From First Breath to First Twelve Weeks.
A focus on early development gives every Labrador the strongest possible foundation for a lifelong partnership.
Our Mission
We believe the first twelve weeks of a puppy's life shape everything that comes after. Every single puppy we raise gets our hands on them from day one. We are not just breeders. We are their first teachers, their first advocates, and the people who make sure they are ready for the families who will love them for the rest of their lives.
How Altamira Began
It started with a search for the right dog for Service Work. Not just any Labrador, but one raised by someone who truly cared about what they were sending into the world. That search led me to Dorothy Cavalle of StoneHaven Labradors, and what began as picking out a puppy turned into something much bigger.
Dorothy invited me in. She let me sit with her litters from the very first week. She and I watched personalities emerge before their eyes were even open. We learned to read the bold ones, the cautious ones, the gentle souls who needed a little extra encouragement. When it came time to choose my own dog, Teddy, I picked him for his heart, not his looks. That changed everything for us. Dorothy and I worked together for the next 12 years.
Over the past twelve years I have helped raise and train close to 300 puppies, and every one of them taught us something. I built Altamira around a simple idea: give each puppy the best possible start, and trust that the right families will find their way to us. They always do.
The Golden Window
There is a window in every puppy's life when their brain is wide open. New sounds, new textures, new people, new places. What happens during those first twelve weeks stays with them forever. We have seen it hundreds of times: the work you put in early is the dog you get for the next fifteen years.
Behavioral Development
From the first week we introduce handling, new surfaces, gentle sounds, and novel situations. It builds a resilience in them that you can see for the rest of their lives.
Confidence Building
We set puppies up for small wins every day. A puppy who learns early that the world is an interesting place grows into a dog who walks through it with curiosity instead of fear.
Socialization Exposure
We introduce our puppies to new people, other dogs, and different environments at a pace that feels safe. The goal is a calm, well-adjusted adult who takes new experiences in stride.
Smooth Transition
Going to a new home is a big change. We spend time preparing each puppy so that when they walk through your door, it feels like the next step and not a shock.
What Sets Altamira Apart
- We start neurological development work from the very first week of life
- Every puppy in every litter gets an individual temperament assessment
- Our socialization plan is structured and intentional, never random
- Breeding and training happen under the same roof, so everything works together
- We measure our success by who that dog is at five years old, not at eight weeks
Training Doesn't Stop at Pickup
Every puppy that leaves here has a solid foundation, but the learning keeps going at home. We offer continued training programs, including a Board and Train option for young puppies that picks up right where the litter program left off. It makes the transition easier on the puppy and easier on you.
Where We Are
Located in Brooksville, Florida, serving surrounding areas.
Follow the Litter's Journey
We share the real stuff. Weekly updates as our puppies grow, training milestones, the messy moments, and the ones that make you smile. Follow along and you will see exactly what goes into raising an Altamira puppy.