Selecting Your New Puppy
The thought of raising a new young puppy on your own might be frustrating. You really want a puppy that will fit in  very well with your everyday life. Your life in Boxford, Massachusetts may be busy, you may have a full time schedule, maybe you’re raising a young family, you may like to travel or you’ve just retired. We provide a stress and anxiety free experience to add that  incredible dog to your life.

The Experience Begins With a Consultation
We know it’s crucial that you know who you will be partnering with. Building a rapport is tremendously important to our team in Boxford, Massachusetts. Our chat begins with straightforward questions and leads into an in detail discussion, which will give us a better idea of who you are and what your perfect dog will be. We want to have a excellent working partnership with you. It begins the journey to pick, teach and raise your puppy.

Picking The Best Breed For Your Home
Once you have determined you want to include that perfect dog to your life in Boxford, Massachusetts. You may 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, maybe you are raising a young family, you love to travel or you’ve recently retired. This information will not limit your options, but instead help shed light on your lifestyle in Boxford, MA. We will help guide you in your decision making process. As we get to know you better, we can certainly help you decide what you want and which breed will best match your life-style.

Selecting The Perfect Breeder in Boxford, Massachusetts
We team up with amazing breeders who are truly interested in improving their breed with good health and fantastic temperament of their pups. The initial eight weeks of a new puppy’s life are as important as to what comes after. A great breeder is aware of this and helps get the puppy off to a great start.

We have established a relationship with many outstanding breeders. We specifically pursue breeders who comprehend the early role they play in a puppies life. They know when one of their pups goes through our program, it ensures the puppy will end up having a terrific life.  It is extremely important to work carefully with the breeder. We rely on the breeder’s feedback along with our years of expertise to choose the puppy with the best temperament for a prospective new family.

The Puppy‘s Training in Boxford, Massachusetts
Training your pup is a combination of teaching new skill-sets including manners, setting boundaries, nurturing healthy relationships, together with exposing your dog successfully to people, other dogs and desensitizing him or her to all different types of environments.For example, we have the puppy sleep overnight with various people in various environments; which creates a dog for you who is comfortable and easy to live with because he or she adapts|adjusts} to your way of life. As a result of this and exposures to other factors your dog readily connects 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 care in Boxford, Massachusetts. Once we select the puppy from the litter, the first thing we wish to achieve 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 pup to its new world. For instance, getting him or her to follow us, go up and down stairs, walk over logs, and maybe even get relatively near to loud noises. By doing this, we are environmentally socializing your puppy to the world while boosting our bond. We are huge dog lovers, but still very 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 having the company of its litter mates or mom.

Most important time for learning
In 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 strategies. Typically we utilize particular locations or objects to create an encounter for the puppy. In some cases a spur of the moment opportunity may present itself in Boxford, Massachusetts. Our choices and creativity are limitless. Every exposure and experience builds upon the prior one. Through all of this, we closely supervise the puppy. We do not restrict ourselves to rigid rules. We try to become more creative, think outside the box, and make use of events that manifest before us. Those opportunities are priceless when it comes to teaching the dog.

Every interaction with the new puppy is a teaching moment. We often think of it as an early investment in the life of this puppy. This is the first time away from his or her littermates and living with us in Boxford, Massachusetts. 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 massive effect on their future personalities and determine much of their “good” or “bad” behavior tendencies. During the imprinting period, every experience is important. 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 absorbing 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 Dog
4 to 6 months 

A well-trained pup is far 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 critical. Additionally, desensitization, exposure to various distractions and situations, as well as being comfortable to fit into a lifestyle in Boxford, MA  is equally important.

Our focus is to raise a dog 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 strong 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 dog to. We go from shaping to defining 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 limit 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 immediately.

Proofing Behavior in a Social World in Boxford, MA
6 months to young adult

Enter the teenage years– adolescence. This is the normal age when many dogs are re-homed or given up to rescues. The adolescent stage can find your sweet pup becoming a monster. That nice puppy can be more mouthy and disobedient than you could ever picture. Many owners hope their dog 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 challenging.

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

As the puppy moves through the adolescent stage we continue to challenge the dog by putting it in various scenarios. We consider 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 striving to teach a dog how to adapt in each new and different environment or situation. We are raising a dog that isn’t reliant on continuous commands that control what he or she should and shouldn’t do. Rather, we want a dog that can make great choices. Our top goal is to have a well-balanced dog, who will fit into your home.

We continue to reinforce and refine good manners making good behavior a habit for the dog. Throughout this time, the dog has been living with the dog trainer in his or her personal home. During this time, your puppy will also spend a few days and nights hanging out with another family member or friend. Giving this chance, encourages your puppy to continue to be confident and comfortable in different surroundings. This makes sure those habits and good manners will remain when he/she goes on to your house in Boxford, MA.