We want to express our thanks and offer you our invitation to the Sunshine Acres community for the first time or second, third, or the nth time. It is our hope to offer you a healthy, socialized puppy as the foundation in the making of an excellent companion.
Health screening, immunizations, quality nutrition, a safe and clean environment, and positive stimulation are part of your puppy’s foundation. Now it is your turn to nurture, explore, train, and reach new heights of canine companionship!
All puppies are a mystery to unravel and we want to be there to help. Over the years, we have found the most successful families achieve these five basic commands early:
- Sit
- Sit-Stay
- Down
- Down-Stay
- Heel
Introduce your puppy to friends, family and other friendly animals as soon as you feel safe. Determine a game plan should your puppy become overstimulated and needs your help to refocus.
We recommend Jan Fennell’s advice to set your puppy at ease that you are in control. She recommends, eating (really or pretend) before your puppy. Other good advice is to lead your puppy through tight spaces such as doors and steps. To top it off, mastering the isolate and ignore technique when your puppy becomes too rough is a huge help. Jan has many helpful videos located on youtube. A myriad of good thoughts can be found in her book, The Dog Listener.
The first haircut commonly takes place around 6 months of age. Spaying and neutering recommendations do vary with the most common spaying (girls) age at this time is 12-14 months and neutering (boys) age is 8-10 months.
Ok, time to quit reading and go Experience the Joy!
Wishing you the very best.
Michael, Erica, and family