Our Process
From First Conversation to Lifelong Companion
Every step of bringing home a Just Behaving puppy is designed around calm, structure, and transparency. Here's exactly how it works - and exactly what to expect.
Six Steps to Your New Companion
From first conversation to lifelong partnership - here's how bringing home a Just Behaving puppy works.
Connect and Plan
We start with a conversation about your family - your lifestyle, your timing, whether you're looking for a boy or a girl, and when you'd like to bring a puppy home. There are no deposits and no pressure. Our priority is finding the right match, not making a quick sale. If the timing isn't right or we're not the right fit, we're happy to help you find a match somewhere else.
We recommend reaching out 30–45 days before you're ready. We only plan with litters that are born and stable, so once we're talking, we're talking about real puppies - not hypothetical ones.
Or call/text Dan directly: (978) 504-1582
Health and Wellness
While you're planning, we're raising. Every Just Behaving puppy comes from AKC breed-standard adults who have been screened for hips, elbows, eyes, heart, and other important health factors. Our adults undergo rigorous health testing well above standard requirements.
Puppies receive weekly health monitoring and comprehensive evaluations at 6 weeks and again at 8–10 weeks before going home. Our 12-point health check assesses general appearance, respiratory system, ears, eyes, skin and coat, digestive system, neural systems, circulatory system (including heart murmur screening), musculoskeletal system, genitourinary system, lymph nodes, and mucous membranes.
Every puppy is systematically dewormed beginning at 2 weeks of age and receives age-appropriate vaccinations before going home. Fecal exams are performed to screen for common parasites. A health certificate from our veterinarian is included in your puppy's medical packet.
Calm Mentorship
From birth, every interaction our puppies have with humans is calm. Our adult dogs help teach the puppies manners through natural social learning - younger dogs watching and modeling the behavior of well-mannered adults. This is our philosophy in action: mentorship, not training.
By the time puppies are ready for families, they have learned to live with calm, gentle dogs and humans. We don't foster jumping, biting, or rough play. None of our puppies will be jumping or biting when they leave, and they are generally calm when handled by humans and ready to integrate into multi-dog households.
We limit visitor exposure during the raising period. This isn't about secrecy - it's about prevention. Multiple visitors can inadvertently encourage the exact habits families later struggle to correct. Controlled, calm experiences during this critical window are what produce well-mannered puppies.
Family Transition
Puppies transition to families between 10 and 14 weeks of age. This window is flexible - we can send puppies home as early as 10 weeks or as late as 16 weeks depending on your family's needs. At this age, puppies are medically stable and developmentally ready. We coordinate timing on the back end so every litter works for every family.
When it's time, we schedule your visit based on your pick order in the litter. You'll typically choose from two puppies on your go-home date. If the match is right, the puppy goes home with you that day.
We spend approximately one hour with each family on go-home day covering medical care, diet planning, training guidance, and our individual observations about your specific puppy and how they'll fit your family dynamics. You leave with:
- A complete medical record (send directly to your vet for continued care)
- A feeding plan and dietary guidance
- A slip leash for transport
Your puppy can ride home right in the back seat. No crate needed for the car ride.
Health Guarantee and Policies
Every Just Behaving puppy is backed by a comprehensive health guarantee and clear, transparent policies. We believe you should know exactly what's covered, what's not covered, and what to expect - before you ever visit.
What's Covered
- 12-Month Guarantee on life-threatening congenital defects. If a licensed veterinarian diagnoses your puppy with a serious congenital condition in the first 12 months, you are eligible for a full refund or a replacement puppy from a future litter.
- 24-Month Extension for congenital conditions that could not have been reasonably detected in the first year. Some hereditary issues have a later onset.
- Your Choice: Qualifying cases receive either a full refund of the purchase price or a replacement puppy - the choice is yours.
- Verification: All claims must be confirmed by a licensed veterinarian. We may request medical records, consult with our veterinary team, or seek a second opinion to verify the condition is congenital and life-threatening.
What's Not Covered
Puppies are living creatures with developing immune systems. It is completely normal for a young puppy to encounter minor health challenges, and these do not indicate poor health or breeding.
- Common puppy illnesses - kennel cough, mild respiratory infections, gastrointestinal upsets, and other routine ailments
- Intestinal parasites and protozoa - Giardia and Coccidia are extremely common in young puppies. These are treatable conditions, not defects.
- Stress-related adjustment issues - temporary diarrhea, mild appetite changes, or other minor symptoms that typically resolve within days
- Preventable injuries or environmental illness - injuries or illnesses from environmental exposure once the puppy is in your care
- Behavioral or temperament concerns - chewing, barking, potty training challenges, and anxiety are normal parts of puppy development
- Changes in personal circumstances - allergies, relocation, or inability to continue care
- All routine veterinary expenses - from the moment the puppy leaves our care, all medical costs are the owner's responsibility
Return and Rehoming Policies
- No refunds for non-health returns. Adopting a puppy is a significant commitment, and we encourage families to make this decision carefully.
- Open-door surrender policy. You may return a Just Behaving dog to us at any time, for any reason, no questions asked. We will always take our puppies back.
- Rehoming assistance. If you prefer to find a new home while keeping the dog, we will help screen potential adopters.
- No transfers without approval. You may not transfer ownership without notifying Just Behaving.
- No re-sale. If you cannot keep the puppy, they must be returned to us or rehomed with our assistance - never sold.
- Companion pets. Our puppies are placed as companion pets with no breeding rights.
Lifelong Support
After you've taken your puppy home, we stay in touch. We don't harass you, but we're always available when you need support. It's common for families to stay in close contact for the first few months, and many stay connected well beyond that.
We're available for questions about medical care, diet, training, behavior - anything. No question is too small. We also conduct short and long-term case studies with our puppies, which keeps us close to many families over time.
Our commitment to your puppy does not end with the health guarantee. We are a resource for advice and mentorship throughout your dog's life. While the formal guarantee has time limits, our personal support continues for the life of your dog.
What to Expect with a New Puppy
Puppies are resilient but developing. Understanding stress, immunity, and nutrition will set you up for success.
Bringing a puppy home is a joyful experience, but it is important to be prepared for the biological realities of puppyhood. Puppies under 4–6 months have immature immune systems. It is completely normal for a puppy to experience one or more minor health challenges in the early weeks - this is not a reflection of poor health or breeding.
Stress: The Root of Most Go-Home Issues
The single most important thing to understand about your puppy's first weeks home is this: stress suppresses the immune system. A puppy going home enters a period of enormous change - new people, new environment, separation from littermates, new sounds, new schedules, new water, new everything. This is exciting for you. For the puppy, it is a biological stressor.
When a puppy is stressed, stress hormones suppress immune function, alter gut motility, and shift the balance of the gut microbiome. Beneficial bacteria decrease. Opportunistic organisms - including parasites that may have been present at low, harmless levels - can suddenly bloom and cause symptoms. This is why the most common go-home issues are digestive: the gut is where stress hits first.
Up to half of all puppies experience some form of digestive upset in the first week home, purely from stress and environmental change. This is temporary and manageable. But understanding that stress is the precursor - not the food, not the water, not something we missed - allows you to focus on the right thing: keeping your puppy's world calm, predictable, and low-pressure during the transition.
The calmer the transition, the healthier the puppy. This is prevention in action.
Vaccination Precautions
Your puppy is not fully vaccinated. Puppies go home with partial protection against viruses covered by the vaccine series. Full immunity is not achieved until approximately 16 weeks of age, after the complete vaccine series is finished.
Until your puppy is fully vaccinated, avoid:
- Dog parks and public dog-gathering areas
- Pet store floors
- Boarding and daycare facilities
- Any area with high dog traffic or unknown vaccination status
Parvovirus is the most serious risk - it is highly contagious, environmentally persistent, and can be fatal in young puppies. Follow the vaccine schedule provided in your medical packet and continue with your veterinarian. Do not skip or delay boosters.
Socialization is still important during this period, but it must be done safely. Have vaccinated, healthy dogs visit your home. Carry your puppy to see new places. Enroll in puppy classes that require proof of vaccination. Controlled exposure builds confidence without unnecessary risk.
Common Health Realities
Stress-Related Diarrhea
The most common go-home issue. Stress hormones alter gut motility and shift the microbiome, often causing soft or watery stool within the first few days home. The puppy is not sick - their system is adjusting. Maintaining a calm routine, keeping the puppy on the same food, and using probiotics to support gut health are the best tools. Most cases resolve within a week as the puppy settles in. If diarrhea is persistent, bloody, or accompanied by lethargy or vomiting, see your vet - but most of the time, this is stress doing what stress does.
Giardia and Coccidia
Microscopic intestinal parasites that are extremely common in young puppies. These are picked up from the environment and are nearly impossible to prevent entirely, even in the cleanest programs. We proactively screen and treat before go-home, but low-level infections can persist or reappear - particularly when stress suppresses the immune system. A puppy that tested clear here can show a positive fecal at your vet's office a week later. This is not unusual. These are treatable with veterinary medication and are not covered by our health guarantee.
Innocent Heart Murmurs
Many large-breed puppies have a faint heart murmur detectable in early life. These are developmental, not pathological - the puppy's cardiovascular system is simply immature. Over 80% resolve by 6 months with no treatment or restriction needed. We screen for murmurs and disclose any findings. A persistent or high-grade murmur that indicates a structural defect would be covered under our health guarantee.
Other Common Ailments
Kennel cough, mild skin irritation, teething discomfort, ear infections in floppy-eared breeds, intestinal worms, urinary tract infections (especially in female puppies), and mild vaccination reactions are all within the range of normal puppyhood. None of these are covered by our guarantee, but all are manageable with routine veterinary care.
When you bring your puppy home, we provide a comprehensive Go-Home Guide with detailed information on every one of these conditions - what to watch for, what to do, when to call the vet, and when to call us. We also recommend bringing a fresh stool sample to your puppy's first vet visit (within 3 days of coming home) so your veterinarian can screen for any parasites.
Feeding Your Puppy: What Actually Matters
There is an enormous amount of information about dog food available, and nearly all of it is driven by brand marketing. We want to give you a simple, honest baseline for what your puppy actually needs - not what a company wants to sell you.
The Basics
A growing puppy needs a diet that is complete and balanced for growth, meeting AAFCO nutritional standards for puppies or "all life stages." For large-breed puppies like Golden Retrievers, look for a formula specifically designed for large-breed puppy growth - these manage calcium and phosphorus ratios to support proper skeletal development.
Quality Over Brand
The best food for your dog is one built on quality protein sources, whole ingredients, and appropriate nutrient density - not the one with the best marketing budget. Read ingredient panels, not advertisements. We'll discuss specific recommendations during your visit.
Variety and the Gut
A healthy gut thrives on diversity. Dogs do not need to eat the same food every day for their entire lives - in fact, rotating proteins and introducing variety over time supports a more resilient microbiome. Stay on one food initially, then introduce variety slowly as the puppy matures.
Gut Health Is Health
The gut microbiome influences digestion, immune function, mood, and disease resistance. Probiotics, whole food ingredients, and avoiding unnecessary antibiotics all support a healthy microbiome. A puppy with a healthy gut is more resilient to stress, fights off parasites more effectively, and transitions more smoothly.
We discuss feeding plans in detail on go-home day and remain available to help you navigate diet decisions as your puppy grows. Our guidance is breed-informed and biology-driven - not brand-driven.
Practical Details
Everything you need to know before your visit.
No Deposits Required
You are under no obligation to purchase a puppy at any time. We want the match to be right for your family. Pricing and payment details are provided when we schedule your visit.
Our Address
17 Boxford Rd
Rowley, MA 01969
What We'll Need
- Primary and secondary contact names, phone numbers, and email addresses
- Home address
- Name of your veterinarian
Ready to Start the Conversation?
Reach out 30–45 days before you're ready, and we'll talk about timing, availability, and whether a Just Behaving puppy is the right match for your family. No deposits. No pressure. Just an honest conversation.