Off to conquer the world...

Dot is now Splash and loves her doughnut toy

 The house is very much quieter and easier to keep clean following departure of the Katmai 8 and we are so enjoying all the updates we have received from their new homes.  It is bittersweet when they depart, but we were super confident that all these pups were going to the absolute best homes, so that made it much less worrisome.

 The pups all had some soft stools on Friday PM, about 24 hours after their first vaccination.   Some things we like to give to firm things up:

• Probiotics - we like and use Dogzymes Probiotic Daily Balance from Nature's Farmacy.  We've also used Mercola's Complete Probiotics and Purina's Fortiflora in the past with good results.
• Kefir - available in the refrigerator section of your grocery store near the yogurt.
• Boiled yellow potato (added to your dog's regular meal)
  
• Canned pumpkin (added to your dog's regular meal)
• Slippery Elm - Give¼ tsp of powder for every 10 lbs of body weight.  When you look for a slippery elm product, find one that’s sustainably harvested. Slippery elm is in danger of overharvesting. I purchased it at Whole Foods Market.

Reggie is now Penny - shown flying home to CA

Sleeping through the night crated is always the first hurdle to overcome when pups go to their new homes.  Even for pups who have been confined for periods of time before being sent home, they are in a new crate, in a new location and with lots of other change in their lives, so it usually takes a few days to settle into a routine.

The pup we kept is being fed all his meals in his crate.  This develops a positive association with the crate and allows both puppy and adult dogs in the house to eat their meals in peace.

A REALLY good resource for crate training is "Crate Games", a program developed by Susan Garrett.  You can get more information and online access to the program HERE for a very reasonable price.

Another great resource is the 2020 Spring Edition of the PWDCA Courier magazine.  You can access this special edition for free via this link:

https://online.fliphtml5.com/uheir/rryl/#p=C

The sire of our Lu x Kodi pups is featured on the cover and there are some great puppy related articles in this edition.  The Courier is usually only available to PWDCA members and is worth the price of membership.  It is an amazing publication.

Minnie (now Nova) playing with her new housemate

Details on joining the PWDCA can be found HERE.

Are you overwhelmed with resources yet?  If not, here are some more:

https://rewardedbehaviorcontinues.com/resources/

If you see a PWD on the "about" page of this website, know that it is Kodi's half-brother. 

Keep checking in.  We've got plans for entries on puppy grooming and maybe some short training sessions in the next week or so.

Otis (now Jaco) catching up on sleep

So much to do, so little time...

 8-11 Week Fear Imprint/Inpact Period

This marks a period where the pups will be more cautious.  They may be fearful of loud noises, sudden movements, discipline from other dogs or humans, etc.  Pups should be exposed to lots of positive experiences at this time, while trying to steer clear of more stressful encounters.  Genetics and socialization play a role in how significantly puppies are impacted by this period and these pups have excellent temperaments behind them and have been extensively socialized.  With mindfulness on the part of their new owners, these pups will be quickly and safely negotiate  this period and move on to tackle new adventures

Mama Kodi helping with puppy goody bags

Only a few more days of washing 10 food bowls after most meals.

Wash your dogs food bowl thoroughly after every meal to remove "biofilm" from the bowl.

Otis in the ball pit

The pups are still having new things added to their environment. On Sunday they got a big cardboard box full of plastic balls for their own puppy ball pit.  Fun was had..

Puppy collars arrived on Monday

Waiting for eye exams

The pups were good car travellers for their visit to the eye vet.  We crated them 4 per kennel, then pulled them out one at a time to have their eye drops put in.  They waited in the ex-pen on their fleece blanket until it was time for the exam.  The eye examwent well and we headed home with our pack o' pups.

Settling in for the night

The pups were WILD after their time cooped up in the van and at the vet, and spent a few hours zoomng around and playing like wild things.  By 9:30 they were ready to settle in for the night.  Yawn...

We have a new toy to offer them today and should be getting contracts out to everyone today via email for review.  Sending them in advance allows for reading it over and asking questions or addressing concerns prior to the excitement of puppy pickup day.

Introducing Pup Into Home with Adult Dogs & Partial Puppy Supply list

 Here is an excellent link that discusses how to manage this transition.

https://www.clickertraining.com/what-to-expect-introducing-a-puppy-to-your-adult-dogs

I haven't delved into them, but there are lots of other dog training and problem solving articles in the Library on this website.

Some purchases that can help in welcoming your puppy to your home (check back as I may add to this list):

Bowl -  Stainless bowls are easy to clean and hold up well.  Plastic bowls can cause skin issues in some dogs.  We like Durapet bowls.

Adaptil products -  Mother dogs communicate with their puppies through natural messages released into the air. These "comforting messages“ are called Dog Appeasing Pheromones. These odorless messages are only perceived by dogs and provide a strong signal of security and comfort to dogs of all ages. I like the spray as it is versatile and can be sprayed in a kennel, on a bandanna etc.  I don't use it frequently but use it for stressful events like vet visits, plane travel etc.

Harness -  For young pups that are not leash broken, or in any situation you are worried that the dog may slip out of their collar in an unsafe environment, a harness can be a good option.  For your young pup, a friend recently recommended the Puppia RiteFit Harness with Adjustable Neck.

Shampoo -  Look for a good pet shampoo (don't use human products), as they are pH balanced for your dog's skin. Our favorite is MinkSheen Pet Shampoo.  It is a concentrated (8:1) shampoo and conditioner made with mink oil for a soft, shiny, "show" quality coat with every bath. It is made with mild cleansers and a blend of essential oils that work like a cedar bed to leave pets smelling fresh.  Other products we have used and like are Nature's Specialties products.  Their Quick Relief Neem shampoo is a good Alternative to Pesticide Shampoo and is medicated, antimicrobial, antifungal, and antibacterial used for relief of Ringworm, Hot Spots, Eczema and Dermatitis.  we've used it when the dogs have gotten itchy after swimming.  Their Plum Silky shampoo smells amazing and we've used both their Re-Moisturing and Sun-Guard conditioners on the dogs as well.  Dynamic Duo Complete Shampoo and Moisturizing Conditioner in One is also a nice product.

Ex Pen - You will notice we have them all over in the house and on the patio. They are useful for confining a dog or pup, but allowing them a slightly larger area than a crate  They can also be used like a fence to block access to areas you do not want your pup to go.  The 24" version works well for puppies, but a slightly taller pen will allow you to use it when your pup is older too. I often expen my dogs at water trials so they have more room to move around (and I can bring less kennels as they can share the space),  Some pups quickly learn to climb over and out, but lids are available to prevent that.

Chews -  Bully sticks are our favorite for puppies.  For economy, we sometimes buy the large sticks and cut them (with pruning shears) for make 6" chews for pups.  We toss them when they are small enough for the pups ro potentially swallow and do not give to them unless supervised (chokng hazard).   You could also look into getting a "bully buddy" for your bully sticks.  The lickimat is a nice entertaining option for pups and dogs.  We found a similar product on Amazon that looks a bit sturdier (Mozy Lick Puzzle).  For unsupervised entertainment we suggest some of the West Paw products, specifically the Toppl.  They have several other puzzle/treat options as well.  Kong has a number of treat toy options also. We recommend having several  of these on hand and stuffing them with various things.  You can stuff your toy with something as simple as canned dog food or create a yummy blend like mashed sweet potato and yogurt.  Here are some blends you can try: https://www.kongcompany.com/lets-play/recipes

Toys -  You can't go too far wrong with any type of toy, as long as it is safe.   The pups really seem to like toys that make a crinkling sound.  Found toys like empty milk cartons or water bottles can be very entertaining.  Tie a rope or fleece tug around the handle of your milk carton and it is even more fun!  Cardboard boxes from the recyling are fun to shred.

Litter -  This litter was litter box trained and it made things so much easier these last 5 weeks!  For those of you that boat for extended periods of time, I would think it could be very helpful for your pup to retain the skill of "pottying" in a small and designated area.  It can be tough to get pups to potty outside in the cold and rain when they are babies and this could be a way to ease that transition.    We used both recycled paper litter and wood pellet litter for the pups and they did well with both.  Nature's Specialties makes a House-breaking Potty Training spray that helps direct the pups to use the correct area.

Collars & Leashes -  Your pup will come home with a collar & leash.  When it needs replacing we like the soft nylon collars from White Pine outfitters or MesAmi for our dogs. They come in nice bright colors and the material will not damage or mat your dogs coat.  When the pups are a little order, we especially like the soft slip/martingale style collars.

Food -  A topic for another day.   Your pup will come home with a 5 pound bag of Fromm puppy kibble.  We also recommend that you feed as much raw food as you can, since we feel the dogs do better on it. Some good raw diets include Darwins, Primal, Northwest Naturals and Answers.  We make a raw blend of our own for our dogs and we'll share that mix in the document that comes home with your pup.  The pups were fed about 2/3 raw food meals and 1/3 kibble meals while with us. They got fresh snacks of raw sweet potato and asparagus and had add-ins of canned Mackerel or Salmon and pumpkin in some of their meals.

Flea Prevention -  We've been lucky to have very few fleas issues.  We prefer to use as little medication and chemicals on our dogs as possible and give a monthly dose of Lufenuron from a company called Little City Dogs during prime flea season.   Lufenuron is an insect growth regulator that controls flea infestations in dogs.  It does not kill fleas, but prevents flea eggs from hatching.  If we find evidence of fleas on our dogs, we bathe the dogs to kill the fleas that are on them and the eggs they may have laid will not hatch out so the life cycle is broken.  This may not be an agressive enough option for you depending on the area you are in. Lufenuron is found as a component product in other flea medications.

Training & Socializing

 Training and Socializing these pups will be a new experience for all of us during the pandemic.  It's been dragging on long enough that there are some great resources for how to give your pup what he or she needs while doing it in as safe a manner possible.

If you have not started looking for a puppy class, I recommend doing that right away as they are in hot demand and most are limiting class sizes and taking health precautions.

Over the last few days, we have been getting each pup out a time or two during the day by themselves.  We've been doing "puppy push-ups" (sit, down, stand) with tiny bits of string cheese.  Pups are on the grooming table so they learn to be comfortable there.  We've also been gently brushing them with a soft brush to get them used to that.  We are also doing some tiny, short play retrieves with the pups, with varying success depending on distractions.

We wont have pups sleeping through the night in kennels before they go home, but we do have several extra kennels set up and will be rotating pups through them when we are out of the house running errands or walking dogs in the upcoming week.  We'll also feed pups in the kennels to build a positive association with them and teach the pups to eat there since it is sometimes convenient when traveling.

Here are two brief training tips from OneMind Dogs.  OneMind Dogs is a dog and agility training method based on dogs’ natural behavior. I follow them on Facebook and they have had some nice brief puppy tips lately.  Here are a few of them.

From November 5:

How do you let new people meet your puppy?

From a puppy's perspective, there are some potentially scary things that can happen when approaching a new person:

• looking the puppy directly in the eyes
• crouching over the puppy
• trying to touch the puppy
• talking in a loud / low / strange voice

Instead, it's best to ask people to:

• look away from the puppy at first
• let the puppy approach you, instead of approaching them
• go to the puppy's level by kneeling for example, keeping your upper body straight
• keep your hands low, put a treat on your palm next to the ground where the puppy can see it, don't try to touch the puppy
• stay silent

From October 27:

Aaahhhh! Today's training tip Tuesday is a bit of a spooky one 

Did you know that puppies go through two fear periods throughout the first year of their little lives? 

A fear period is basically what it sounds like: a short period in your puppy's life where things just spook them — whether it's the garbage bins they've walked past everyday of their little lives, or that neighbor that they usually get all wiggly-tailed about.

It's confusing for us owners, and sometimes scary to think: will my puppy always be so afraid?

The good news is, likely not! 

The first period happens around 8-11 weeks of age, and it's less obvious — because (hopefully) your puppy's environment is highly controlled and you're slowly introducing them to new things.

The second might be more obvious, as by 6+ months of age, your puppy will be more independent.

So what should you do during these periods? 

• Stay calm and pretend it's no big deal! (Wow, that is a very loud pair of rollerskates, cool!)
• Don't overwhelm, but desensitize 
• Counter-condition (Scary thing? Treat time!)
• Socialize! 

Here is your last training "bit" for today.  Always break things into small pieces for optimal learning. 

 

Quick Update

It's increasingly hard to keep up with the pups and their high energy level and active social life! Here is a quick update and links to the two most recent photo albums.

Last weekend was a busy one as several friends descended to help accomplish needed tasks.  

The first order of business was temperament testing for the whole crew.  My friend Sarah was not able to interact with the pups prior to testing them, but got in a snuggle once the testing was over.  All the pups tested very well and should be able to easily adapt to whatever their new owners would like to do with them.

Sarah snuggles a pup.

 

After the temperament test was over, each of the pups got a bath, blow dry and nail trim.

1st blow dryer experience.  Curlies dry much faster!

Toe nail trims are a frequent need

 

Microchipping was next. This was not fun for either the pups or humans, but we consider it necessary and they were well rewarded with a nice snack of cheese.

We did stacked photos of each pup.  Some pics did not turn out as well as desired, so we took some additional shots on Sunday.  The stacked photos are in the Week 7 album (link below).

The weather was very nice on Saturday so social distancing outside on the patio was easy and the pups entertained a visitor.

Dot likes visitors!

 

In the evening, we took a few shots of some of the pups with some silly Halloween toys and props.

Otis faces off with the Halloween spider toy.

 

A new bouncy challenge was added under the adventure box.  Surprisingly, none of the pups were worried by it and all thought it was great fun. 

Flo was the first to climb in and bounce!

 

Expect another update soon.  Until then here are links to Week 7 and 8 Albums:

Week7

Week 8

So many new things...

For those of you that investigated the link on the PWDCA website to Dr. Lore Haug's behavioral Q&A, you will enjoy the additional information on the Texas Veterinary Behavior website.

Here are some of our new things from this week:

Sounds: coffee grinder, immersion blender

Footing: dirt, grass, laminate floor, tile

Grooming table: spent a short amount of time practicing stacking.

Clippers:  They had a "sanitary" trim to the area under their tails and under their eyes.   For those of you that have or want some of your own grooming equipment, I absolutely adore my Wahl Bravura clipper which is quiet, light and cordless.  It charges quickly and can operate plugged in if needed.  

The stairs on the back patio presented an insurmountable obstacle for a while, but we now have a gate across.  Humphrey was the first to try to navigate his way up, but sister Flo was first to succeed.  The stairs are too much to puppy joints right now, although they will get a small amount of additional exposure to them in a few weeks before they go home.

A ride in the car.  Four per crate.

We have a crate in our pen now.

New feeding station with a bowl for each pup.

A new tunnel.

We got a cot and learned to get on, off and under it.

We went on an adventure in the back yard.

A new cat house to nap in.

Humphrey tried the stairs (but Flo was 1st to the top)

Patio Adventures

Links to photo albums and some interesting behavioral information are at the bottom of this post.

Otis

Humphrey

Our paws are getting very hairy!

Each pup had a 5 minute adventure on the patio last night.  They were all quite brave about the big new world and trotted around checking out their surroundings.

Today they will each spend a few minutes on the grooming table getting used to it.

Tomorrow we plan to load them in the van for a little and perhaps take a short drive around the neighborhood.

We've moved them yet again and now they are in the dining room area of the house where they can hear all the kitchen noises.  We've added to their area:

•  an electronic children's toy that talks and plays music if they step on the buttons
• litter box trays to aid in potty training

Your links:

Week 4 Photos

Week 5 Photos

PWDCA Canine Behavior Links -  There is a link to Dr.Dunbar's book "Before You Get Your Puppy" and a link to a Q&A which took place on a PWD email list years ago that is fabulous.  Be sure to check both of these resources out.

Minnie

Widening horizons

The pups have had new surfaces to walk on (yoga mat, concrete, laminate floor).  We quickly covered the laminate with something with more traction, because sliding on slippery surfaces is not good for developing joints.

They were exposed to new sounds (vacuum cleaner, steam cleaner, ice cubes dropping in kitchen fridge, pressure washer).

They are meeting new people.  We had 4 visits over the last few days, being careful to employ masks, hand sanitizer and 6 foot distancing to keep everyone safe.  

They spent some time on the patio on Friday when the weather was warm and dry, and are spending time in the living room each day.

Visitors on the patio

They had their first "real" meal yesterday with a raw meat/vegetable grind mixed into their formula.

There is meat and veggies in our formula tonight!

This marks the beginning of the second Awareness/Identification week when play becomes more sophisticated.  Vision is much improved.  The pups will need things to move, chew on, climb onand carry this week, helping to develop strength, agility and problem solving abilities.  We will start to spend a bit of time alone with each pup apart from the litter this week.

Divot checks out a toy.

Chunk tugs on the blanket.

TLC for Kodi and First Time "Dining Out"

First time eating formula.  Reggie chose to go wading in it.

 The Chiropractor came yesterday and adjusted both Kodi and Delta.  We are lucky we have someone in our area who will come to our house.  We take advantage of that by having the dogs adjusted proactively several times a year and always if we notice any type of discomfort.  Yesterday, Delta had a rib "out" and Kodi's pelvis was rotated and she needed quite a few other adjustments.  Hardly surprising that Kodi needed some TLC after carrying and giving birth to 8 chunky little puppies.

With a smaller Mama dog and lots of pups to feed, we started supplementing with formula a little sooner than we usually do in order to relieve a little demand on Kodi.   The pups caught on quickly and drank their formula with gusto!

Here is a link for Week 4 Photos with several added this morning.

Keeping Up

Time goes by quickly when you have puppies and a Mama dog to care for.  We are trying to make sure to make time to enjoy the pups, as they grow and change so quickly.

We expanded their area a bit yesterday, opening up one side of the whelping box and adding a pen area that is about as large as the whelping box.  We are planning to litter box train these pups, which is a first for us. We have not put the litter boxes in their area, but have added pee pads, strategically placed to encourage them to pee there instead of in the area where they sleep.

Starting in the next day we will offer the pups some puppy formula out of a shallow dish to encourage them to drink.  Supplementing them a bit will help relieve a little of the burden of feeding from Kodi and begin the weaning process.  Offerings will start with formula, then transition over the next week or so to a gruel with a little rice cereal added.  The next change will be to add a ground raw meat blend or soaked puppy kibble.

The pups already have lots of appointments on their calendars for their final weeks with us (starting on Week 7) which will allow us to make informed decisions on which pup is the best fit for each home.  We do a temperament test, a structural evaluation, an eye exam and finally a "well puppy" visit to the vet for a checkup and first vaccination.  Whew!  We expect those appointments to take place between 10/31 and around 11/11.  Once we have all the information from those checks, we'll let each of our puppy homes know who will be going home with them. 

The Rule of Sevens

 This is the week that the pups will "come to their senses".  By the end of the week they will be able to see, hear, feel, taste and smell.

• Their eyes are open, although they are nearsighted at first. 
• They will begin to be able to hear. 
  

  

   You can see eyes in the bottom photo...
  

• They are beginning to walk unsteadily on all fours.  
• They are beginning to bark a little.
• They will begin to play with each other and interact with their environment.

We are proponents of the "rule of sevens" which says that by the time a puppy is 7 weeks old it should have:

Been on 7 different surfaces, such as: carpet, concrete, wood, vinyl, grass, dirt, gravel, wood chips, newspaper, etc.

Played with 7 different types of objects, such as: big balls, small balls, soft fabric toys, fuzzy balls, squeaky toys, metal items, wooden items, paper/cardboard items, milk/soda jugs, etc.

Been in 7 different locations, including: front yard, backyard, basement, kitchen, car, garage, laundry room, bathroom, crate, kennel, etc.

Been exposed to 7 challenges, such as: climbed a box, climbed off a box, gone through a tunnel, climbed up steps, climbed down steps, climbed over obstacles, played hide and seek, gone in and out of a doorway with a step, etc.

Eaten from 7 different containers: metal, plastic, cardboard, paper, china, pie plate, frying pan, etc.

Eaten in 7 different locations: crate, yard, kitchen, basement, laundry room, bedroom, x-pen, etc.

Met and played with 7 new people, including children and the elderly.

We will be working on fulfilling each of these goals with all the pups in upcoming weeks.  While it will be more difficult due to the Covid-virus social restrictions, it is imperative that socialization with your puppy continue after he or she goes home.  We'll have some resources and suggestions for ongoing socialization as the pups get closer to sending them to their forever homes.

 

The pups new mascot "Wally" the bear (with Humphrey and Divot)

Chunk's black pigment is coming in on his muzzle and nose

Otis surveys his world