The puppies have come a long way in a week and they are so much fun now !! This was a big week development wise and they are really becoming coordinated. They now run instead of stagger and they can climb, balance and plan how to get from one place to another. They have mastered the potty, I am soooooooo proud of them. Very few mistakes now and almost everyone gets it that the box is where you potty and the beds are where you sleep. You have no idea how HUGE this is, we have laid the important foundation for housebreaking for their future moms and dads and it only took a week.
The outdoor pen has been like an amusement park for the puppies and they are having so much fun out there. Right now they have several pop up tent cubes and tunnels to play in and all different textures of toys. They are having a blast with their sit and spin and have even mastered balancing on the moving base while resting their front paws on the top. I'm hoping to paint the swing bridge and puppy A frame this week so that we can give them more toys to play with. I have lots of fun toys for them to test out and now that they are ready I can't wait to change things around for them day to day. It is so much fun to watch them explore and problem solve. Putting in all kinds of structures for them to climb on help them gain good body skills for learning how to climb and descend stairs and gain body confidence. If it stays warm I am hoping to also introduce them to water in their little puppy pool. The first day of swimming is always one of my favorite with a new litter. It is so comical to watch them explore and see who is brave and who waits around for everyone else to try it before they give it a try.
Developmentally they are experimenting with their teeth this week and you can hear the feedback. Their mother is not happy with their teething and is not shy about letting them know when they have crossed the threshold. She does this fairly and with exaggerated gestures but they still act surprised when she tells them off, they even sulk a little :). There is a lot of wrestling and screeching this week too which is right on target. When Mom no longer tolerates mouthing and biting it's time to try it out on the littermates. From the sounds of it there is a lot to be learned and the squabbles that I am hearing are all about being too rough with their teeth. The feedback they get from their littermates (and they are getting plenty) and their mother and later their grandmother (Cameo lives to tell puppies off :)) will mean that they do minimal to very little nipping and biting when they go to their new homes. This is a very important lesson to learn when you are a puppy, it helps you negotiate the human world and the dog world with less conflict. Too many puppies that I get in our puppy classes have not learned this lesson at 12, 14 or even 16 wks of age making it no fun to be their family. Feedback is a wonderful thing and it is crucial to get that feedback early rather than later.
Later this week I am hoping to give the puppies their first bath. I need at least two hours to do this since I like to make sure that each puppy isn't overwhelmed by the experience and has a decent first encounter with the bathing process. I love the way they snuggle afterwards all wrapped up in their towel all sleepy and clean.
Taz already had his first bath because he likes to take a running leap into his food. Being the smallest he needs to get right in there or he won't get to eat and he takes this very seriously. I haven't weighed him recently but he is catching up and looking quite sturdy these days !!
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