How We Raise Our Puppies

What’s Happening Developmentally

During these first days, puppies are entirely dependent on their mother. Their eyes and ears are sealed shut, they cannot regulate their own body temperature, and they navigate their world through touch, warmth-seeking, and scent. But beneath this apparent helplessness, their nervous systems are remarkably responsive to specific types of gentle stress.

Early Neurological Stimulation (Days 3-16)

Beginning on day three and continuing through day sixteen, each puppy receives daily neurological stimulation. This research-backed protocol involves five brief exercises that introduce mild, beneficial stressors to the developing nervous system. I hold each puppy in specific positions, gently stimulate them with a cold surface, and perform tactile stimulation between their toes, all for precisely measured durations.

Puppies who receive early neurological stimulation demonstrate stronger heartbeats, more robust adrenal glands, increased tolerance to stress, and greater resistance to disease throughout their lives. Their cardiovascular performance improves, and they develop into more confident, adaptable adults who handle new situations with resilience rather than fear.

Health Monitoring and Maternal Support

During this period, I monitor each puppy’s weight gain daily, watching for the steady growth that signals good health and adequate nursing. The whelping area is kept scrupulously clean and temperature-controlled, allowing the mother to focus entirely on nurturing her babies. I track nursing patterns, elimination, and any early personality indicators that begin to emerge even in these first days.

Sensory Awakening

Around ten to fourteen days, a puppy’s eyes open to light for the first time, though their vision remains quite blurry. Their ear canals open shortly after, and suddenly their world expands exponentially. This is a sensitive period where gentle, positive exposure to new stimuli begins shaping their perception of the world as either safe and interesting or overwhelming and frightening.

Structured Individual Development

This is where our developmental protocol begins. Each puppy exists within a network of relationships: with their mother, their littermates, with humans, and eventually with the broader world. During weeks three and four, I begin structured individual handling sessions where each puppy experiences being held, stroked, and spoken to separately from the litter.

These one-on-one interactions build human-puppy connection and teach puppies that being separated briefly from their siblings is a normal part of life. Early individualized attention creates puppies who seek human interaction.

Environmental Enrichment Begins

As mobility increases and puppies begin moving around their whelping box, I introduce varied surfaces and textures. Different fabrics, gentle sounds played at low volumes, and novel objects rotated regularly build neural networks. Each element is introduced based on each puppy’s response to ensure engagement without overwhelm.

Developmental Context

Weeks five through seven represent a neurologically sensitive period when puppies absorb information about what is safe, normal, and trustworthy in their world. Experiences during these weeks establish baseline assumptions that persist throughout life.

Socialization Protocols

Every puppy experiences structured exposure to a range of stimuli during this window. They meet children, men with deep voices, women, people wearing hats and sunglasses, and individuals of various sizes and appearances. They hear household sounds like vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, television, music, and doorbells at gradually increasing volumes.

They walk on tile, carpet, grass, concrete, rubber mats, and gravel. They experience crate training in positive, gradual increments. They play with age-appropriate toys that make different sounds and textures, developing jaw strength and learning to self-soothe through appropriate chewing.

Emotional Resilience Building

Beyond exposure, I structure experiences that build frustration tolerance and emotional regulation. Puppies learn to wait briefly for food, to settle when excited, and to recover quickly from startling experiences. These foundational emotional skills make future training easier and help dogs manage stressful situations.

Litter Dynamics and Canine Communication

Individual attention is important, but so is the education puppies receive from their mother and siblings. I monitor play sessions to ensure they remain appropriate and educational. Puppies learn bite inhibition when a sibling yelps and withdraws, they learn boundaries from rough play, and they practice canine body language. Their mother continues teaching them appropriate behavior.

Veterinary Health Protocols

Before any puppy leaves Cornwell Labradors, they receive a comprehensive veterinary examination. This includes their first round of core vaccinations, administered according to current veterinary best practices. Each puppy is dewormed on our veterinarian’s recommended schedule and receives a thorough health check that examines heart, lungs, eyes, ears, joints, bite, and overall conformation.

I provide you with complete veterinary records, a detailed health certificate, and transparent information about what vaccinations your puppy has received and when the next ones are due. You’ll also receive our comprehensive vaccination guide that explains the science behind vaccination protocols and helps you work effectively with your own veterinarian.

Microchipping and Identification

Every Cornwell Labrador puppy is microchipped before going home, with the microchip registered in your name. This permanent identification ensures that if your dog is ever lost, they can be reunited with you. The microchip is implanted during a routine veterinary visit, causing no more discomfort than a standard vaccination.

Temperament Assessment and Matching

During weeks seven and eight, I conduct temperament assessments of each puppy, evaluating traits like confidence, biddability, energy level, environmental sensitivity, and social orientation. This information helps match each puppy with the family whose lifestyle, experience level, and expectations align with that individual puppy’s personality.

The matching process is collaborative. I discuss what you’re looking for in a companion, your household dynamics and activity level, and use behavioral observation to guide you toward the puppy most likely to fit your specific situation. Sometimes this means recommending a different puppy than you initially favored based on appearance, and I explain the reasoning behind my recommendation.

When you pick up your Cornwell Labrador puppy, you receive a puppy record book documenting every health check, vaccination, deworming, and weight measurement from birth. You’ll receive the complete pedigree information, microchip documentation, and registration paperwork.

We provide a supply of the premium food your puppy has been eating to allow gradual transition. You’ll receive a comfort item that carries the scent of the litter. Each family also gets educational resources covering housetraining, crate training, nutrition, exercise needs throughout life stages, and common behavioral questions.

The combination of early neurological stimulation, structured individual development work, and comprehensive socialization during critical developmental windows creates specific advantages. Puppies develop stress resilience at a physiological level, social confidence with humans, and a broad base of “normal” experiences that reduce fear and anxiety later in life.

This level of structured early development means puppies adapt more readily to new situations, bond with family members, and approach training with confidence. Many behavioral issues seen in adult dogs (fear-based aggression, separation anxiety, noise phobias, generalized anxiety) can be prevented when puppies receive appropriate foundation work during these critical early weeks.

My behavioral consulting background allows me to provide ongoing support beyond what most breeders offer. You have access to professional behavioral guidance throughout your dog’s life.