We are located in Northern Indiana near Notre Dame, Granger, IN zip is 46530.  At this time we are only accepting pick-up. We might consider driving a reasonable distance to meet you. 

There’s nothing like the unconditional love of a dog and bringing home a puppy is truly one of life’s greatest joys. However, many people fail to realize all the responsibility and commitment it takes to look after a new furry family member. Are you ready to take the plunge into pet parenthood? Here are five signs that now is the right time for a puppy: 

1. YOU HAVE TIME TO TRAIN YOUR PUPPY AND SHOWER THEM WITH ATTENTION

2. YOU LEAD AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE

3. YOU ARE FINANCIALLY PREPARED

4. EVERYONE IN YOUR FAMILY IS ON BOARD

5. YOU’VE DONE YOUR RESEARCH

I appreciate this article regarding this topic so I've included the link for additional information. 

www.dogtopia.com/blog/5-signs-youre-ready-for-a-puppy/ 

Bringing home a new puppy is an exciting and joyful moment. Your puppy will require a lot of love and attention as they transition into their new home.  

1.   Buy the right supplies. You will need a crate and/or bed for your new puppy to stay in. Food and water bowls are a must. Healthy and complete puppy food is important. You can always ask your vet for their recommendation, but for our Goldendoodles, we use Diamond Puppy  www.menards.com/main/pet-wildlife/dog-food/diamond-puppy-food-40-lbs/00240/p-1444424060728-c-8314.htm?tid=6489873674178236016&ipos=1 . We have gone through many different brands but found that this one not only helps give them a complete diet while maintaining soft hair and healthy skin, but is also affordable.  A collar, tag, harness, and leash are important for taking them on walks. We suggest the "Easy Walk" front lead harness.  If you'd like to know why, email or text me and I'll explain, lol. Here is a link to  one...www.petsmart.com/dog/collars-harnesses-and-leashes/harnesses/petsafe-easy-walk-dog-harness-9378.html 

2. Puppy-proof your house. Decide where your puppy will be sleeping. Crate training is a  recommended method to make them feel like they have a safe, quiet place to rest. If there are certain parts of your home you don’t want your puppy in, then baby gates can help set boundaries. Check your home for potential puppy hazards like poisonous plants, cleaning products, cables, or other things they might chew on that they shouldn’t. 

3. Find a veterinarian and trainer. Putting your puppy on a routine and early training can create a well-behaved dog. It’s important to get them checked out and up-to-date on their vaccinations as early as possible. Finding the right vet for you and your puppy will make these trips easier.   

4. Request a comfy blankie which smells like mom.  You can ask the breeder to provide a little blankie which will smell like the mom to help comfort your little one when she gets home. Or you can provide a blankie to the breeder ahead of time so when you pick up your pup,  the blankie will be ready with mom's smell giving comfort while making the transition to your home.

5. Start enforcing rules. As soon as you bring your precious pup home help them to understand boundaries and what they can and cannot do. You will need to decide where they will sleep, if they’re allowed on furniture, or if they can have table scraps. Sticking to a schedule for mealtime, potty breaks, playtime, and naptime will help your puppy feel secure and confident. 

6. Building strong bonds. Positive reinforcement, plenty of affection from the family, and consistent rules and routine will help your puppy adapt to their new “pack.” Scolding, yelling, or even hitting will not create a good relationship with your new puppy. Maintaining positive mannerisms even when they have done something wrong will be better for you and your puppy. 

Surviving the first night. For many, the first night is the toughest. Most puppies cry for the first few nights. This is normal as they adjust to being in a new place.  If you’re crate training, you may want to take them out and console them. However, letting them cry alittle in their crate will help them understand the rules.  Most new puppies will not be able to hold their bladder through the night. You can solve this by taking them on a potty break right before bedtime and a few times throughout the night the first few nights.

Once you've gone to bed and your pup has settled down... you start to hear her whine, take her outside potty immediately and back into the crate (and you go back to bed...). Then if she whines again let her cry for a bit since you know she does not need to go potty.  Once she stops crying or whining... just for a minute, quickly reward her with praise and hugs...this way she is learning that when she's quiet you will come to her, when she is crying and complaining you will not. It will be challenging the first few nights, but will get easier as you stay consistent with it.

We have owned dogs our entire lives and we use the crate training method with positive reinforcement - it may be a bit time-consuming at first, but it’s worth it. It teaches your dog that good things happen while in the crate and that it’s a nice place to relax—which is extremely helpful any time you need a break or your dog needs to be crated. 

1. Create a comfortable environment. Fortunately, most dogs can quickly learn to enjoy being in a crate, as long as you introduce the crate properly. Start by creating a comfortable crate environment. For example, you can take a dog crate and put a dog bed in the bottom to make the crate nice and cozy.  Keep the door open and drop a few treats on the bed. Wait for your dog to notice the treats and wander into the crate.  As soon as she does, drop more dog treats into the crate and praise her.  Continue to do this—dropping dog treats in the crate any time you notice it is “empty,” and every time you see your dog in there—for several days. Let her go in and out of the crate on her own during this time (do not close the door). You may even want to sit by her crate now-and-then and talk/play with her to make the environment positive.

2. Start closing the door. Once your dog is wandering into the crate and settling in to chew on a regular basis, you can start to close the door. If she is quiet while the door is closed even for just a minute...open it back up and reward and praise her.  After doing this several times, start to lengthen the amount of time the door is closed before you reward her. Make sure she is quiet when you open the door and give her a treat.   If she whimpers, do not pay attention to her.  But do try to catch her when she quiets down, then give a yummy reward! 

3.   Step away briefly. The final stage of crate training involves stepping away briefly, before returning to drop a treat in the crate and unlock and open the door. Build up very gradually from just a half-step away to greater and greater distances. Your dog should remain settled and quiet. If your dog starts to whimper or become agitated, the current level of difficulty is too high; go back to the previous steps and build up again, even more gradually. In time, you’ll be able to leave the room to do other activities and then leave the house while your dog is settled calmly in the crate. :) 

Puppies’ mouths are filled with about 28 teeny-tiny razors that seem to be attracted to your fingers or toes. Dog trainers call it “play biting,” but it’s irksome and often painful when your cuddly pup seems to be all teeth. However, this is completely normal for puppy teething and necessary for development, and something you can train away with a few simple steps.

1. Teach your puppy bite inhibition

Learning how to moderate the force of a bite is very important for all dogs. There may come a time when they’re in pain or fearful, and they put their mouth on you or someone else. But if they’ve learned bite inhibition, they understand that they shouldn’t bite down hard. Puppies naturally nip at each other while playing. If they bite too hard on their mother or littermate, the other dog will likely make a loud yelp sound, warning the puppy, “Hey, that hurt!”

Depending on the dog, you can teach this, as well, by making a  high-pitched “ow!” sound if they bite you. Beware though, because, for some puppies, this actually gets them even more worked up and likely to bite. In this case, it is better to turn quietly around, walk away, or gently put the pup into their crate for a few minutes to calm down. If they do back off, be sure to reward your dog with a treat and some verbal praise.

2. Teach your puppy that biting means “game over”

If your puppy bites you while playing, that means playtime is over, with no exceptions. Yelling at or physically punishing your puppy, as strange as it sounds, is also a type of reward. It teaches them that biting gets some kind of response from you, which is known as negative reinforcement. This can also make them fearful of being handled. Instead, teach them that biting will get them nothing. 

3. Give your puppy an alternative item to chew

It’s a good idea to keep a puppy chew toy at hand at all times, so you can anticipate biting behavior and substitute the toy for your hand or furniture. Doing so will let pups know what is OK to bite or chew. If they start nibbling at your fingers or toes while you’re playing, offer a toy instead.  Again, if they continue to nip, stop the play session immediately. If you’ve been training your puppy to sit, you might also redirect them by asking them to sit and rewarding with a toy.