Why Those First 8 Weeks Matter

Those first 8 weeks go by way too fast.

For me, raising puppies isn’t just about keeping them fed, clean and healthy until they go home. There is so much happening during those first few weeks that helps shape the dog they will become.

Our puppies are raised right in our home, where they get used to the everyday sounds and routines of a busy household. And we work together with Mama throughout those first weeks. She plays such an important role in teaching her puppies things that only another dog can teach them. We give her the space and support she needs while also making sure the puppies get plenty of individual handling and interaction with us.

We start socializing them early, introduce them to different experiences, and work on things like handling, grooming, crate time and potty training as they get older.

We also do Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) when they are tiny, and as they grow, we continue giving them new experiences in a positive and age-appropriate way.

I don’t expect an 8-week-old puppy to be perfect. They are still babies!

What I want is to send each family home with a puppy who has had a really good start—a puppy who has been loved, handled, socialized and given the foundation to keep learning with their new family.