Bringing Home a Flood Farm Puppy

As a family pet, everyone wants pretty much the same thing from their puppy. People are looking for dogs that are not too difficult to train or control. They want dogs that are fun and energetic for family playtime or activities, but they also want the same dog to be relaxed and calm in the house. When buying a puppy, it can be difficult to predict which pup will grow up to become that kind of reliable dog. But there are three things you can do to give yourself the best chance of buying a puppy that will be a dependable, loving companion for years to come.

Meeting the Parents

Like people, each puppy is born with its own unique personality. Some are bold and confident; others are more reserved and cautious. The most important thing you can do when buying a puppy is to meet the parents or thoroughly understand their lineage and temperament. Their individual personalities will give you a good understanding of what your future puppy might be like. Here at Flood Farm, people love to meet our dogs and we love for them to meet our dogs as well.

The parents of this upcoming litter, our own Dam Valkyrie and the notable Sire Ufo from Te Mar German Shepherds, embody the very best characteristics of the breed.

Valkyrie is a prime example of the Flood Farm dedication to raising dogs that are loyal and obedient, while remaining intelligent and fun-loving. She is known for her stable, reliable temperament and her ability to transition seamlessly from dedicated family companion to focused working partner.

Sire Ufo, hailing from Te Mar's renowned lines, brings exceptional qualities of temperament, strength, courage, and solid movement. Te Mar Shepherds prioritize trainability and beauty, and Ufo reflects this with his striking structure, deep pigment, and reliable character.

Together, this pairing is specifically designed to produce puppies that have the stable, confident temperaments necessary for demanding family life, combined with the intelligence and strong willingness to serve that makes them highly successful in obedience, work, and service roles.

Aptitude and Temperament Testing

Flood Farm continues to conduct temperament testing when pups are seven weeks old, utilizing the proven Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test. This evaluation looks at critical factors such as dominance, willingness to serve, sensitivity, and stability. This process helps us place our puppies in homes where we feel they will naturally succeed.

This specific Ufo x Valkyrie pairing is expected to produce pups that exhibit exceptional confidence and a high willingness to please. While they are bred to be stable, level-headed family companions, their combined lineage suggests they will score well for focus and trainability, consistently placing them as excellent candidates who often become the star of any obedience class.

A Solid Training Foundation

When you’re buying a puppy, you’re making a commitment to take over its education from the breeder. This means you must make a commitment to training your dog. While we lay the foundation for your success, you must continue the work to ensure your puppy becomes a well-adjusted and well-behaved companion.

From their first weeks of life at the farm, we carefully condition and socialize our pups. This deliberate handling involves things like holding the puppy on its back, handling toes and ears, and gently massaging its gums. Conditioned to accept this kind of handling, the puppy is much easier to handle as an adult, especially when it comes to grooming and vet visits.

We also introduce them to basic concepts and commands such as ‘come’ and ‘sit.’ And they are exposed to a variety of people, other animals, travel, and loud noises. Puppies learn very quickly, especially when treats are involved. Most of their rewards, however, are just praise and affection – that’s a real tail-wagger for these puppies! This early training and conditioning makes buying a puppy less daunting. You can be sure that you’re getting a puppy that has been shown love from day one and conditioned to be comfortable around people, with a good foundation for a lifetime of learning.