Choosing Your Puppy
The idea of raising a new young puppy by yourself may be frustrating. You hope for a dog that is going to fit in  perfectly with your everyday life. Your life in Western Springs, Illinois might be chaotic, you may have a full-time profession, you may be raising a young family, you like to travel or you’ve just retired. We provide a stress free experience to add that  remarkable dog to your life.

The Experience Begins With a Assessment
We know it’s vital that you know who you will be dealing with. Building a rapport is tremendously important to our team in Western Springs, Illinois. Our discussion begins with basic questions and leads into an in depth conversation, which will give us a clearer idea of who you are and what your perfect dog might be. We want to have a fantastic working partnership with you. It starts the journey to select, teach and raise your pup.

Selecting The Best Breed For Your Family
Once you have determined you want to include that perfect dog to your life in Western Springs, Illinois. You have your heart set on a certain breed or maybe you want one of our dogs that are currently in our puppy raising program. Certainly there are things to consider such as where you live, maybe you work full time, maybe you are raising a  little family, you love to go on vacation or you’ve recently retired. This information will not limit your choices, but instead help clarify your way of life in Western Springs, IL. We will help guide you in your decision making process. As we learn more about you, we can certainly aid you pick what you want and which breed will best match your life-style.

Picking The Right Breeder in Western Springs, Illinois
We coordinate with amazing breeders who are truly interested in improving their breed with good health and exceptional temperament of their pups. The initial eight weeks of a new puppy’s life are as vital as to what comes after. A great breeder recognizes this and helps get the puppy off to a great start.

We have built a rapport with many exceptional breeders. We specifically seek breeders who know the early role 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 excellent life.  It’s incredibly important to work carefully with the breeder. We count on the breeder’s knowledge as well as our years of expertise to choose the puppy with the best temperament for a potential new family.

Your Puppy‘s Training in Western Springs, Illinois
Training your new puppy is a mixture of teaching new skill-sets including manners, setting boundaries, encouraging healthy relationships, as well as exposing your puppy successfully to people, other dogs and desensitizing him or her to all various environments.Such as, we have the pup sleep overnight with different people in different settings; which in turn produces a dog for you who is relaxed and easy to live with because he or she can easily adapt|adjusts} to your lifestyle. As a result of this and exposures to other factors your dog readily connects with you and your family.

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

Training starts the instant a new puppy is in our hands in Western Springs, Illinois. Once we choose the puppy from the litter, the very first thing we want to achieve is developing confidence and a bond with this new puppy. We begin our relationship having fun while 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 various things, and maybe even get somewhat 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, yet remarkably aware in those moments it is essential to concentrate 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.

Most important time for learning
During the initial few weeks we are teaching your new puppy boundaries, trust and focus. There is no limit as to what we will integrate into our techniques. Frequently we take advantage of specific areas or objects to create an encounter for the pup. At times a spur of the moment opportunity may present itself in Western Springs, Illinois. Our choices and vision are unlimited. Every exposure and experience builds on the last one. Through all of this, we carefully supervise the puppy. We do not restrict ourselves to inflexible rules. We try to become more creative, think outside the box, and make the most of occasions that unfold before us. Those opportunities are priceless when it comes to teaching the puppy.

Every interaction with the new pup is a teaching moment. We often think about it as an early investment in the life of this puppy. This is the first time away from their littermates and staying with us in Western Springs, 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 massive effect on their future personalities and decide many of their “good” or “bad” behavior tendencies. During the imprinting phase, every experience is vital. 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 taking in every experience like a sponge, we need to stay very aware of all interactions and yet still have fun with our new pup.

A Well-Mannered Puppy
4 to 6 months 

A well-trained dog is so much 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 extremely important. Furthermore, desensitization, exposure to various distractions and situations, along with being comfortable to fit into a lifestyle in Western Springs, IL  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 carries on as we improve the dog’s behavior. The goal is to have a stable foundation by about 4 to 6 months. We practice obedience, making it a regular request in our everyday 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 Western Springs, IL
6 months to young adult

Enter the teenage years– adolescence. This is the usual age when many dogs are re-homed or surrendered to shelters. The adolescent stage can find your sweet pup becoming a monster. That nice pup can be more mouthy and disobedient than you could ever imagine. Many owners hope their puppy will grow out of 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.

Working in the Real World in Western Springs, Illinois
We work to reduce any unwanted behavior by instilling boundaries and practicing obedience in high distraction places. 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 areas, 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 imagine each situation as a picture. What does that look like to the puppy? How does that picture change from day to day or location to location. We are striving to teach a dog how to cope in every new and different setting or situation. We are raising a dog that isn’t dependent on continual commands that dictate what he or she should and shouldn’t do. In fact, we want a dog that can make great decisions. Our number one priority is to have a well-balanced puppy, who will be comfortable your home.

We continue to strengthen and refine manners making good behavior a habit for the dog. During this time, the dog has been residing with the dog trainer in his/her individual home. Throughout this time, your puppy will also spend a few days and nights hanging out with another family member or close friend. Offering this opportunity, encourages your puppy to continue to be confident and comfortable in different surroundings. This ensures those habits and good manners will stay when he or she moves on to your house in Western Springs, IL.