Choosing Your Young puppy
The thought of raising a new pup on your own is frustrating. You need a puppy that will match  nicely with your lifestyle. Your life in Westport, Connecticut might be hectic, you’ve got a full time job, you may be raising a new family, you like to travel or you’ve just retired. Peace of Mind Puppy provide s a stress and anxiety free experience to add that  incredible dog to your life.

The Process Begins With a Consultation
We think it’s very important that you know who you will be partnering with. Building a relationship is incredibly important to our company in Westport, Connecticut. Our conversation begins with straightforward questions and leads into an thorough discussion, which will provide us a much better idea of who you are and what your ideal dog will be. We want to have a excellent working relationship with you. It starts the journey to decide on, teach and raise your pup.

Choosing The Perfect Breed For Your Family
Once you have decided you are ready to include that amazing dog to your life in Westport, Connecticut. You may have your heart set on a certain breed or maybe you’re interested in one of our pups that are presently in our puppy raising program. There certainly are things to consider for example, where you live, your schedule, maybe you are raising a  little family, you love to go on vacation or maybe you have recently retired. All this will not restrict your choices, yet help clarify your daily life in Westport, CT. We will help guide you in this decision making process. As we learn more about you, we can certainly aid you decide what you want and which dog will best fit your lifestyle.

Choosing The Best Breeder in Westport, Connecticut
We coordinate with amazing breeders who are truly interested in improving their breed with good health and fantastic temperament of their puppies. The first eight weeks of a new puppy’s life are as significant as to what happens after. A great breeder understands this and helps get the puppy off to a great start.

We have developed a relationship with many exceptional breeders. We specifically search out breeders who comprehend 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 good life.  It’s extremely important to work carefully with the breeder. We depend on the breeder’s input as well as our years of knowledge to pick the puppy with the best temperament for the potential new family.

Your Puppy‘s Training in Westport, Connecticut
Training your pup is a mixture of teaching new skills including manners, setting boundaries, nurturing healthy relationships, as well as exposing your dog successfully to people, other dogs and desensitizing him or her to all different types of environments. For instance, we may have the pup sleep overnight with various people in various environments; which in turn 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
Getting your puppy from the breeder

Training starts the minute a new puppy is in our hands in Westport, Connecticut. Once we choose the pup from the litter, the very first thing we would like to achieve 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 puppy to its new world. For example, 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 boosting our bond. We are huge dog lovers, but still extremely aware in those moments it is essential to focus more on being a leader and guide as the new puppy discovers this new world without having the companionship of its litter mates or mom.

Crucial time for learning
During the first few weeks we are teaching your new puppy boundaries, trust and focus. There is no restriction as to what we may incorporate into our approaches. Often we make use of specific places or objects to create an encounter for the puppy. Occasionally a spur of the moment opportunity may present itself in Westport, Connecticut. Our choices and imagination are endless. Every exposure and experience builds upon the previous one. Through all of this, we thoroughly observe the puppy. We do not restrict 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 pup.

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 their littermates and living with us in Westport, 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 time than they can learn in a lifetime. The quality and quantity of what they encounter will have a substantial effect on their future personalities and determine a number of their “good” or “bad” behavior tendencies. During the course of the imprinting period, 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 puppy.

A Well-Mannered Dog
4 to 6 months 

A well-trained puppy is 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 extremely important. Additionally, desensitization, exposure to various distractions and situations, along with having the flexibility to fit into a lifestyle in Westport, CT  is equally important.

Our focus is to create a puppy with impeccable 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 stable foundation by about 4 to 6 months. We practice obedience, making it a standard request in our day-to-day routine in addition to 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 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 Westport, 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 turning into a monster. That nice puppy can be more mouthy and disobedient than you could ever think of. Many owners hope their dog 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 unwanted behavior more challenging.

Working in the Real World in Westport, Connecticut
We work to stop any unwanted behavior by instilling boundaries and practicing obedience in high distraction areas. For instance, we practice recalls when your dog is extremely distracted maybe chasing something as common as a squirrel. We practice and proof obedience in high traffic locations, around barking dogs, near playgrounds and within public places.

As the dog goes through the adolescent stage we continue to challenge the dog by putting him or her in various situations. We consider each situation as a picture. What does that look like to the dog? How does that picture change from day to day or location to location. We are striving to teach a dog how to adapt in every new and various environment or situation. We are raising a dog that isn’t reliant on continuous commands that determine what he or she should and shouldn’t do. In fact, we prefer a dog that can make great choices. Our main priority is to have a well-balanced dog, who will fit into your home.

We continue to reinforce and improve manners making good behavior a habit for the dog. During this time, the puppy has been staying with the trainer in his or her personal home. Throughout this time, your dog will also spend a few days and nights hanging out with another relative or friend. Providing the dog with 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 goes on to your home in Westport, CT.