Our Program
From Birth to Go-Home
Eight weeks goes by so fast, but so much happens during that time. From the day our puppies are born until they go home, we work with them every day to help build a good foundation and prepare them for life outside of our home.
Why it matters
Our puppies are raised with a purpose, but we also let them be puppies. We follow a mix of Badass Breeder, Avidog, Empowered Puppy, and what I’ve learned through Breeder’s Bootcamp. As they grow, we slowly introduce new experiences at an age that makes sense for them. From ENS and ESI in the early days to handling, sounds, different surfaces, grooming, crates, car rides, manding, and potty foundations.
My goal isn’t to send home a perfectly trained eight-week-old puppy. That’s just not realistic. I want to send home a puppy who has already experienced everyday life, learned how to work through new things, and has a solid foundation for their family to continue building on. Every puppy develops at their own pace, and everything we do during those first eight weeks is meant to give them the best start we can.
In practice
The curriculum, week by week
Weeks 1–2 · The Early Days
We start with ENS and ESI from days 3–16, along with daily handling, cuddles, weight checks, and gentle exposure to being touched all over. At this age, most of their time is still spent nursing, sleeping, and growing.
Weeks 3–4 · Exploring Their World
Once eyes and ears are open, everything starts getting more exciting! We introduce new sounds, textures, surfaces, toys, and age-appropriate challenges while giving puppies plenty of time to explore at their own pace. Potty tray foundations begin, and they start learning that there is a separate place to sleep, play, and potty.
Weeks 5–6 · Building Confidence & Independence
This is when we really start building on everything they’ve already learned. Puppies are introduced to individual crates, regular grooming and baths, nail trims, new sounds, surfaces, objects and environments. We work on manding, continue potty foundations, begin car rides, and give them lots of opportunities to explore, problem-solve and experience everyday life with our family, kids and other dogs.
Weeks 7–8 · Getting Ready for Home
The last couple of weeks are all about putting those foundations together. We work toward sleeping independently in their crates, continue car rides, grooming, potty routines, handling and basic training such as sit and name recognition. Puppies also complete their temperament evaluation around seven weeks, and those results are shared with families as another helpful look at who their puppy is. They receive their vet exam, first vaccines, microchip and fecal testing before heading home.
What it means for you
At home with your puppy
Confidence Through Experience
We give our puppies plenty of opportunities to safely experience new things, work through small challenges, and build confidence at their own pace.
A Head Start at Home
Crate training, potty foundations, grooming, handling, car rides, and simple training have already been introduced before your puppy goes home. They won’t be perfectly trained at eight weeks, but you won’t be starting from scratch either.
Raised for Real Life
Our puppies grow up right in the middle of our everyday life. They experience kids, other dogs, household sounds, different routines, handling, playtime, and plenty of one-on-one love and helping make the transition from our home to yours a little more familiar.
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