your pup.

Selecting The Best Breed For Your Household
Once you have determined you are ready to add that perfect dog to your life in Madison, Connecticut. You may have your heart set on a specific breed or maybe you want one of our dogs that are presently in our puppy raising program. Certainly there are things to think about including the type of house you live in, maybe you work full time, maybe you are raising a young family, you love to go on vacation or maybe you have recently retired. This information will not restrict your options, yet help shed light on your life-style in Madison, CT. We help guide you in the decision making process. As we get to know you better, we can certainly assist you pick what you want and which breed will best match your lifestyle.

Choosing The Perfect Breeder in Madison, Connecticut
We partner with amazing breeders who are truly interested in improving their breed with good health and exceptional temperament of their pups. The first eight weeks of a new pups life are as vital as to what happens after. A good breeder knows this and helps get the puppy off to a great start.

We have established a relationship with many great breeders. We particularly pursue breeders who understand the early part they play in a puppies life. They know when one of their puppies goes through our program, it ensures the puppy will end up having a wonderful life.  It’s very important to work carefully with the breeder. We rely on the breeder’s knowledge and also our years of expertise to select the puppy with the best temperament for the prospective new family.

Your Puppy‘s Training in Madison, Connecticut
Training your dog is a combination of teaching new skills including manners, setting boundaries, promoting healthy relationships, along with exposing your dog successfully to people, other dogs and desensitizing him or her to all types of environments.For example, we have the pup sleep overnight with different people in different settings; which in turn produces 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 factors your dog readily bonds with you and your family.

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

Training starts the instant a new puppy is in our hands in Madison, Connecticut. Once we select the puppy from the litter, the first thing we want to accomplish is developing 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 pup to its new world. Such as, getting him or her to follow us, go up and down stairs, walk over various things, and maybe even get somewhat near to loud noises. By doing this, we are environmentally socializing your dog to the world while at the same time 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 discovers this new world without the companionship of its litter mates or mom.

Most important time for learning
During the first 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. Frequently we use certain spots or objects to create an experience for the puppy. Sometimes a spur of the moment opportunity may present itself in Madison, Connecticut. Our options and creativity are limitless. Every exposure and experience builds on the previous one. Through all of this, we thoroughly monitor the puppy. We never restrict ourselves to inflexible rules. We try to be more creative, think outside the box, and benefit from activities that manifest before us. Those opportunities are invaluable when it comes to teaching the pup.

Every interaction with the new pup is a teaching moment. We often consider it as an early investment in the life of this dog. This is the first time away from their littermates and living with us in Madison, Connecticut. 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 huge impact on their future personalities and determine many of their “good” or “bad” behavior tendencies. During the imprinting phase, every experience is critical. 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 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 dog.

A Well-Mannered Dog
4 to 6 months 

A trained puppy is so much 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 vital. Furthermore, desensitization, exposure to many different distractions and situations, along with being comfortable to fit into a lifestyle in Madison, CT  is equally important.

Our focus is to raise a puppy 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, keeping it a normal request in our day-to-day routine as well as within each new situation we expose your puppy 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 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 Madison, CT
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 shelters. The adolescent stage can find your sweet pup developing into a monster. That nice puppy can be more mouthy and disobedient than you could ever imagine. Many owners hope their canine will grow out of undesirable behaviors. Their dog is testing what is permitted and what is not. Allowing a dog to continue practicing naughty acts makes changing unwanted behavior more difficult.

Testing in the Real World in Madison, Connecticut
We work to prevent any unwanted behavior by instilling boundaries and practicing obedience in high distraction areas. For instance, we practice recalls when your dog is highly distracted possibly chasing something like a squirrel. We practice and proof obedience in high traffic spots, around barking dogs, near playgrounds and within public places.

As the puppy goes through the adolescent stage we continue to challenge the dog by putting him or her in various situations. We imagine each situation as a picture. How does that look like to the dog? How does that picture shift from day to day or location to location. We are aiming to teach a dog how to adapt in every new and different environment or scenario. We are raising a puppy that isn’t depending on constant commands that control what he or she should and shouldn’t do. In fact, we desire a dog that can make good choices. Our top priority 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. During this time, the dog has been residing with the trainer in his/her individual home. During this time, your dog will also spend a few days and nights staying with another relative or close friend. Giving this chance, encourages your puppy to continue to be confident and comfortable in different settings. This ensures those habits and good manners will remain when he/she moves on to your home in Madison, CT.