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JUMP START

Golden Heart Cream’s “Jump Start Puppy Program”

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We are excited to share our incredible “Jump Start Puppy Program” with you. Our approach is simple. Love, connection, and focusing on our puppies' personal growth and neurological development. We nurture and empower our babies from birth all the way until they are ready to go to their new homes.  We believe in much more than just breeding and selling puppies – we're all about giving them the best possible start in life.

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We have incorporated "Puppy Culture” and “Badass Breeder” Programs in raising our puppies. We begin our puppy curriculum in the first week of life and continue to gently introduce them to new sights, sounds, and activities as we help shape them into confident, joyful little beings.  We pay close attention to any short-lived fear periods that puppies naturally go through and support them as needed through these delicate times.   

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Before our puppy picking process we do a “puppy evaluation test”.  Along with closely watching and working with our puppies, it gives us an idea of how best to place them in their new homes with their new families.  We still let our clients pick their puppy, but we are able to give them more information so they can be guided to the best match. 

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How we raise our puppies!

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We are present at the birth from start to finish to lovingly support and embrace each puppy as they enter this life. So for their first 2 weeks we watch them closely and weigh them daily to ensure proper development. But we handle them minimally as it is important that they feel safe under their momma’s care. When we do handle our puppies we gently hold them close to our hearts and faces and breathe onto them so they can learn to feel safe in our hands, it is the beginning of our heart connection!

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Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS)

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At 3 days old we begin ENS and continue until day 16.  ENS, also known as the “Super Dog” Program, was developed by the US military in an effort to improve the performance of the canine units and give the dogs a super advantage. From years of research, they learned that ENS could have significant and lasting effects on their stress responses later in life and improve the well-being of their canine partners. It involves applying gentle, specific sensory stimulation to a very young animal for short periods of time, which is performed when the puppies are 3 days to 16 days old.

 

Benefits that have been observed with puppies that receive ENS are:

  1. Improved cardiovascular performance (heart rate)

  2. Stronger heartbeats

  3. Stronger adrenal glands

  4. Greater tolerance to stress

  5. Healthier immune system

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Early Scent Introduction (ESI)

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At Golden Heart Creams, ESI is performed at the same time as ENS. During this crucial period of neurological development we can take advantage of the brain's enhanced ability for neuroplasticity. It has been shown to increase success in hunt tests, “nosework”, search and rescue work, obedience, tracking, and more. For service dogs, it has contributed to better performance (such as with Search and Rescue and Medical Alert dogs.)  Breeders have seen improvements in confidence and stability and a more optimistic attitude towards life and therefore fewer behavior problems.

10 Touch

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We begin 10 Touch around 3 weeks of age and continue every day until our puppies go home. It starts off by quickly and gently running through 10 different ways in which we touch our puppies.  As they get older we can add a little more intensity to each area.  By the time they are ready to leave us our puppies are totally comfortable with human interactions.  We also have different people do this as well. So if you come to visit our puppies, we may ask if you want to run through a 10 touch!

Early Socialization/Introductions

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At 3-4 weeks old we graduate from the whelping room to their kennel area in our closed-in carport. From here on out they will gradually be introduced to all kinds of new sights, sounds and activities. This is when the fun starts and our real enrichment and curriculum begin!

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We introduce them to all kinds of fun and exciting things, to name a few:  the ball pit, a slide, a swing, a ramp, the hose and a baby pool, passing bikes, care rides, costumes, and many different textured toys and much more.  

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After 4 weeks old we encourage visitors.  We want them to meet all kinds of people. From kids, to elderly and everyone one in between.  We make sure we carefully monitor all visitors and they must adhere to certain guidelines.

Sound Desensitization

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Puppies are born blind and deaf. When they are born, the senses that help them navigate initially are their smell and touch. They begin to hear around 2-3 weeks old. We will introduce an array of sounds and noises, conditioning their nervous systems, so they will be familiar with them.  Our goal is for them to be less prone to startle and fear, leading to more secure and well-adjusted companions.

 

Around 3-4 weeks, before their 1st '”fear period" (which happens around week 5), we will continue to desensitize them to louder noises so we can evoke a "startle and recovery reflex" which is quite normal and actually very healthy for developing a flexible sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system, the aspect of the nervous system responsible for fight, flight and freeze behavior. This will help them to better deal with noises that are loud and unexpected. Our desire is for them not to be frightened of common loud noises like thunderstorms, fireworks, machinery, or sirens. Our program is designed to develop well-rounded dogs that can confidently navigate the rich world around them.

Introduction to Potty/Crate Training

 

At around 3 weeks old, when our puppies move out of the whelping box (which is in a room in our house.) They will move into their kennel area, which is our closed-in, converted garage, which is attached to our house. Here they will start off with a grassy mat potty area, which amazingly they take to very quickly for their potties needs. At 4 weeks old we then give them access (through a doggy door) to their outside puppy run with a grassy puppy play area. They quickly make the transfer from using their inside potty to going outside.  By the time they are 6 weeks old they are consistently choosing to take their potty business outside!  

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Dogs in the wild create enclosed dens.  The crate mimics a safe, natural living den area. We will introduce an open crate into their puppy area so they will be able to comfortably come and go and sleep in it as they desire. Closer to when they are ready to go home, we will start giving them some individual time alone in the crate. Everyone can have a chance to enjoy a short nap or a nice meaty bone in the crate; they will feel comfortable and at home in their crate. Crate training will be your biggest advantage to continuing their potty training and having a secure puppy without separation anxiety. We use the crate as a safe zone for our pups.

Preparing to Go Home

 

We want the best start for our puppies no matter what life they will be entering. Our dogs will be entering into all sorts of living situations, from service dogs, therapy dogs, emotional support dogs, and family dogs! We hope to have given you a glimpse into the time, energy, and mostly love and compassion that we are investing in these beautiful beings. We send them into the world with the greatest hope that they will make an impactful imprint on the hearts of many, especially yours!

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