Category: Piper & Rocky

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Wow, Piper’s Babies Are Five Weeks Old Already!

Five weeks old

Piper’s sweet babies are now five weeks old and have developed from helpless newborn puppies to the “mini dogs” they are today. The puppies are now awake for longer periods and enjoy playing with each other, and their toys, and cuddle time. We can now see their personalities starting to develop.

It is important when raising puppies to socialize them which means introducing them to as many new experiences as possible when they are young. For instance, this week the puppies have been introduced to different sounds, different floor surfaces, new toys, and our other adult dogs.

Can they get any more adorable?

Click on photos to check what collar colour we are

Meal Time

The puppies are still nursing from their mama any chance they get but Piper limits this as she is gradually weaning them.

The puppies are always excited when they smell the food being prepared.

Remember how watery the puppy mush was? We have gradually been making the puppy mush thicker.

The puppies have now progressed to softened kibble. At first, it is very waterlogged. Over the next two weeks, we will gradually reduce the time spent soaking the food until the puppies are seven weeks old and have progressed to hard kibble.

Notice the difference in the dry and softened kibble
Kibble with boiled water
Lid on to help kibble absorb water
Puppies enjoying their softened kibble

Potty Training

We have been working hard on training puppies to use the potty box.

Some of the puppies are more consistent than others but, all the puppies are making progress.

It’s amazing to watch puppies wake up or stop playing and go over to use their potty box.

Should I sleep alone or with a buddy?

The puppies still sleep much of their time. This is when they grow and process what they have learned while awake. Remember the puppy huddles? Now that they are bigger and can regulate their temperature, some puppies sleep with a buddy, and some puppies sleep alone.

Maybe a Snuggle Puppy

Looking Ahead to Week Six

  • Awake time will continue to increase
  • New indoor play area
  • Outdoor exercise will begin and puppies will have daily outdoor play time as weather permits
  • Continue learning to use potty box both indoor and outdoors
  • Socialize with each other through play
  • As they walk on uneven ground, their balance will continue to improve
  • Puppies will continue learning from their mama and our other adult dogs as they teach them dog manners
  • As always, puppies will get lots of cuddle time.
  • Puppies will meet their forever families ❤️
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Four Weeks Old Today, How Time Flies

It is hard to believe that our puppies are already four weeks old. They have progressed so much in such a short time.

A lot has happened this past week! The puppies’ milk teeth have erupted, their hind legs have become stronger, and their awake time has gradually increased. The puppies still sleep much of the day, but when awake, they love socializing with their littermates through play.

Starting to Wean

Orange collar boy showing off his new teeth
Now that the puppies’ milk teeth have erupted, it is time to start weaning and introduce solids. Piper started nursing in the standing position. It is so cute watching the puppies try to balance on their hind legs to nurse.
Piper has a large litter and has done a fantastic job feeding all her babies. On Monday, I decided to help her by starting the puppies on a formula supplement. The puppies happily lapped up the milk and soon be ready to begin eating puppy food. 

Time to Begin Potty Training

The puppies have been using a washable potty pad in their whelping box this week. On Monday, we enlarged their whelping box with the potty box extension. This addition has litter boxes filled with pine pellets. We have raised our puppies using this method for several years. 

Puppies must learn that they cannot “go” anywhere. We teach them that “there is an acceptable place to go potty.” Teaching them this at a young age will prevent them from developing bad habits that later need to be broken. This effort will benefit forever families by making housebreaking easier for them when they go to their forever homes.

 

Checking Things Out

The puppies were curious about the new area. They poked their heads in and smelled the pellets, but none ventured in.

Adorable Babies

A look back at week four

Looking Ahead to Week Five

  • Move to the main floor
  • Puppies will continue learning to use the potty area
  • Start on puppy food
  • Awake time will increase as the puppies socialize with each other through play 
  • Introduce toys
  • Mama will add the invaluable teaching phase to her caring & protecting responsibilities over the next weeks.