

Raising a Great Puppy
If you have a new puppy in your life you know all too well how much work it is – those little guys are non-stop. It’s easy to get overwhelmed, frustrated and exhausted but you don’t have to (and shouldn’t) go it alone. A little support and guidance can go a LONG way to ensuring you’re raising your puppy the right way and setting yourself up for a great adult dog.
The beginning of a puppy’s life is by far the most important time in his furry life. Things you do or don’t do now will have a life-long impact on your pup’s behavior, and could be the difference between whether he stays with you forever or dies in a shelter. A sad statistic is that about 25% of people who get a puppy will give him up before he reaches one year of age. Hard to believe, but painfully true.
The honest truth is that it’s actually pretty simple (although not always easy) to make sure your puppy grows into a great adult dog, that you would never consider living without. You just need to do the right things now.
This is when you have to put in the time and effort so that you can enjoy a good dog for years to come. If you spend a little more time now, spend a little more money now, get a little less sleep now, you’ll have a great dog in no time. Everything you do now is an investment that can pay HUGE dividends in the future if you invest wisely.
Help Is Here
Check out the below posts to get you and your pup off to a great start.
FernDog144: Lessons From Raising My First Puppy
I'm back! After a long hiatus I'm back to podcasting and in this episode you'll get an update on what I've been up to and what's to come. The big thing that has sapped all of my time lately is my new puppy, Bowie. Today I'll discuss what I learned while training my...
5 Reasons You Should NOT Get A Puppy
Yes I know, you want a puppy. Who wouldn't? They're cute, cuddly and you'll have the whole neighborhood saying oooo and awwwww every time you go for a walk. I know you can picture yourself playing with the little fuzzball all day and soaking up that puppy breadth all...
New Puppy Supply List
Congrats! If you're readying this it means you now have or are about to bring home a new puppy. It's a time of excitement and fun, but also I time of preparation and planning. Along with your new little fur ball, you're going to need some supplies to keep him healthy...
GDA58: Proper Puppy Socialization
Lack of socialization is an epidemic and one of biggest causes of behavioral issues in adult dogs, and most people have no idea how to properly socialize their new puppies. Combine that with the multitude of misinformation online and from some trusted professionals...
GDA47: Raising a Puppy Right
Puppies are so cute. They look very adorable and cuddly and people just want to play with them all the time. But puppies don’t stay puppies their whole lives. Puppies grow. As a puppies grow it is very important that dog owners raise them well and right. Pretty much...
How to Potty Train Your Puppy
I always put house training at the top of my list of priorities with any new puppy because if done right, it can be accomplished in a few weeks, then it’s over forever. No, it's not fun but if you can put in the time and effort (and get a little less sleep) now,...
How to Stop Puppy Biting
It's easy to spot those people who have a puppy at home. They're the ones with the pleading look in their eyes and the many scratches on their arms. Puppies are cute, of course, but they are also a lot of work and require us to teach them the rules of living with us...
Puppy Socialization Will Save Your Dog’s Life
I’m going to tell you something that is going to sound bit surprising: I want to put myself out of business. Yep, you heard me correctly. My new professional goal is to make sure you never hire me. The bulk of my clients call me because they are having some behavior...
Will This Be Cute in the Future?
Sometimes it’s hard to think ahead in time when we’re so consumed with the present. We rarely think about all the possible future consequences of the actions we are taking right here and now. This gets many dog owners in trouble though. Tell me if this sounds...
There’s Something Wrong with My Puppy!?
Over the last few years I’ve gotten more than a few calls from people that are having “big” problems with their new puppies. With a grave voice they tell me how they think that there must be something genetically wrong with the pup; or that he must have been taken...

Watch me work with my puppy in real time.
One 2 hour sessions followed by two 1 hour sessions $495
Why struggle when you can get one-on-one guidance? During our initial session I’ll help you set up your home for your new arrival, tell you what to expect and give you guidance on house training, household rules, socialization with other dogs and children, as well as make recommendations on diet, toys and supplies. Then we use the next three sessions to troubleshoot any issues or difficulties you may be having as well as teach some basic obedience and household manners.
Set Up Your First Appointment Now
We can not thank Fern enough for helping us to train our new puppy! I personally never ever had a dog and obtaining a puppy was quite overwhelming. Admittedly, we were ready to return “Petey” to the shelter because we were overwhelmed by his energetic behavior. Thanks to Fern’s training we kept Petey and he has become a much better puppy. He has learned how to interact with other dogs, other people, and most importantly We would recommend that every new dog owner obtains training more for themselves than for their dog…we are the ones who need to know what to do!!
The Happy Puppy Handbook is your guide to creating an awesome dog.
