Deciding on Your New Puppy
The idea of raising a new pup by yourself can be frustrating. You hope for a doggy that is going to fit  beautifully with your life style. Your life in Weston, Connecticut may be hectic, you’ve got a full-time schedule, you may be raising a new 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 Begins With a Assessment
We know it is crucial that you know who you will be partnering with. Building a relationship is extremely important to our team in Weston, Connecticut. Our discussion begins with easy questions and leads into an in detail discussion, which will provide us a much better idea of who you are and what your ideal dog would be. We like to have a fantastic working relationship with you. It starts the journey to choose, teach and raise your pup.

Finding The Perfect Breed For Your Household
Once you have made a decision you are ready to include that amazing dog to your life in Weston, Connecticut. You may have your heart set on a certain breed or maybe you’re interested in one of our pups that are currently in our puppy raising program. There are things to take into account such as 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 reduce your options, yet help clarify your way of life in Weston, CT. We help guide you in your decision making process. As we get to know you better, we can assist you decide what you want and which dog will best match your lifestyle.

Picking The Right Breeder in Weston, Connecticut
We coordinate with responsible breeders who are genuinely interested in improving their breed with good health and great temperament of their puppies. The first eight weeks of a new pups life are as significant as to what happens after. A good breeder recognizes this and helps get the puppy off to a great start.

We have developed a rapport with many outstanding breeders. We specifically seek breeders who know the early part they play in a puppies life. They understand when one of their puppies goes through our program, it ensures the puppy will end up having a terrific life.  It is incredibly important to work carefully with the breeder. We count on the breeder’s knowledge in addition to our years of experience to pick the puppy with the best temperament for a prospective new family.

The Puppy‘s Training in Weston, Connecticut
Training your dog is a mixture of teaching new skill-sets including manners, setting boundaries, encouraging healthy relationships, along with exposing your dog successfully to people, other dogs and desensitizing him or her to all types of environments. For instance, we may have the pup sleep overnight with various people in various settings; which in turn develops a dog for you who is relaxed and easy to live with because he or she adapts|adjusts} to your lifestyle. Because of this and exposures to other variables your dog readily connects 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 care in Weston, Connecticut. 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 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, climb stairs, walk over branches, and even get relatively near to loud noises. By doing this, we are environmentally socializing your dog to the world while strengthening our bond. We are huge dog lovers, yet significantly aware in those moments it is imperative to focus 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.

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 strategies. Frequently we utilize particular areas or objects to create an experience for the pup. At times a spur of the moment opportunity may present itself in Weston, Connecticut. Our choices and imagination are unlimited. Every exposure and experience builds upon the last one. Through all of this, we closely observe the puppy. We never confine ourselves to rigid rules. We try to be more creative, think outside the box, and benefit from occasions that manifest before us. Those opportunities are priceless when it comes down to teaching the dog.

Every interaction with the new puppy is a teaching moment. We often think about it as an early investment in the life of this pup. This is the first time away from their littermates and staying with us in Weston, 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 encounter will have a substantial impact on their future personalities and determine a lot of their “good” or “bad” behavior tendencies. During the imprinting stage, every experience is crucial. It is important to build their self-confidence. The phrase ‘don’t sweat the small stuff’ does not apply to their early interactions. Because puppies are taking in every experience like a sponge, we need to stay very aware of all interactions and yet still have fun with our new puppy.

A Well-Mannered Dog
4 to 6 months 

A well-trained pup is a lot 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. Additionally, desensitization, exposure to various distractions and situations, in addition to being comfortable to fit into a lifestyle in Weston, CT  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 carries on as we fine-tune the dog’s behavior. The goal is to have a solid foundation by about 4 to 6 months. We practice obedience, making it a normal request in our everyday routine in addition to within each new situation we expose your puppy to. We go from shaping to defining commands and proofing them with distractions, duration and distance. Communication is at the core of our philosophy. Being clear and consistent is key. We restrict 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 Weston, CT
6 months to young adult

Enter the teenage years– adolescence. This is the normal age when many dogs are re-homed or surrendered to rescues. 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 picture. 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 Weston, Connecticut
We work to prevent any unwanted behavior by instilling boundaries and practicing obedience in high distraction places. For example, we practice recalls when your dog is extremely 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 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 puppy? How does that picture change from day to day or location to location. We are aiming to teach a dog how to adapt in each new and various setting or scenario. We are raising a dog that isn’t dependent on continual commands that determine what he or she should and should not do. In fact, we desire a dog that can make good decisions. Our main goal is to have a well-balanced dog, who will fit into your home.

We continue to strengthen and improve 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 personal home. Throughout this time, your dog will also spend a few days and nights staying with another loved one or close friend. Offering this chance, encourages your puppy to continue to be confident and comfortable in new settings. This ensures those habits and good manners will stay when he/she goes on to your home in Weston, CT.