2 Weeks

    2 Weeks old on Wednesday and a new world has opened up to the puppies. Eyes started opening Wednesday and by Thursday morning everyone's eyes were at least partially open. Also the ears continue to be more developed and hearing is likely to become much more significant in the next week. As their senses expand and their mobility increases, we also expand their stimuli. We have added a radio to their whelping room which plays talk and music at times throughout the day, helping puppies become accustomed to unusual voices and sounds and background noise. However, it is still very important for puppies to have and be comfortable with quiet time, as well, so we alternate times with quiet and with background noise. Puppies are joining the family in the main family room daily as well, for short stays and experience all the household sounds, sights and smells. It is our hope, that allowing then to experience both being in the middle of human family life and being away from it at times, helps prepare puppies for living with a family, while also helping to prevent separation anxiety while crated and alone.When the puppies are 6-8 weeks old we will begin to crate separately yet side by side for short periods of time during resting times or with food toys.
    As puppies become more mobile we offer different surfaces textures for them to walk on during handling time. Mobility also marks the beginning of elimination acclimation. Puppies also have a natural inclination to keep their nest/bed clean, and as they are able to stand and move out of bed they eliminate away from the bedding area, on their own without mom's help. This is the time to acclimate puppies to very early house training skills. For this litter I will be "litter training" the puppies, and later converting the litter to an outdoor area, helping them become used to going outside to eliminate. So we place bedding in half of the whelping box, and litter or paper in the other, thus providing distinct area for puppies to sleep verses eliminate.
Mobility also makes for difficult photo ops. Wiggly squirmy puppies are very hard to keep in focus! So I have grouped the females and males, but no individual photos this time. And finally you can start to see who will be darker.

  BOYS

GIRLS