The puppies and Peaches did great with lots of visitors today! Thank you so much to Beverley, Shelley and Michelle for taking the time to come and snuggle with the pups. It was lovely to visit with you all and have Mama & The Boys engage with someone new.
I should also explain the stylish gowns that our visitors are wearing in the pictures. The gowns are an extra precaution to protect the puppies. Some of our visitors will have dogs at home who get out an about to dog parks, training classes, etc. Adult dogs with well established immune systems are less likely to show symptoms but can still carry some less than favourable conditions. Through the height of COVID, I had these gowns for working as a massage therapist which I do not use anymore. In an abundance of caution I opted to use them for puppy visits to try to keep any risk of illness at a minimum. This way with washed hands and these gowns everything the puppies are in contact with are from within our own little ecosystem here and hopefully staves away cross-contamination while their immune systems are vulnerable as infants.
One of my Puppy Culture goals while rearing these puppies is that they meet 100 different people during this pivotal and impressionable time with me, Ideally they will connect with a variety of ages, genders, sizes, and nationalities. It’s a touch challenge to fit it in but we are going to do our best. I think I have to start a Guest Book to keep track! I am so grateful to those who so generously share their time.
The litter is almost three weeks old now which means that they need a little more room and a few more challenges. There’s a video below that shows a baby A-frame bridge that connects their night-time Whelping Box to a Daytime Exercise area. This bit of agility equipment goes away at night so that puppies don’t get lost, but it creates a nice obstacle to navigate and more puppy enrichment opportunities. There are still lots of textures for good traction and things to engage with. Each side is 4×4 for a total of 8×4 which is ample space for four pups to grow up at this point. One of the x-pens that surrounds it has a half door which provides Peaches the option of coming and going as she wishes during the day but is closed in with them in the Whelping Box at night.
I’ve also included a video of our first “Puppy Witching Hour” now that they are more interactive with each other. The “Witching Hour” in puppy development rears to a period that is often in the afternoon or evening when their energy levels spike, leading to more intense play, biting and hyperactivity. This is a normal phase and it starts young and will continue through at least the first year of their development. Recognizing it, understanding it, and preparing for it will make a person more successful as a puppy owner. The version you will witness in this video is typical for this age but very minor compared to the “zoomies” they will get once they are in their permanent homes.
