How we raise our puppies

Everyone loves puppies, they are so cute and sweet! Did you know there are important developmental periods your puppy will go through before joining your household?

Puppy raising is an art and a science. Do something at the right time, and the puppy will benefit his entire life, do the same thing at an inappropriate time, and the puppy can be damaged for her entire life. We want to raise puppies who will grow into confident, stable, and resilient adult dogs, able to handle the stresses and challenges of a modern lifestyle. This takes both love. learning and a time investment, but it’s totally worth it.

In our desire to raise the most behaviorally sound, confident, healthy puppies possible, we implemented puppy raising training, and socialization protocols to prepare your puppy to be stable, friendly, calm, and a good doggie citizen.

Puppies will be highly socialized, started on crate training, and started on potty training.

Week 1-2

Australian Shepherds develop very quickly and have a strong desire to be clean. As early as 14 days they will attempt to move far away from their bed to use the bathroom. We introduce a small “toilet” area for the puppies at this age, and a small bed. This helps even these tiny puppies to define a resting area and a toilet area preserving their natural desire to be clean. Clean puppies are easier to house train later, and have fewer accidents. Every week we continue to build upon this house training plan. The whelping box is cleaned multiple times daily. We perform ENS (Early Neurological Stimulation) on every puppy. Puppies are handled and weighed daily.

Week 3

Puppies receive an expertly enriched environment, the benefits of which will last a lifetime. This continues every week until they go to their forever home.

Puppies begin receiving choice visitors as socialization starts. Startle Recovery Exercises prime puppies for the challenges of a busy life. Foundation Exercises for the prevention of separation anxiety. Puppies are handled daily and we begin to make their area larger to allow for potty training to continue.

Week 4

Puppies are moved into a larger weaning pen, with age appropriate enrichment. Emotional Resilience Exercises are done, giving the puppies the beginning of “bounce back” from life challenges.

Problem solving games are introduced, these help puppies learn to handle life’s frustrations early.

Crate training starts! Comfy beds and treats are placed inside to encourage puppies to nap in crates.

Potty Training: Puppies are beginning to get more consistent about using the potty area or grass. They still make mistakes and are encouraged to potty in correct areas.

Weaning: We start to introduce high quality puppy food to begin the weaning process. At this age they are still mostly weaned and eating soft foods.

Veterinary care: No vaccines are given yet. We trim nails, bathe, brush, and practice being handled for grooming.

Week 5

Puppies learn to communicate with us in socially acceptable ways, how to solve problems, and finding their voice.

Reward training starts and puppies start learning their core skills: attention, manding (asking politely), come and sit.

At five weeks puppies are, for the first time, capable of experiencing true fear. We guide the puppies through their fear period, avoiding any experience that might cause lifelong fear problems, and building more emotional resilience as we go along.

Crate Training: Puppies are fed treats in crates and encouraged to run into and spend time in their crates.

Potty Training: Puppies are now seeking out the potty box or grass and are fairly successful at making it consistently.

Car Training: Puppies play in the car, engine off and go for their first car ride, usually around the block a few times. This helps prevent car sickness in the future.

Weaning: Puppies are now eating puppy food fairly well and sometimes nursing off of mom. They are allowed to eat as much as they want.

Veterinary care: No vaccines are given yet. We trim nails, bathe and brush.

Week 6

We continue to guide puppies with just the right amount of socialization. In week 5-6 we encourage future puppy owners to visit their puppies and participate in their growth! These hugely important socialization and training events are designed to expose puppies to just the right experiences at the right time.

Novel people of all shapes, ages, and sizes are introduced, while we ensure the puppies have positive responses during these important “first” meetings, because a scary meeting at this age can cause lifelong fear.

Puppies show their enrichment seeking abilities and build confidence on novel object challenges. They learn to love strange and unusual footing, heights, and noises. Sessions are kept short, puppies have naps and learn to relax when visitors come over, all skills they will need in their new homes.

But don’t think the puppy party is just for the puppies. Those fortunate puppy families who can attend also benefit, you will learn how to communicate and teach your puppy using training, how to prevent common undesired behaviors (like nipping or jumping up), and how to respond if they do occur. We discuss nutrition, crate training, house training, puppy training, and supplies. It’s a learning experience for all!

Crate Training: Puppies are encouraged to go to their crates and when they do, they get a treat.

Potty Training: Puppies are now seeking out the potty box or grass and are fairly successful at making it consistently. We also now let them roam a bit more and they are encouraged to seek out a potty box even when it is fairly far away.

Weaning: Puppies are now eating solid food almost exclusively and mom is usually avoiding nursing. The puppies will still snag a snack off of mom but are mostly weaned. They are allowed to eat as much as they want. From 6 weeks on, puppies and mom decide when and how much they nurse if at all. Each puppy will wean in their own time. Nursing is now more comfort than nutrition.

Veterinary care: Puppies are dewormed as a precaution, as is the mother, and they are given their first set of the vaccine for PARVO and a Veterinarian Check up. We trim nails, bathe, brush.

Week 6-7

Problem behavior prevention protocols are started.

We teach the puppies to LOVE having someone take their food, food bowl, toys, bones, and other items. This helps prevent resource guarding later.

Training: We begin to teach the puppies to sit on cue and come when called.

Crate Training: Crate training continues to be taught

Car Training: Puppies chew bones in the car with the engine running. Puppies go on a 15-20 minute drive and are taught to be quiet while riding.

Potty Training: Puppies are now consistently using the potty box or grass to potty.

Weaning: Puppies are now eating exclusively solid food. Occasionally puppies will try to nurse but the mom usually won’t allow more than a few seconds.

Veterinary Care: No vaccines are given. We trim nails, bathe and brush.

Week 7-8

Puppies go to their new homes! Families adopting pups come to spend 1 hour with us and their puppy. Pups at this age are aware of strangers. They may be shy and unsure of you as a new person, even if you visited them when they were little. We play with your puppy, tire them out and have you give lots of treats and love. By the time you are ready to leave, they are not afraid of you and are tired out enough to sleep for most of the drive/flight home.

Veterinary care: Puppies are dewormed again, evaluated and glamor photos taken.

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These puppies are our family forever, we love receiving updates from families on how their dog is doing, asking questions, and keeping in touch.

Home!

Families adopting puppies will go home with:

Veterinary records / vaccination. dewormer and flea meds schedule
Blanket that smells like littermates and mom for easier sleeping through the night and transitioning
One Month of Puppy Insurance with Trupanion (which you may renew if you desire)
Small bag of high quality puppy food to help transition
A chew toy

Our Puppy Families also learn more about: