How we raise our Puppies
In our home
Haven Farm puppies are born inside our home and spend much of their time in the puppy room right next to the kitchen. Our kids, their friends, and various family and visitors are in and out of the puppy area throughout the day. Once the litter is old enough, they also make visits to other areas of the house. When the weather cooperates they also spend time outside on our country property.
Puppy Culture
We are following the Puppy Culture program to raise our puppies. Our wish is to give them the best possible chance to be confident, happy, well-adjusted members of their families.
The Puppy Culture program gives us a timeline on when to expose the litter to various experiences.
Days 3-16 include Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS). This has been shown to have long-term effects including to improve heart health, increase resistance to disease, and increase tolerance to stress.
Introduction to the Marker. Once the puppies are taking food by hand, we introduce the marker. The first step is 'charging the mark' (in this case a tongue click, many people use a clicker). Several sessions of 'click and treat' teaches the puppy that a reward follows the click. We can then use the click to encourage specific behaviours. This was the first session, at 24 days old.
Box Game. Now that the marker has been 'charged', we can use it to shape behaviours. In this game we reward any interaction with the cookie tin lid. This was the first attempt, with a few repetitions they will be offering more focused behaviours. This teaches the puppies to try different behaviours to gain rewards.