Van Dalen Labradors is an English Labrador Retriever breeder in Winder, Georgia.
Easy Transition Program
A smoother beginning for your new Van Dalen puppy
Beginning at 8 weeks of age, the Easy Transition Program gives your Van Dalen Labrador two to four additional weeks here with individualized potty training, crate conditioning, a structured daily routine, socialization, gentle handling, and age-appropriate vaccinations and preventative care before going home.
The two-week program is designed to give your puppy a strong, well-prepared beginning. A third or fourth week is entirely optional for families who would like their puppy to stay a little longer or who want additional repetition and reinforcement of the potty routine, crate conditioning, confidence, and early training already established during the program.
The goal is not a finished, fully trained dog, but a puppy who has had a more thoughtful and prepared beginning.
What your puppy works on during the Easy Transition Program
- Crate conditioning
- Structured potty training and a consistent potty routine
- Continued grooming and gentle handling exercises
- Nail trimming and calm body handling
- Confidence-building household exposure
- Daily routine, mealtimes, rest periods, and age-appropriate structure
- Age-appropriate socialization
- Leash and collar introduction
- Beginning leash walking
- Bite inhibition foundation
- Exposure to common household sounds, including vacuums and storms
- Environmental desensitization and confidence building
Most puppies are potty trained and comfortable with their crate by 10 weeks. Families who would like additional repetition and reinforcement of the potty and crate routines may choose for their puppy to remain for a third or fourth week.
Age-appropriate vaccinations and preventative care are included throughout your puppy’s stay.
Reservations and payment: Families may request the Easy Transition Program
at any time. Because availability is limited, we recommend reserving the program—and the
desired number of weeks—when confirming the puppy reservation. The puppy balance remains
due at 8 weeks, and the Easy Transition program fee is paid separately at actual pickup.
This program is especially helpful for families who would prefer not to
manage the early potty-training stage themselves. It is also a good fit for families with
busy schedules, those traveling a long distance, those who have not raised a puppy in many
years, or anyone who would simply prefer a puppy with more early routine and preparation
before going home.
Foundation Start
2-Week Easy Transition
$1,000 program fee — puppy goes home at 10 weeks
For families who prefer an easier start into puppy ownership, a limited number of puppies may remain at Van Dalen until they are 10 weeks of age. That is two additional weeks beyond our standard placement age of 8 weeks, and in those two weeks, the difference can be remarkable.
O’Malley, learning that the crate is a safe and comfortable place to rest.
During this time, puppies continue their structured daily routine while beginning foundational work that many families find makes the first days and weeks at home feel smoother. This is not formal obedience training. It is early conditioning, structure, and exposure that helps a young puppy feel more settled and confident when they arrive in their new home.
What your puppy works on during this time
- Crate conditioning
- Structured potty routine introduction
- Continued grooming and gentle handling exercises
- Nail trimming and calm body handling
- Confidence-building household exposure
- Daily routine, mealtimes, rest periods, and age-appropriate structure
The program fee includes the puppy’s additional care, boarding, age-appropriate vaccines,
preventative treatments, and the extra individual time needed during this period.
While no young puppy can be considered fully trained at this age, many families find that the additional maturity, structure, and routine make the transition into the new home significantly smoother and less stressful — for everyone, puppy included.
Availability for this program is limited. We keep enrollment small intentionally because each puppy in
the program receives individualized attention, and we will never take on more than we can do well.
The program fee is due at the time of pickup, once your puppy is in your arms and everything we promised
has been delivered.
Advanced Start
4-Week Easy Transition
$2,000 program fee — puppy goes home at 12 weeks
O’Malley, ready for the world.
For families seeking the most confident, well-adjusted start possible, availability for this program is limited. Puppies enrolled go home at 12 weeks of age, and the difference between an 8-week puppy and a 12-week puppy can be significant.
Four additional weeks of structure, socialization, and guided development can help produce a puppy who is more prepared for the world. This program builds on everything introduced in the 2-Week Easy Transition and goes further, helping your puppy approach daily life with more confidence and ease.
In addition to the 2-week program, puppies may also begin
- Leash and collar introduction
- Beginning leash walking
- Bite inhibition foundation
- Exposure to common household sounds such as vacuums and storms
- Additional confidence-building and environmental desensitization
- Continued grooming and handling exercises
The program fee includes the puppy’s additional care, boarding, age-appropriate vaccines,
preventative treatments, and the extra individual time needed during this period.
Because of the additional time, structure, and individualized attention involved, this program requires a deeper commitment on our part, and availability is extremely limited.
The program fee is due at the time of pickup, once your puppy is in your arms and everything we promised
has been delivered.