Getting Ready for Week 5
- Posted on 2nd March 2008
- in zz 2008 Litters
- by jvfairbanks
Tomorrow will mark Week 5 for Belle’s litter. This has been a week of running, jumping and playing. This was their first week outside the whelp enclosure running “free and wild” in the living room and dining room! What an adventure it was. They explored the big dogs rope toys, kongs, tennis balls and went under things, around things and ventured where no puppy had gone before!!! As you might have noticed, we removed the whelp box and they are very comfortable in the crate with no door. We do this so they will feel more comfortable in the airline crate if they have to fly. It is a natural den instinct that we like to nurture as we also believe in crate training.
I am totally thrilled with the UGODog puppy training system and they are naturally doing pretty well at “going” there. I will be posting more information shortly for those of you who want to continue on with it. I have emailed the company and want to see if I can get some type of discount that I can pass on to you. This litter training system was devised in England and I have read about it and wanted to try it with this whelp.
This week diet wise we have slowly cut back on the goat milk and rice and added more “wet beef” mixture to their meal. We will then start adding some dry food to the mix as Belle has began the weaning process. They all have their baby teeth coming in and are right on time in the calendar of development.
Today, after their nap they will get to have their first bath since whelp (as they have thoroughly experienced walking through the food and getting it all over them J ). They have been handled and loved and socialized with other dogs, this next week they meet mini humans (children) for the first time. Jeff makes sure each puppy gets some time one on one with him, being the wonder handler that he is (and of course, he loves the puppies). Yep all that puppy breath.. sigh; a tough job but someone has to do it. J
At the end of this next week depending on the weather, they get to experience a bit of the great outdoors which will also be fun to observe. I like to watch them as they watch the older dogs using the doggie door and then you can see them tilt their heads and ponder “where did they go?” followed by, “hum.. I want to do that!”.
Watch for this next week to be the last of their “messy puppy” look on the webcam and they really start to grow into their own look and coat. Their “pack order” in the litter will really emerge. This next week tends to be the week we can visit with our vet to start planning their shot, microchip and de-sexing appointments. From there I can finalize ship dates for those who will be “flying out”. We also will be recording some “mini movie” clips and posting them for our puppy owners so they can listen to their new family members voices; it is fun as they start to bark and talk and respond through learned behavior. My smart puppies! They already know when they hear sounds what is coming. For instance there is the sound of either Jeff or I preparing their meal. One minute, they are fast asleep, then they hear the sounds we make of meal preparing and become the most starving puppies in the world! Funny little ones.
Pictures are coming after the bath and webpage updates will follow probably Sunday. Until then, Enjoy!!
