Deciding on Your Pup
The thought of raising a new young puppy by yourself may be stressful. You need a dog that will match  wonderfully with your lifestyle. Your life in Hopkinton, Massachusetts can be hectic, you may have a full time job, a new family, you like to travel or you’ve just retired. Peace of Mind Puppy provide s a anxiety free experience to add that  incredible dog to your life.

The Program Begins With a Assessment
We think it’s vital that you know who you will be teaming up with. Building a relationship is extremely important to us in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. Our talk begins with simple questions and leads into an in depth conversation, which will give us a much better idea of who you are and what your dream dog will be. We like to have a excellent working partnership with you. It begins the journey to pick, teach and raise your pup.

Picking The Perfect Breed For Your Home
Once you have made a decision you want to add that perfect dog to your life in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. You have your heart set on a particular breed or maybe you want one of our pups that are presently in our puppy raising program. There certainly are things to consider such as where you live, your schedule, maybe you are raising a  little family, you love to travel or you’ve recently retired. This information will not restrict your options, yet help shed light on your life-style in Hopkinton, MA. We help guide you in this decision making process. As we learn more about you, we can aid you pick what you want and which dog will best suit your life-style.

Selecting The Perfect Breeder in Hopkinton, Massachusetts
We collaborate with amazing breeders who are genuinely interested in improving their breed with good health and fantastic temperament of their pups. The initial eight weeks of a new pups life are as essential as to what happens after. A great breeder is aware of this and helps get the puppy off to a great start.

We have developed a relationship with many amazing breeders. We particularly seek breeders who are aware of the early role they play in a puppies life. They know when one of their puppies goes through our program, it ensures the puppy will end up having a terrific life.  It is very important to work carefully with the breeder. We count on the breeder’s input together with our years of experience to select the puppy with the best temperament for a potential new family.

The Puppy‘s Training in Hopkinton, Massachusetts
Training your puppy is a combination of teaching new skills including manners, setting boundaries, nurturing healthy relationships, together with exposing your puppy successfully to people, other dogs and desensitizing him or her to all different types of environments. For instance, we have the puppy stay overnight with different people in different environments; 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 way of life. Because 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 moment a new puppy is in our care in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. Once we select the pup from the litter, the very first thing we wish to achieve is building confidence and a bond with this new puppy. We start our relationship having fun even though we’re always teaching. Under our close guidance, we begin exposing the pup to its new world. For example, getting him or her to follow us, go up and down stairs, walk over branches, and maybe 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 significantly aware in those moments it is essential to focus more on being a leader and guide as the new puppy learns about this new world without having the companionship 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 limitation as to what we may integrate into our strategies. Frequently we take advantage of particular areas or objects to create an encounter for the pup. Occasionally a spur of the moment opportunity may present itself in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. Our choices and imagination are endless. Every exposure and experience builds upon the last one. Through all of this, we very closely monitor the puppy. We do not limit ourselves to rigid rules. We try to be more creative, think outside the box, and benefit from activities that unfold before us. Those opportunities are invaluable when it comes to teaching the dog.

Every interaction with the new pup is a teaching moment. We often think about 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 Hopkinton, 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 period than they can learn in a lifetime. The quality and quantity of what they experience will have a huge impact on their future personalities and determine a lot of their “good” or “bad” behavior tendencies. Throughout the imprinting stage, every experience is critical. 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 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 Friend
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 important things to learn. Good manners, great social skills and a healthy relationship with his or her family are extremely important. In addition, desensitization, exposure to various distractions and situations, in addition to having the flexibility to fit into a lifestyle in Hopkinton, MA  is equally important.

Our focus is to create a puppy with remarkable manners and social skills. We start 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 strong foundation by about 4 to 6 months. We practice obedience, making it a regular request in our day-to-day routine in addition to within each new situation we expose your dog to. We go from shaping to formalizing 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 giving 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 immediately.

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

Enter the teenage years– adolescence. This is the typical age when many dogs are re-homed or surrendered to animal shelters. The adolescent stage can find your sweet pup becoming a monster. That nice puppy can be more mouthy and disobedient than you could ever imagine. Many owners hope their canine will outgrow unfavorable behaviors. Their dog is testing what is permitted and what is not. Allowing a dog to continue rehearsing naughty acts makes changing unwanted behavior more challenging.

Testing in the Real World in Hopkinton, Massachusetts
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 very distracted maybe chasing something like a squirrel. We test and proof obedience in high traffic places, around barking dogs, around playgrounds and within public places.

As the puppy goes through the adolescent stage we continue to challenge the dog by putting it in various situations. We imagine each situation as a picture. What 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 each new and different environment or situation. We are raising a puppy that isn’t depending on ongoing commands that dictate what he or she should and should not do. In fact, we want a dog that can make great choices. Our top priority is to have a well-balanced puppy, who will be comfortable your home.

We continue to strengthen and fine-tune good manners making good behavior a habit for the dog. Throughout this time, the puppy has been residing with the dog trainer in their own home. Throughout this time, your dog will also spend a few days and nights staying with another loved one or close friend. Giving this opportunity, encourages your puppy to continue to be confident and comfortable in brand-new environments. This ensures those habits and good manners will remain when he moves in to your house in Hopkinton, MA.