How we raise our puppies

dog over a girls shoulders — Family Raised

All of our dogs are raised in our home or in a devoted guardian family. All of our dogs are loved and spoiled members of our family!
Our puppies are raised in a designated puppy area that is cleaned and sanitized at least 2 times a day. Cleaning solutions used are safe for new puppies to be around. Gloves are required when handling the puppies for their first 1-2 weeks of life and shoes are taken off when working in their area. We believe a clean environment is key for having healthy growing puppies.

cute healthy goldendoodle — Health Testing

Temperment and health is our highest priority. Before a dog joins our breeding program they go through different tests important to their breed. Such as, temperament, genetics, OFA and/or PennHIP. Health testing is so important to produce the best offspring possible and eliminate health issues.

Empowered Breeder

Here at Matthews Legacy Farm (MLF) we have years experiencing and researching practices to ensure our puppies are off to a great start and are ready to adapt to new situations they will encounter with their forever families.

We raise our puppies on several curriculums— Badass Breeder, Puppy Culture, and some of our own techniques. These programs focuses on building the foundation for therapy and service dog training as well as a lifelong loyal companion. Our curriculum starts your dog on the right foot from the day they are born.

1 week old puppy in a basket — ENS/ESI

Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) is a training program that introduces mild stimulations to very young puppies (days 3-16) in a controlled way. This curriculum helps encourage neurological growth, which improves the development of the pup’s immune system, cardiovascular system, and stress tolerance. You can learn more about ENS here.
Early Scent Introduction (ESI) is a training program for puppies designed to enhance their ability to identify, and react to, specific scents. Starting at day 3-16, we introduce a strong scent to the puppy for brief intervals, and record the puppy’s reaction. ESI has several benefits—improved confidence and stability, greater nose awareness, and more adaptive to change. You can learn more about ESI here.

newborn puppies sleeping — Sound Training

As soon as puppies start opening their ears (around 2 weeks of age) we start sound training. We live in a world full of loud, new and unusual sounds. All of these sounds our dogs will encounter—from noises inside the home (such as the vacuum or dishwasher), to environments such as the dog parks (birds chirping or dogs barking), and the outside world (traffic, storms, fireworks). Teaching a puppy to be comfortable with all sorts of sounds is key to having a well-balanced and behaved dog. You can learn more about how we sound train on our blog as well as see our Spotify playlist.

little girl holding a puppy — Socialization

Teaching a puppy positive socialization at an early age is crucial to creating a well-balanced dog. Our puppies are handled and played with on a daily basis with adults, children, grandparents, and other animals.

puppies with grass pad playing on new textures — Desensitizing

We acclimate the puppies to foreign objects and new surroundings each day. This practice helps them adapt more easily to new surfaces and environments later on in life. We introduce new areas in the home/yard, offer unique toys, and have them play on sensory mats. We are cautious and mindful of puppies fear periods to ensure that we are never scaring them, but instead creating positive experiences.

6 week old puppy in someones hands — Puppy Evaluations

We aim to connect each puppy with the perfect family! Our evaluations help families select the most appropriate puppy for their home while providing insight into the unique characteristics and needs of their future pet.
These assessments are conducted at different developmental stages of the puppies, and we've discovered that they offer valuable insights into the puppies' natural behaviors related to the traits we evaluate.
A few days before Puppy Selection Day, we will send an email containing professional photos, videos of the puppies interacting, and descriptions of their personality traits. You'll have a few days to review this information, after which we can schedule a FaceTime call or you can visit our farm!
Find out more about our Puppy Evaluations here.

puppies on a couch — MLF Experience

We pride ourselves in providing the best experience you’ll ever have getting a puppy. We provide transparency, daily updates on instagram, and weekly emails so you can watch your puppy grow. Responding to emails and DM’s are done within 24 hours to provide raving fan service. Check out some of our reviews here.

Matthews Legacy Farm bag — Puppy Starter Kit

As a cherry on top, every puppy goes home with a MLF bag full of our favorite products! Come take a peek what’s inside.