Your puppy will come home eating a high-quality kibble appropriate for growing puppies. We will send information about the specific brand and feeding schedule in your puppy’s go-home materials as well as some of their current kibble to get you started.

We recommend feeding your puppy three meals a day until around four months of age, at which point you may transition to twice-daily feedings. For each meal, provide around ½ to ¾ cup of kibble, adjusting for weight, age, and activity level. If your puppy is reluctant to eat, you can mix in a small amount of warm water or wet food to entice them. Do not leave food out. Feed meals at set times and remove uneaten food after 15 minutes. Always provide access to fresh, clean water.

Avoid feeding from your table to prevent begging behaviors. We also recommend avoiding pork products, raisins, grapes, chocolate, onions, and processed rawhides. Our preferred long-lasting chews include bully sticks, Benebones, and beef cheeks. These are great tools for enrichment and teething relief.

Your puppy has already been introduced to a crate by the time they go home. We recommend continuing this training immediately.

Choose a crate approximately 32"L for a growing puppy, scaling up to a 36" or 42”L crate for adult size. We suggest placing the crate near your sleeping area and using soft music to soothe your puppy at night. Puppies may only hold their bladder for four to five hours at eight weeks old. Take them out for potty breaks regularly and avoid giving water close to bedtime.

Encourage your puppy to settle by providing a safe chew toy or a small treat at bedtime. Do not let your puppy nap right before bed. Tire them out with play and short training sessions.

House training is an ongoing process, but the groundwork will already be laid when your puppy arrives. We recommend:

• Frequent potty breaks, especially after eating, playing, or waking up

• Supervision in a small, confined space

• Praise and reward when your puppy goes potty in the correct location

• Using a cue like “Go potty” to build association

• Avoiding punishment. Redirect with a firm “no” and take them outside immediately

Puppies are typically familiar with litter box or potty pad training as a transition step. You can use this near the door and begin moving them outside as they improve.

Your puppy will have already experienced a wide range of sights, sounds, textures, and social interactions. Socialization continues at home and is especially important between 8 and 16 weeks.

Effective socialization does not mean forcing your puppy to interact with everything they encounter. In fact, the most valuable socialization involves exposing your puppy to new sights, sounds, and environments without pressure or forced engagement. For example, sitting calmly on a bench at a park while children play in the distance is a great way for your puppy to absorb new experiences in a low-pressure setting.

Too often, well-meaning owners unintentionally overwhelm their puppies by rushing the process or pushing them into interactions that make them uncomfortable. Instead, allow your puppy the choice to observe and engage at their own pace. Reward calm, curious behavior, and avoid overexposing them to situations where they feel unsafe or overstimulated. Our goal is to build confident dogs who feel secure in their surroundings and trust their handler to advocate for them.

Focus on quality over quantity. A few positive experiences are more beneficial than many overstimulating ones.

Introduce other household pets slowly and under supervision. It is recommended that the inital meeting takes place at a neutral site (not within your home). After that, use a crate or gate for initial interactions so they can safely observe each other. Reward calm behavior.

Puppies often try to engage in herding behaviors (nipping heels, barking). Interrupt these gently and redirect with a toy or treat.

Puppies chew to relieve teething discomfort and to explore. Provide safe, durable toys. We love frozen rope toys, Benebones, and puzzle feeders. If your puppy chews something inappropriate, redirect immediately and praise for chewing the right item.

Avoid soft plush toys with squeakers until your puppy is older or supervised. If you notice pieces missing, remove the toy.

Miniature American Shepherds are a herding breed and may instinctively nip or chase. You can discourage this by:

• Redirecting to a toy or chew

• Using a sharp “Ah ah!” or “No”

• Stopping play and walking away briefly

• Reinforcing calm interactions

This is normal behavior, but consistency is key. We are always happy to discuss training methods with you.

As a versatility-focused program, we actively encourage the development of toy drive in our puppies starting as early as possible. One of the most effective ways to build this is through structured tug play. Contrary to popular belief, tugging does not promote aggression when done thoughtfully. In fact, it builds engagement, confidence, and a love of working with people, which are qualities that are invaluable for sport and performance dogs. For breeds like Miniature American Shepherds, which are known to be "easy keepers," tugging can also be an excellent way to reinforce behaviors without over-reliance on food rewards.

Proper tugging is less about pulling and more about resistance. Your puppy should be pulling against you, not the other way around. We always encourage lateral movement, side to side, rather than up and down, to align with a dog’s natural biomechanics and avoid potential neck strain. Think of how dogs instinctively shake toys. When introducing tug, we gently apply resistance and engage with the puppy using soft touches to the head, neck, and body. This not only builds drive and focus but also lays a foundation for future training by normalizing contact and engagement during active play.

Our tug work is inspired by trusted sport dog trainers such as Susan Garrett and others who understand that tugging, when used as a relationship-building tool, can be one of the most powerful reinforcers in your training toolkit. When you pick up your puppy we’re happy to demonstrate proper and safe tugging techniques.

Puppy-proof your space. Keep items like medications, electrical cords, small objects, plants, and cleaning products out of reach. Puppies explore with their mouths, and prevention is the best way to avoid accidents.

Toxic foods and substances to avoid include:

• Chocolate

• Grapes and raisins

• Onions and garlic

• Alcohol and caffeine

• Xylitol (found in sugar-free gum and peanut butter)

• Cooked bones

Create a safe area (crate or playpen) where your puppy can rest without getting into trouble.

Puppies are sensitive to extreme temperatures. In the summer, ensure they have access to shade and clean water. Our red tri dogs have coats that are especially sensitive to sun exposure and can easily become “sun bleached” so we try to avoid long periods in the sun. In the winter, avoid long exposure to cold, ice, or salted sidewalks. Never leave a young puppy outside unsupervised.