Selecting Your Pup
The idea of raising a new puppy on your own may be stressful. You want a dog that will fit in  nicely with your life style. Your life in Libertyville, Illinois might be fast paced, you may have a full-time job, you may be raising a young family, you like to travel or may be you just retired. Peace of Mind Puppy provide s a stress free experience to add in that  awesome dog to your life.

The Process Begins With a Assessment
We know it’s essential that you know who you will be partnering with. Developing a relationship is tremendously important to us in Libertyville, Illinois. Our conversation begins with easy questions and leads into an detailed discussion, which will give us a better idea of who you are and what your perfect dog will be. We like to have a fantastic working partnership with you. It starts the journey to pick, teach and raise your pup.

Choosing The Best Breed For Your Household
Once you have decided you are ready to include that amazing dog to your life in Libertyville, Illinois. You have your heart set on a certain breed or maybe you want one of our pups that are currently in our puppy raising program. Certainly there are things to think of such as the type of house you live in, your schedule, 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 everyday life in Libertyville, IL. We help guide you in this decision making process. As we get to know you better, we can aid you decide what you want and which dog will best fit your life-style.

Picking The Perfect Breeder in Libertyville, Illinois
We team up with responsible breeders who are truly interested in improving their breed with good health and great temperament of their pups. The first eight weeks of a new pups life are as important as to what happens after. A excellent breeder recognizes this and helps get the puppy off to a great start.

We have developed a relationship with many exceptional breeders. We specifically pursue breeders who recognize the early part they play in a puppies life. They understand when one of their puppies grows through our program, it ensures the puppy will end up having a great life.  It is extremely important to work carefully with the breeder. We count on the breeder’s input and also our years of knowledge to pick the puppy with the best temperament for the potential new family.

The Puppy‘s Training in Libertyville, Illinois
Training your puppy is a mixture of teaching new skill-sets including manners, setting boundaries, encouraging healthy relationships, along with exposing your puppy successfully to people, other dogs and desensitizing him or her to all types of environments.For example, we may have the pup stay overnight with different people in various environments; which in turn creates a dog for you who is comfortable and easy to live with because he or she can easily adapt|adjusts} to your lifestyle. Because of this and exposures to other factors your dog easily bonds with you and your family.

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

Training starts the moment a new puppy is in our hands in Libertyville, Illinois. Once we decide on the puppy from the litter, the first thing we would like to accomplish is developing 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. 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 boosting our bond. We are huge dog lovers, yet incredibly aware in those moments it is essential to concentrate more on being a leader and guide as the new pup learns about this new world without the company of its litter mates or mom.

Most important time for learning
During the initial few weeks we are teaching your new puppy boundaries, trust and focus. There is no limitation as to what we may incorporate into our strategies. Often we make use of specific places or objects to create an encounter for the pup. Occasionally a spur of the moment opportunity may present itself in Libertyville, Illinois. Our options and imagination are limitless. Every exposure and experience builds upon the previous one. Through all of this, we thoroughly supervise the puppy. We do not restrict ourselves to inflexible rules. We try to get more creative, think outside the box, and take advantage of activities that manifest before us. Those opportunities are priceless when it comes to teaching the puppy.

Every interaction with the new puppy is a teaching moment. We often think of it as an early investment in the life of this pup. This is the first time away from his or her littermates and living with us in Libertyville, Illinois. 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 decide many of their “good” or “bad” behavior tendencies. During the course of the imprinting stage, every experience is critical. It is important to build their 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 must stay very aware of all interactions and yet still have a good time with our new puppy.

A Well-Mannered Dog
4 to 6 months 

A well-trained pup is 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 critical. Furthermore, desensitization, exposure to many different distractions and situations, as well as having the flexibility to fit into a lifestyle in Libertyville, IL  is equally important.

Our focus is to raise a puppy with impeccable manners and social skills. We begin by teaching obedience the day we bring them home from the breeder; which carries on as we refine the dog’s behavior. The goal is to have a strong foundation by about 4 to 6 months. We practice obedience, making it a regular request in our daily routine as well as within each new situation we expose your puppy to. We go from shaping to formalizing commands and proofing them with distractions, duration and distance. Communication is at the center of our philosophy. Being clear and consistent is key. We restrict 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 Libertyville, IL
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 animal 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 canine will outgrow undesirable behaviors. Their dog is testing what is allowed and what is not. Allowing a dog to continue practicing naughty acts makes changing undesirable behavior more difficult.

Working in the Real World in Libertyville, Illinois
We work to stop any unwanted behavior by instilling boundaries and practicing obedience in high distraction locations. Such as, we practice recalls when your dog is highly distracted possibly chasing something like a squirrel. We test and proof obedience in high traffic spots, 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 it in various scenarios. We think of each situation as a picture. What does that look like to the puppy? 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 various setting or situation. We are raising a puppy that isn’t reliant on continuous commands that determine what he or she should and shouldn’t do. In fact, we desire a dog that can make good choices. Our main priority is to have a well-balanced puppy, who will fit into your home.

We continue to reinforce and fine-tune manners making good behavior a habit for the dog. Throughout this time, the dog has been staying with the trainer in his/her individual home. Throughout this time, your puppy will also spend a few days and nights hanging out with another relative or close friend. Providing the dog with this chance, encourages your dog to continue to be confident and comfortable in different areas. This ensures those habits and good manners will stay when he moves in to your house in Libertyville, IL.