Information

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

 

 

Socialization

 

Our puppies are raised with early neurological stimulation, young kids, cats, and Puppy Culture. Your Bonnie Brae puppy will have a big socialization and training head start, but keep the momentum going! Your dog will go home with a list of things they have been exposed to already, along with what they haven't yet but should in puppyhood. Repeated but gentle exposure with lots of treats will set your dog up for success.

 

First things to train:

  • house manners: no jumping up on guests or counters
  • recall
  • leash manners

 

Secondary:

  • place
  • crate
  • doorbell/knocking densensitization (I like dogs that alert to someone at the front door or around the outside of the house. If the alerting becomes an issue, then I would address it. You don't necessarily have to preemptively correct this behavior)

 

 

 

Get started with your new puppy playlist on YouTube

I will be keeping one of this 2024 litter's puppies and will post the training I'm doing with her on the Bonnie Brae Collies YouTube page. Follow along, especially if you have a littermate!

 

 

 

 

Prevent behavior problems: Socialize, and leave alone.

 

In puppyhood when exposure to new things is important, it is equally important to have a dog that is used to being left alone in the house, or home with family but not interacted with every minute. Be intentional about making crate time and alone time positive. Tools like this lick mat can be great here.

 

Temperament is genetic, but "nurture" shouldn't be ignored. I want your dog to enrich your life, and you to enrich his. I love training! Please reach out if you're running into training bumps.

 

 

 

Favorite resources

 

 

  • Your New Puppy podcast: short episodes with great advice on a variety of topics
  • @dogmeets_baby on Instagram
  • Me! Lifelong support for you and your dog.

 

 

 

Favorite products, food

 

  • I encourage feeding a varied diet. Your puppy will be weaned onto Nature's Domain (Costco brand, produced by Diamond) supplemented with raw food* a couple of times a week. Variation keeps gut flora healthy.
    • *You don't have to get too fancy. This can look like a rotation between raw non weight-bearing bones, carrots, uncooked fish, fish oil, spinach, raw eggs, egg shells, coconut oil, green beans, chicken livers, turmeric, ginger, even whole prey like rabbit or chicken
    • I have two light subscriptions to commercial raw feeding companies, We Feed Raw for balanced meal replacement and BJ's Raw Pet Food for things like rib bones, rabbit ears and duck feet. I know it can get expensive, these are pretty easy to skip or pause a subscription. I spread it out and feed these 2-3 times a week on average in addition to kibble.
  • Puzzle feeders, like this, this, or this as enrichment. You don't need to give every meal in a "fun" way.
  • It's not necessary but it can only help: I also supplement with a probiotic on raw food days (Purina FortiFlora or Synacore), and joint (Cosequin), and skin/coat (Missing Link) daily
  • Don't overfeed your dog! Even being overweight as a puppy can lead to hip issues later on. Road is 50# fully matured and her base is 2 cups a day, once a day. She gets more on particularly active days. Lean dogs live longer.

 

 

 

 

Courtney Huenergardt Photography