Puppy Care

Everything you do between eight and twenty weeks becomes the adult dog. This section is a calendar, not a philosophy — concrete routines you can follow tomorrow morning.

How we approach it

Step 1

Protect sleep first

Most biting, screaming and chaos is exhaustion. Enforced naps in the crate solve more than training does.

Step 2

Socialise calmly

Observation beats interaction. A puppy watching traffic from a bench learns more than one being passed around.

Step 3

Reward the behaviour you want repeated

Feed the settle, the checked-in glance, the four paws on the floor. Ignore what you do not want built.

Step 4

Grow the routine slowly

Short walks, structured chews, one new environment a week. Consistency outperforms intensity every time.

Guides in Puppy Care

6 articles

Before you buy

Choosing an Ethical Breeder

The health tests, contracts and rearing practices that separate a serious breeder from a well-photographed one.

Health

Growth Plates and Safe Exercise

How far can a five-month-old walk? Stairs, jumping and the evidence behind the five-minutes-per-month guideline.

Foundation

House Training Without Setbacks

A schedule-driven method with a clear regression plan for the week-fourteen slump nearly every owner runs into.

Foundation

Land Sharks: Ending Puppy Biting

Bite inhibition is a teachable sequence. Redirection, tug rules and why over-tired puppies get worse, not calmer.

Essential

The Socialisation Window, Week by Week

A checklist of surfaces, sounds and people to introduce before sixteen weeks — and how to keep exposure calm, not overwhelming.

Start here

Your First 72 Hours With a Shepherd Puppy

Crate placement, night one, toilet intervals and the single rule that prevents most early separation problems.

Continue reading

Obedience, drive & handling

Training Guides

Joints, gut & longevity

Health & Nutrition