Did you know that a puppy's temperament is mostly developed by 8 weeks of age? This means a puppy's time in a breeder's care is critical in preparing him for how he will interact in the world physically & emotionally for the REST of his life! This is our key motivating factor in how we RAISE OUR PUPPIES IN EXCELLENCE!!
Our philosophy for raising pups is this... "Today's INTER-actions develop next year's RE-actions."
This means that all early handling & exposures - positive or negative - will prepare your puppy's reactions to similar stresses in the real world. Too much stress, inappropriate reactions around him, or even not enough experiences in early weeks can all contribute to later fears, aggression, and behavior challenges. By simply exposing our puppies to managed experiences at just the right time we can begin the process of preparing the puppy for a successful future. We want our puppies to learn that the *world is safe* *people are safe* and *other dogs are friendly*.
(for a shortened version of this see our FAQ page...if you like the details, read on!)
WHAT IT MEANS TO RAISE A DOG WITH EXCELLENCE -
Before the puppy is born... we begin with healthy parents. By now you've probably already seen on our site how important it is to us that we start with loving, gentle, and super healthy parents! We perform some of the highest levels of health testing possible and are rated 'Excellent' in our health testing by the GoodDog website, and qualify for the 'Blue Ribbon' level of testing in Goldendoodle Association of North America (GANA).
In our puppy nursery...
In the first 2 weeks a puppy's most important need is to have it's innate safety and provision fulfilled from by mom. We let mom concentrate on the earliest teaching, nurturing, and provision while our concentration is on making sure all puppies are thriving and only stepping in as needed.
On day 3 we begin very delicate handling and introduce Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS). ENS helps stimulate the neurological system which in turn stimulates the growth and development of the pup's immune system, cardiovascular system, and stress tolerance. We also begin early scent imprinting in this phase.
Beyond the nursery, puppy preschool begins...
At approximately 2 weeks old, the amazing joy of socializing puppies begins...including lots of daily snuggles and gentle handling!! Our puppies move into a play yard and we begin giving them new experiences including textures, touches, lights, sounds, movements, heights, varying sizes and ages of humans, other animals, and more. In these exposures the puppies learn safe emotional responses for their future encounters in the changing, moving, often noisy world. Puppies are also given age appropriate obstacles and gentle challenges which stimulate them intellectually, helping them learn problem solving skills, cause/effect, positive association to learning and to develop their confidence!
Preparation for the forever homes....
In the last week or two of puppies' time with us we tweak the puppies' early potty training & introduce crates!! We want the pups to learn that crates are fun, safe, and comfortable in order to make transitions to new home environments easier.
And last...Temperament Evaluations. To help families find a puppy that will suit their home & family's needs we perform a temperament/ aptitude test at around 7 weeks old. Often this can help families identify pups that might best suit their needs in regards to family age ranges, energy levels, lifestyles, or service needs. These evaluations often reduce later needs for rehoming dogs or disappointments for families because families are able to catch a glimpse of the pups' training interest, responses, independence, playfulness, or curiosity levels, and more early on!
Our hearts desire is to be faithful & honest, to develop healthy dogs with wonderful temperaments, and to help nurture puppies (& their families) to reach their highest potential. We are passionate about raising puppies in excellence for their best future & yours!
Our philosophy for raising pups is this... "Today's INTER-actions develop next year's RE-actions."
This means that all early handling & exposures - positive or negative - will prepare your puppy's reactions to similar stresses in the real world. Too much stress, inappropriate reactions around him, or even not enough experiences in early weeks can all contribute to later fears, aggression, and behavior challenges. By simply exposing our puppies to managed experiences at just the right time we can begin the process of preparing the puppy for a successful future. We want our puppies to learn that the *world is safe* *people are safe* and *other dogs are friendly*.
(for a shortened version of this see our FAQ page...if you like the details, read on!)
WHAT IT MEANS TO RAISE A DOG WITH EXCELLENCE -
Before the puppy is born... we begin with healthy parents. By now you've probably already seen on our site how important it is to us that we start with loving, gentle, and super healthy parents! We perform some of the highest levels of health testing possible and are rated 'Excellent' in our health testing by the GoodDog website, and qualify for the 'Blue Ribbon' level of testing in Goldendoodle Association of North America (GANA).
In our puppy nursery...
In the first 2 weeks a puppy's most important need is to have it's innate safety and provision fulfilled from by mom. We let mom concentrate on the earliest teaching, nurturing, and provision while our concentration is on making sure all puppies are thriving and only stepping in as needed.
On day 3 we begin very delicate handling and introduce Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS). ENS helps stimulate the neurological system which in turn stimulates the growth and development of the pup's immune system, cardiovascular system, and stress tolerance. We also begin early scent imprinting in this phase.
Beyond the nursery, puppy preschool begins...
At approximately 2 weeks old, the amazing joy of socializing puppies begins...including lots of daily snuggles and gentle handling!! Our puppies move into a play yard and we begin giving them new experiences including textures, touches, lights, sounds, movements, heights, varying sizes and ages of humans, other animals, and more. In these exposures the puppies learn safe emotional responses for their future encounters in the changing, moving, often noisy world. Puppies are also given age appropriate obstacles and gentle challenges which stimulate them intellectually, helping them learn problem solving skills, cause/effect, positive association to learning and to develop their confidence!
- We use Puppy Culture & 4E Kennels methods/curriculums with our pups... *Puppy Culture is a scientific method that strengthens the puppy emotionally, intellectually & physically. It has been proven that puppies raised with PC methods are smarter, more attentive, have a greater tolerance to stress, greater resistance to disease, and healthier adrenal and heart systems. *We have also invested over 100 hours of continuing education and our program is now CERTIFIED in the equally amazing 4E KENNELS advanced curriculum!!! The 4E curriculum is designed to enhance a puppy's stability with early prep for possible therapy, emotional support & service work. ALL of our puppies are treated as though they may become therapy or service dogs! Whether or not they go on to be 'working' dogs... the families and puppies all have a great advantage for bright futures ahead!
Preparation for the forever homes....
In the last week or two of puppies' time with us we tweak the puppies' early potty training & introduce crates!! We want the pups to learn that crates are fun, safe, and comfortable in order to make transitions to new home environments easier.
And last...Temperament Evaluations. To help families find a puppy that will suit their home & family's needs we perform a temperament/ aptitude test at around 7 weeks old. Often this can help families identify pups that might best suit their needs in regards to family age ranges, energy levels, lifestyles, or service needs. These evaluations often reduce later needs for rehoming dogs or disappointments for families because families are able to catch a glimpse of the pups' training interest, responses, independence, playfulness, or curiosity levels, and more early on!
Our hearts desire is to be faithful & honest, to develop healthy dogs with wonderful temperaments, and to help nurture puppies (& their families) to reach their highest potential. We are passionate about raising puppies in excellence for their best future & yours!