Picking Your Young puppy
The thought of raising a new puppy on your own can be frustrating. You want a pup that will match  perfectly with your way of life. Your life in Key Largo, Florida possible is fast paced, you’ve got a full time job, maybe you’re raising a new family, you may like to travel or you’ve just retired. We provide a anxiety free experience to add that  spectacular dog to your life.

The Process Begins With a Consultation
We know it’s crucial that you know who you will be working with. Building a relationship is very important to our team in Key Largo, Florida. Our discussion begins with straightforward questions and leads into an detailed discussion, which will provide us a much better idea of who you are and what your dream dog would be. We would like to have a wonderful working partnership with you. It begins the journey to pick, teach and raise your pup.

Choosing The Best Breed For Your Home
Once you have determined you are ready to add that perfect dog to your life in Key Largo, Florida. You have your heart set on a specific breed or maybe you’re interested in one of our dogs that are presently in our puppy raising program. Certainly there are things to consider such as the type of house you live in, how much you work, are raising a young family, you love to travel or maybe you have recently retired. All this will not minimize your choices, yet help clarify your life-style in Key Largo, FL. We will help guide you in the decision making process. As we get to know you better, we can help you decide what you want and which puppy will best accommodate your life-style.

Finding The Perfect Breeder in Key Largo, Florida
We collaborate 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 significant as to what comes after. A great breeder is aware of this and helps get the puppy off to a great start.

We have built a relationship with many exceptional breeders. We particularly search out breeders who are aware of the early part they play in a puppies life. They understand when one of their pups goes through our program, it ensures the puppy will end up having a wonderful life.  It’s really important to work carefully with the breeder. We rely on the breeder’s feedback in addition to our years of experience to pick the puppy with the best temperament for the potential new family.

The Puppy‘s Training in Key Largo, Florida
Training your pup is a mixture of teaching new skill-sets including manners, setting boundaries, fostering healthy relationships, and also exposing your puppy successfully to people, other dogs and desensitizing him or her to all different types of environments.For example, we have the pup stay overnight with various people in various settings; which in turn creates 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 easily 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 Key Largo, Florida. Once we choose the pup from the litter, the first thing we want to accomplish is building confidence and a bond with this new puppy. We begin our relationship having fun even though we’re always teaching. Under our close guidance, we start exposing the puppy to its new world. For example, getting him or her to follow us, go up and down stairs, walk over various things, and even get relatively close to loud noises. By doing this, we are environmentally socializing your dog to the world while building up 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 pup discovers this new world without the presence of its litter mates or mom.

The Essential time for learning
In the initial few weeks we are teaching your new puppy boundaries, trust and focus. There is no restriction as to what we may integrate into our methods. Often we make use of particular spots or objects to create an encounter for the puppy. In some cases a spur of the moment opportunity may present itself in Key Largo, Florida. Our decisions and creativity are unlimited. Every exposure and experience builds upon the previous one. Through all of this, we thoroughly monitor the puppy. We do not confine ourselves to inflexible rules. We try to get more creative, think outside the box, and make the most of activities that unfold before us. Those opportunities are invaluable when it comes to teaching the puppy.

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 Key Largo, Florida. 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 experience will have a significant impact on their future personalities and determine many of their “good” or “bad” behavior tendencies. During the imprinting stage, 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 fun with our new dog.

A Well-Mannered Friend
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 necessary things to learn. Good manners, great social skills and a healthy relationship with his or her family are important. Furthermore, desensitization, exposure to many different distractions and situations, as well as being comfortable to fit into a lifestyle in Key Largo, FL is equally important.

Our focus is to raise a puppy with impeccable 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, keeping it a regular request in our daily routine in addition to within each new situation we expose your puppy to. We move from shaping to formalizing commands and proofing them with distractions, duration and distance. Communication is at the center of our philosophy. Being very clear and consistent is key. We restrict our words when providing 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 right away.

Proofing Behavior in a Social World in Key Largo, FL
6 months to young adult

Enter the teenage years– adolescence. This is the typical 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 puppy will outgrow undesirable behaviors. Their dog is testing what is permitted and what is not. Allowing a dog to continue rehearsing naughty acts makes changing undesirable behavior more difficult.

Testing in the Real World in Key Largo, Florida 
We work to prevent any unwanted behavior by instilling boundaries and practicing obedience in high distraction places. Such as, we practice recalls when your dog is very distracted perhaps chasing something as common as a squirrel. We practice and proof obedience in high traffic locations, around barking dogs, around playgrounds and within public places.

As the dog moves through the adolescent stage we continue to challenge the dog by putting it in various scenarios. We imagine 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 cope in every new and different environment or scenario. We are raising a dog that isn’t reliant on ongoing commands that dictate what he or she should and should not do. Rather, we prefer a dog that can make good choices. Our main goal is to have a well-balanced puppy, who will fit into your home.

We continue to strengthen and refine manners making good behavior a habit for the dog. Throughout this time, the puppy has been living with the trainer in their own home. Throughout this time, your puppy will also spend a few days and nights staying with another family member or friend. Offering this opportunity, encourages your dog to continue to be confident and comfortable in different settings. This ensures those habits and good manners will stay when he or she goes on to your house in Key Largo, FL.