Meri and Striker’s pups are 2 1/2 weeks old. Their eyes are just beginning to open. When they were born, they found their mother by their keen senses of smell and touch. They will soon see…albeit very foggily. Their hearing will begin to develop in a week or so. Every day there are changes!!
Here they are lined up at the “milk bar”.!
And now they sleep.
So we are calling them the Country Legends litter because, in between these pups’ arrivals last Friday night, I watched the PBS special on the history of Country Music. Great show, by the way.
So on the top right photo we have Hank (Williams) at 2 o’clock. At 3 o’clock we have Patsy (Cline). At 7 o’clock we have Tammy (Wynette). At 9 o’clock we have Johnny (Cash) and at 11 o’clock we have Jimmie (Rogers).
Just wanted you to see how their little noses, at 1 week, are already darkening!
I have actually changed the neutering requirement in my Puppy Buyers Contract after reading this. It is not the only article written on the topic but one I could easily pass on to my puppy families. Basically it is recommended that dogs are not neutered before 18 months of age.
Please take a moment to read it.
Meri and Tango’s puppies at 3 1/2 weeks and 4 weeks respectively….meeting each other for the first time!
So, this week begins our puppies’ critical socialization period of their lives. If you look up “Puppy Culture” you will see some of the protocols I will be following with them for the rest of the time they are in my care. Because this critical period extends from three to twelve weeks, part of the socialization will fall into my families’ responsibility. And, fear not, I will guide you along the way.
According to Puppy Culture, this is the ONLY time in our puppies’ lives when natural socialization will occur. After that, socialization will involve much more effort in the way of training, conditioning and confidence building.
My goal is to send my puppies off to their new homes with a firm foothold in this world. A world they will greet each morning with confidence, joy and excitement.
A few days ago I created some play areas in each litters’ pen. In a week or so, the puppies will start on solid (actually liquid) foods. At that point I will put them together in one pen…assuming the moms are ok with that! Right now the moms are much more comfortable with each other and with the other adults when they wander into my bedroom. So I think the transition will go well!
This is a play station I built out of PVC, plastic chain and an assortment of toys, chewies and plastic kitchen tools. Just making their way through the assemblage will stimulate the puppies and give them a new experience!
This is a play toy built for human infants that I love for puppy pens. Again, new stimulation…this time for Tango’s pups…and a washable surface!