The first puppy to get through the dog door was Purple boy. Followed mom though.
First puppy to bark at a person... red boy.
Everybody is walking off their bed to "potty" on the papers almost everytime.
Small Trials and Tribulations
Sky is still very concerned about the puppies and keeps them clean, but is not wanting to feed them. She has "spring fever" and mostly just whines to go play or brings me a toy. So, I have had to make her lie down and then pet her while she feed the puppies. She enjoys the petting, for the most part but gets bored. 10 puppies is a lot! Also, Sky wants to steal ALL the puppy toys and take them all outside to play. So I have to pick up all the toys toys too little for her, when she is around the puppies, and I give several times each day with her away from them for several hours, so they can play with their toys.
Early learning at 3 weeks
The puppies can see and hear, but they are still learning to locate souds and their vision is immature with closer things more clear and farther things less so. Their coordination is rapidly developing, but they are still "toddlers." They are beginning to mouth toys and pick them up, play with and chew on each other and bark at each other. It's time to introduce lots of toys for them to explore and play with.
This is also the ideal time to start work with many future commands. If we get the actions coordinated now, then all they will have to learn later is the signal/voice command associated with it. They are being introduced to "conditioning" by recieving positive rewards (food and petting) when they are working with me. Sit and stand are begun with luring with food, allowing the pupy to understand the motions early. You may be surprised how quickly they start to associate the signals and commands too. When teaching stand, I do start with using the command "stand" as an action moving from a sit or down. Later we will add "whoa" which is a non-action or STOP command. The two will be joined and become one command (That's called chaining, but I am not sure if 2 is enough to count.) Next is "up." This a precurser to getting in the car or truck, up on the grooming table, at the vet's, onto a waterfowl boat stand or lots of uses in the future. As soon as the puppies are walking well, and hearing sounds we introduce "here". At this point I want to see the puppies beginning to undertsand that call means food and attention. I also want them to listen for the location and learn to pinpoint sound. We keep these very short in distance because the puppies cannot see well far away, and need very quick rewards to gain confidence. So if they do not find me right away I move closer to try again.
We are exposing everyone to water and grooming, with daily "sponge" baths (this is a must when eating solids starts!!) in warm water, and standing in shallow warm water. We are trimming nails and touching the ears, mouth, feet, and tail every day. Puppies should be used to and excepting of grooming, though the holding still can be more difficult than anything.
Starting today we are introducing solid food, as ultra softend puppy food mixed with puppy formula. Everyone loved it and made a great big mess!
Week 3 Weigh-in
Blue female - 2# 2.0 oz.
Red female - 2# 8.7 oz
B/W female - 2# 8.2 oz
Green female - 1# 15oz
Pink female - 2# 13oz
Blue boy - 2# 4.0oz
Red boy - 2# 14.2oz
Green boy - 2# 11.2oz
B/W boy - 2# 1.6 oz
Purple boy - 2# 13.7oz
Videos (I will have to add them as I get them uploaded)
Blue girl
Red girl
Pink girl
Green boy
B&W girl
Green girl
Blue boy
Red boy
B&W boy
Purple Boy
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