Selecting Your Puppy
The thought of raising a new young puppy on your own may be overwhelming. You really want a pup that can match  wonderfully with your life style. Your life in Westwood, Massachusetts can be hectic, you may have a full-time profession, a young family, you like to travel or may be you just retired. Peace of Mind Puppy provide s a stress and anxiety free experience to add that  outstanding dog to your life.

The Process Begins With a Assessment
We think it’s vital that you know who you will be dealing with. Building a rapport is very important to our team in Westwood, Massachusetts. Our chat begins with simple questions and leads into an thorough conversation, which will give us a clearer idea of who you are and what your ideal dog would be. We like to have a wonderful working partnership with you. It begins the journey to pick, teach and raise your puppy.

Finding The Perfect Breed For Your Family
Once you have decided you are ready to include that perfect dog to your life in Westwood, Massachusetts. You have your heart set on a certain breed or maybe you’re interested in one of our dogs that are currently in our puppy raising program. There certainly are things to consider like the type of house you live in, maybe you work full time, maybe you are raising a  little family, you you may love to travel or you’ve recently retired. All this will not limit your choices, yet help shed light on your way of life in Westwood, MA. We help guide you in the decision making process. As we learn more about you, we can certainly aid you decide what you want and which breed will best fit your lifestyle.

Choosing The Right Breeder in Westwood, Massachusetts
We coordinate with responsible 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 puppy’s life are as significant as to what comes after. A good breeder recognizes this and helps get the puppy off to a great start.

We have built a rapport with many amazing breeders. We particularly find breeders who know the early part 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 fantastic life.  It is really important to work closely with the breeder. We depend on the breeder’s knowledge along with our years of expertise to choose the puppy with the best temperament for the prospective new family.

Your Puppy‘s Training in Westwood, Massachusetts
Training your dog is a combo of teaching new skills including manners, setting boundaries, promoting healthy relationships, as well as exposing your dog successfully to people, other dogs and desensitizing him or her to all different types of environments.For example, we may have the pup stay overnight with various people in various environments; which develops a dog for you who is comfortable and easy to live with because he or she adapts|adjusts} to your lifestyle. Because of this and exposures to other variables your dog easily connects with you and your family.

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

Training starts the minute a new puppy is in our hands in Westwood, Massachusetts. Once we choose the pup from the litter, the very first thing we wish to accomplish 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 puppy to its new world. Such as, getting him or her to follow us, go up and down stairs, walk over logs, 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 imperative to focus 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.

The Essential 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 approaches. Often we utilize specific areas or objects to create an encounter for the puppy. Occasionally a spur of the moment opportunity may present itself in Westwood, Massachusetts. Our options and creativity are endless. Every exposure and experience builds on the prior one. Through all of this, we thoroughly monitor the puppy. We do not confine ourselves to rigid rules. We try to be more creative, think outside the box, and make use of activities that unfold before us. Those opportunities are invaluable when it comes down to teaching the dog.

Every interaction with the new pup is a teaching moment. We like to 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 Westwood, 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 any other period of time in their lives. The quality and quantity of what they encounter will have a significant influence on their future personalities and determine much of their “good” or “bad” behavior tendencies. During the course of the imprinting stage, every experience is crucial. It is essential to build their self-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 need to stay very aware of all interactions and yet still have fun with our new pup.

A Well-Mannered Pal
4 to 6 months 

A well-trained dog is far 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. In addition, desensitization, exposure to various distractions and situations, along with being comfortable to fit into a lifestyle in Westwood, MA  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, keeping it a regular request in our everyday routine in addition to within each new situation we expose your puppy to. We go from shaping to defining commands and testing them with distractions, duration and distance. Communication is at the core of our philosophy. Being clear and consistent is key. We restrict 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 right away.

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

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

Working in the Real World in Westwood, Massachusetts
We work to prevent any unwanted behavior by instilling boundaries and practicing obedience in high distraction places. For example, we practice recalls when your dog is extremely distracted perhaps chasing something like a squirrel. We test and proof obedience in high traffic areas, around barking dogs, near playgrounds and within public places.

As the puppy goes through the adolescent stage we continue to challenge the dog by putting him or her in various situations. We consider each situation as a picture. How does that look like to the puppy? How does that picture differ from day to day or location to location. We are aiming to teach a dog how to cope in every new and various setting or situation. We are raising a dog that isn’t depending on constant commands that dictate what he or she should and shouldn’t do. Rather, we want a dog that can make good decisions. Our main goal is to have a well-balanced puppy, who will be comfortable your home.

We continue to reinforce and fine-tune manners making good behavior a habit for the dog. During this time, the dog has been staying with the dog trainer in his or her individual home. During this time, your puppy will also spend a few days and nights staying with another family member or friend. Giving this chance, encourages your dog to continue to be confident and comfortable in new settings. This makes sure those habits and good manners will remain when he or she goes on to your home in Westwood, MA.