Puppies

There are many options for finding the next furry friend to add to your family, and finding the right dog should be a decision that is not taken lightly. The options of rescue, adoption, and purchase can all be considered. If you choose to go with a breeder, you of course want to be sure that they are reputable breeders who do everything they can to give their puppies the best start.

Why a Breeder?

Rescue and adoption are fantastic choices that work for many people, but are not options for everyone. Typically breeders of purebred dogs are chosen when the puppy buyer is looking for a very specific kind of dog. Responsibly bred purebred dogs have an increased level of trait predictability. Breeds were created for a purpose, and their temperament, size, behavior, instinct, and drive/motivation are all hardwired into their backgrounds. When responsible breeders select for these traits,…

As soon as young puppies open their eyes, they begin to interact with their mother and siblings through play. Puppy play is a critical part of the physical and psychological well-being of puppy. During this early developmental stage in their lives, puppies are always learning and they are constantly gaining new information through play.

Why do Dogs Need to Play?

Puppies learn important life lessons as they grow up with their littermates and mother. After two to three weeks, when the puppy has opened its eyes, they begin to interact with their family and learn important dog-specific behavioral patterns. Through play they gain an understanding of verbal and nonverbal canine communication. From different postures to varying degrees of vocalization, puppies learn to “read” other dogs through these early interactions.

After five weeks, puppies begin to use their mouths a bit more in play. As a result, they also learn bite…

How do you teach your puppy about the world outside when many of us are staying isolated in our homes? Your puppy’s first year—and the first four months in particular—are incredibly important in shaping how they will cope with new sights, sounds, and situations throughout their life. One of the most common questions we’ve received from new puppy owners during this Covid crisis is how to approach socialization while maintaining social distancing. Today we’ll discuss ways to take advantage of the extra time you might have at home, and how to socialize while social distancing in order to help your puppy grow into a well-adjusted adult.

What is Socialization?

Socialization is key to raising a confident, happy, well-adjusted dog. For the first four months of your puppy’s life, they are primed for learning. During this critical period your puppy’s brain is like a sponge—soaking up every new experience and creating…

The goal of puppy socialization is to create positive associations to everything the dog will encounter throughout it’s life. Small dogs rarely get a chance to safely interact with large breeds and can become scared of large dogs which results in unwanted behaviors. Learning to play side by side with a large dog is a great way to allow positive interaction without scaring the puppy.

Parallel play is also a great way to have fun around dogs while keeping the puppy concentrated on human interaction rather than building a dog magnetized dog. When dogs figure out that other dogs are much more fun than humans, you can have a hard time calling them away form play or calming them down after play.