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Classic Heritage Golden Retrievers
Puppy Training Foundation 
Changing the futures of our dogs and their families one puppy at a time.
 
  We certainly have learned quite a bit in the last several years as we have been raising puppies.  Most importantly we have learned how much puppies need and what it takes to produce a healthy, well-balanced, and sound puppy for each and every family who entrusts us to help them in this endeavor.  What the puppies can learn between the eighth and tenth week of life is so important as they transition into their forever homes.  Therefore, to help our new families, most of our puppies go into their new homes at ten weeks of age with our foundational training and learning program in place.  The foundations our puppies gain from our program mean that everything is easier right from the beginning for both our puppies and the families that love them.  
 
Our continued learning/training program beyond ten weeks of age (as shown below) is available for those who want their puppy to be further along before going to their new homes, more adjusted to being away from their mother, and able to do more individualized training and learning.

  We are very happy to offer one of our special puppies to you and your family.

A Training Session for 10 week puppies

A Training Session for 12 week puppies

 Puppy Foundational Learning and Training Program:

*Puppies starting at ten weeks of age through adults

*Initial training starts at 3 weeks of age

*Socialization and Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) starts at 3 days old

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Prices include puppy plus foundational learning program:

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HERITAGE GOLD:

10-Week-Old Puppy................................$5,500.00 

(below explains included training)

 

HERITAGE GOLD RESERVE: 

12-14 Week-Old Puppy...........................$9,900.00 - $11,900.00

(below explains included training) Price varies from dog to dog.

 

HERITAGE DIAMOND RESERVE:

16-20 Week-Old Puppy...........................$13,900.00 - $17,900.00 

(below explains included training)   Price varies from dog to dog.

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*All puppies in our training program for 12 weeks require AT LEAST one time of on-site training with new owners and our trainers and your puppy before the puppy can go to their new home. For 14 weeks and above, AT LEAST two times of on-site training with our trainers, your puppy and their new owner/family.  This is offered at no additional cost.

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We recommend that all puppies 12 weeks and older receive a puppy home set-up visit with your puppy and one of our trainers in your home environment.  Fees vary depending on location/distance to your home.  14+ week-old puppies will receive a home set-up visit with one of our trainers at no additional cost if the new owner/family lives within a 2-hour distance from Newcastle. Our trainers are always available for delivery of puppy to your location and to provide an in-depth orientation with you and your puppy no matter where you live. (additional fee applies)

 

Older Puppy/Young Adult program is available on a "when ready" basis.  Price varies by dog based on training length and ability.  

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*Heritage Diamond Reserve puppies will be Canine Good Citizen Certified and ready to enter a service/therapy program if desired.

 

Each week will also be a continuation of the previous weeks' traits and commands.  Puppies from five weeks of age will receive professional training several times a day, six days a week with ongoing training from Classic Heritage on a 24-hour basis. Puppies in our advanced training programs (over 12 weeks) will stay in the home of the trainers overnight and receive care and training 24 hours a day/7 days a week.

Here is an example of one of our pup's training/play sessions at 16 weeks of age.

WEEKLY TRAINING SCHEDULE

 

Weeks 5-8

  • Crate Training (napping in their crates from 7 weeks of age) 

  • Potty training started at three weeks of age, foundational training to pellets and dog door  

  • Early Socialization, inside readiness, manners including working on house manners, mouthing, and jumping

  • Introduction to using front clip harness and leash.

  • Introduction to learning with treats and luring into positions for sit, down, place, off, look, touch, and free

  • Sensory experiences and exercises to work through fear periods

  • Socialization with older dogs and different sizes and shapes of children and adults and costume/disguise parades

  • Field trips to the vet, neighbors' farm with horses, and of course, CATS!  

  • Grooming to include baths, cutting nails, cleaning ears, brushing teeth, and coat

  • Water Introduction through the use of kiddie pools (weather permitting)

  • Resource guarding/pack manners 

 

Weeks 8-9

  •  Proper collar handling, harness wearing, leash work 

  •  Continued harness and leash training – leash movement without chewing

  •  Foundational Recall when called

  •  "Sit/Stay" cue - learning to increase time on cue using treats/praise

  •  "Down" cue - learning to increase time down position on cue

  • "Place" cue - learning to increase time on a raised bed on command

  • "Look" and "Touch" with extended attention

  • "Off" cue - learning to not jump on people and things

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Weeks 9-10

  • Positive reinforcement of cues (sit/stay, down, come,  place, wait, off, look, touch, Heel, Free, etc.) through exercises and games.

  • "Settle" – Dealing with the "Puppy Crazies" and learning to "chill out" as needed

  •  Introduction to waiting at doorways – paying attention through passages 

  •  Short Recall and Loose-Leash Walking – learning foundation to walk on a leash with a harness with increased duration.

  • "Leave it" – Intro to ignoring objects on the ground when asked

  • Daily house visits for manners training

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Weeks 10-11 

  • Leash work with an introduction to the Heel Position 

  • Recall – Learning to come when called by name

  • Positive reinforcement of cues through games and exercises

  • Add distractions – Pups are introduced to listening to commands with added distractions

  • Several daily house visits for in house manner work

  • Sleeping through the night (6-8 hours) in their crate starts at 12 weeks of age

  • Individualized training starts, tailored to each puppy's personality

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Week 11-12

  •  Increasing duration for "focus" and "sit/stay" cues

  •  Continued learning to focus and walking in heel position.

  • Field trips to outside activities/adventures after 2nd vaccine is in place at 12 weeks

  •  Manners: Learning to sit politely to be greeted, walking through distractions/crowds.  inside manners including countertop surfing, couch-jumping, etc

  •  Problem-Solving Introductions: Barking, Digging, Chewing, Begging, Jumping, etc.

  • Tricks and Treats: Learning fun tricks like turn, roll, and shake (abilities will vary from dog to dog)

  • Safety: Distraction and focus control. 

  • Sleeping through the night (6-8 hours) in their crate starts at 10+ weeks of age

  • Continued expectations for stronger potty training skills and dog door use 

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Weeks 13 and Beyond

  • All of the above will continually be worked on with added duration and experiences.

  • Living in-home with the trainers on a nightly basis.  Sleeping in a crate for up to 8 hours at night with no whining or accidents.

  • Increase distance and duration with cues for obedience and loose leash walking

  • Distractions increased at local stores, parks/public areas, while still performing learned commands.

  • Driving in vehicles with increased time and exposure

  • Training on and off-leash, indoors and outdoors

  • Commands worked with distractions and advanced training (will vary per dog)

 

Cues: SIT/STAY, DOWN, COME, LOOK, TOUCH, PLACE,  HEEL, WAIT, OFF, SETTLE, GET IT/BRING IT/GIVE IT/ DROP IT, LEAVE IT

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Puppies 16 weeks of age or older will have what they need to be certified Canine Good Citizen (CGC).  Some will already be certified.

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Added and Extended Cues beyond 16 weeks (as requested) and for Service/therapy candidate puppies: (Additional fees will apply)

Sit/Stay, Down, Look, Touch, Come, Off, Wait, Up (Hug), Place, Car, Let's Go,

Lap*, Kennel*, Visit*, Here*, Nudge*, Get it/Bring it Here/Give, Drop it*, Lay On*, Shake*, Roll*, Jump On*, Tug*, Go Get Help*, Stand*, Stronger Heel, etc. 

*Commands can always be tailored to your specific needs as applicable and will vary per dog.

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 IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A PUPPY AS A SERVICE TRAINING CANDIDATE, WE OFTEN CHOOSE THOSE FROM OUR 14-WEEK-OLD PUPPIES OR OLDER. AFTER OBEDIENCE TRAINING HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND PUPPIES HAVE HAD A FULL EVALUATION FOR EFFECTIVENESS/TRAITS NEEDED FOR SERVICE TRAINING.

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Please contact us for more information about our professional training program. 

Every dog deserves to be a good dog!

 

Training
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