We are not a commercial breeder, so your new companion is raised in the home with us. Here are some things that set us apart from other breeders:
1. We play with all the puppies every day. This includes using different stimuli to help them become comfortable with people and different objects. Stimuli range from touching their paws, clipping nails, rubbing their bellies, to introducing them to different smells & running a vacuum in their room. These are just a few examples of ways in which we give these puppies the best possible start at being the confident and well-adjusted family member you’re hoping for.
2. We start crate training around 4.5 weeks. First we do introductions to the crate, where puppies are lured into the crate with treats, petted and praised. This teaches them that the crate is a place where fun things happen. Then puppies do companion crating, where they are crated for short periods of time with a litter mate. This usually involves us keeping them calm and making sure they aren’t stressed out. We always have a good playtime before crating so usually crating results in a nice nap. By 6 weeks, our puppies are often spending a few hours in a crate by themselves without any stress. By the time you take one of our puppies home, they will likely be sleeping through the night in their crates.
3. We start leash training. Teaching puppies to walk on a leash and to look at their handler for directions is important for proper control and a safe outing.
4. We start potty training at 5 weeks. By 5 weeks old puppies go outside several times a day (every few hours) to potty. It is a tremendous amount of work on our part, but SOOO worth it because people who have bought puppies from us often say that their puppy never had accidents in the house. Potty training a new puppy can be so stressful for a new family, so we try to eliminate that stress with our early potty training program.
5. Everyone loves to see pictures and videos right? We post lots of pics and videos so that you can watch your puppy grow.
6. We urge families not to pick based on just color or sex. We do temperament and personality testing on our puppies. Around 5-6 weeks old, we allow families to visit the puppies. This is when the families will decide on their pick. While your puppy is growing, we are busy figuring out what you’re looking for in your new companion and ultimately the pick is yours, but we can help you in the decision by suggesting puppies that fit what you are looking for. Matching the personality of the dog to a family is most important and we are happy to help making that a successful match.
7. Since we are on a farm, our puppies will also have been introduced to different types of animals.
If you would like to see old videos (of us doing the stuff above), please check out our old facebook page. It is public, so you’re able to see videos of us doing different trainings and preparing our pups for their new families.
You can access these videos here:
https://www.facebook.com/christina.rutledge.397/videos_by