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At Boxwood Doodles, we use Puppy Culture training protocols. It begins when the puppies are 3 days old, and continues until 12 weeks if you so choose to do so. The Puppy Culture way is a GREAT way to ensure that your puppy will have the greatest chance of being healthy, happy, smart, and socialized.

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From day 3 to 16, we focus on early neurological stimulation exercises. It’s proven that dogs who undergo this at such an early stage are proven to be more tolerant of stress, greater resistance to disease, stronger heart rates and heart beats, and a faster adrenal system.

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At around 3 weeks old, they are introduced to a litter box. The purpose of this is to teach that they have a specific place to go and not spoil their play or sleeping area. As new puppy owners, the great thing is they are typically 100% litter trained and it’s very easy to then house train. We suggest putting the litter box outside in the grass or put some of the litter on the grass so your puppy smells it and knows “hey, this is where I go potty!” It’s also very important for them to play with different stimulating toys and socialize with as many people as possible.

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At 4 weeks old, their little minds are ready for more challenges. They are given the opportunity to participate in problem solving activities and challenges. "Animals who are given learning and problem-solving activities, in addition to toys and social interaction, grow up to be more stable, less easily stressed, less easily frightened, with better learning and memory than animals who are given the same toys and social interaction, but no learning or problem-solving activities." As said by Jane Killion, the author of Puppy Culture.  We work on the following commands: Manding (which is when the puppy sits to gain attention instead of jumping), grooming, and food guarding. They are exposed to different toys and to different heights and surfaces.

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Puppy Culture is exposing your puppy to new experiences and making it a positive interaction early on. Once you get your puppy, they will have already been exposed to necessary things like crates, car rides, baths, and grooming. It's used to make the transition easy and less stressed when they begin life with you.

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But Puppy Culture doesn’t end with me. It continues with you. It is crucial to continue training and exposure until 12 weeks of age. Studies show that the biggest window of learning for a dog is between 8-12 weeks of age and will last a lifetime! I encourage you to read, study, and have an idea of how you want to train your puppy for those next 4 weeks. Please check out Puppy Culture online for more info.