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Echo’s Adorable Puppies -3 weeks old

Three weeks old

I am a day late posting our weekly blog because this past week has been extra busy for our household. In addition to caring for our dogs and eleven puppies, my husband Tom had surgery Wednesday. The same day, my Son and Daughter in law welcomed their second baby into the world. This is Grandchild # 12 for Tom and I. Children are a blessing from God and we are so thankful for each child He has entrusted to our family! My granddaughter stayed with us while her parents and new baby brother had an extended six day stay in the hospital.

A big thanks to my daughter for stepping in to care for the puppies while I was back and forth to the hospital this week!

LOOKING BACK

Echo continues to be an amazing mama. She knows just what to do to take care of her babies. She loves her puppies and loves to check on them regularly between feedings. We have a bed for Echo just outside the whelping box where she likes to rest and keep an eye on her babies.

The puppies are getting stronger and becoming more mobile. This past week we had to add a door panel to the entrance of the whelping box because some of the puppies climbed out to explore LOL

A Look At Echo’s Puppies

Below is a list in order of puppy appearance
  • Black Collar Boy – Blonde Abstract
  • Grey Collar Boy – Blonde Abstract
  • White Collar Boy – Chocolate Abstract
  • Light Blue Collar Boy – Chocolate Abstract
  • Dark Blue Collar Boy – Chocolate Parti
  • Red Collar Girl – Chocolate Abstract
  • Orange Collar Girl – Black Parti
  • Yellow CollarGirl – Black Parti
  • Pink Collar Girl – Blonde Parti
  • Green Collar Girl – Blonde Parti
  • Purple Collar Girl – Blonde Parti

    • Critical Socialization Period

    The puppies eyes are completely opened and their vision is improving, Their ears are now open and they are starting to hear. The puppies have now entered into the “Critical Socialization Period”.

    Socializing puppies by exposing them to as many new experiences as possible while the puppy is young is only part of the process of socialization. Our goal is to raise dogs that have the emotional intelligence to connect with you. Emotional intelligence can be taught to young puppies and is one of the goals of the Puppy Culture Program. There are 7 key things that will nurture the emotional intelligence of a puppy. Over the next five weeks, we will work with each puppy as we endeavour to prepare the puppies for their forever homes. Our goal is to raise healthy, calm, confident, well-adjusted puppies

    1. Communication – giving a puppy his own voice
    2. Emotional stability – the ability to recover easily from fear as well as stress i.e., startle recovery, barrier challenges etc
    3. Habituation – familiarity with the maximum number of things ( sound protocols, household noises , meeting different people, dogs etc.)
    4. Enrichment – teach that novelty and challenges are opportunities for enrichment not things to be feared or avoided (Ongoing introduction of new novelty items, activity centre, car ride, outdoors, etc.)
    5. Health – physical wellness and motor skills that will allow the puppy to develop in a neurologically and physically sound way (weight checks, grooming, proper nutrition, fecal checks, and deworming, if necessary, vet health checks and vaccinations)
    6. Skills – learned behaviors which teach the puppy to function in human society i.e. recall, manding, simple commands, potty box training, crate introduction, resource guarding, bite inhibition etc.
    7. Love – teach puppies to seek out the company of both dogs and humans as emotionally positive experiences: i.e., Daily cuddles with humans and puppy’s mom.
    8. Shaping emotional responses: happy and calm CER (Conditioned Emotional Responses)

    A Day in the Life of Our Puppies

    A day in the life of puppies is full. Along with sleeping and eating, we have to fit in cleaning their whelping box and puppy cuddles. On Sunday we had some help with cuddling from some of my grandchildren. Interacting with people of different ages is great socialization for the puppies.

    Pics of Our Adorable Puppies

    LOOKING AHEAD TO WEEK FOUR

    • Puppies will still sleep most of their day as they continue to grow rapidly
    • Puppies will play with each other and begin developing important social skills
    • Puppies hind legs will continue to become stronger as they practice walking on all fours
    • Hearing will improve 
    • Puppy milk teeth will begin to erupt 
    • Puppies will be moving to the main floor sometime during the week
    • Potty Training will begin
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    All Our Puppies Have Gone Home For Christmas

    Puppy Go-Home Singles

    Ellie’s Litter

    Magenta Collar Girl
    Pink Collar Girl
    Purple Collar Girl
    Red Collar Girl
    Dark Blue Collar Boy
    Orange Collar Girl
    Green Collar Boy
    Light Blue Collar Boy

    Willow’s Litter

    Cayanne Collar Boy
    Camo Collar Boy
    Blue Collar Boy
    Yellow Collar Girl
    Green Collar Girl
    Magenta Collar Girl
    Black Collar Boy
    Mocha Collar Girl
    Grey Collar Girl

    It is always a bittersweet time when our puppies leave me and head to their forever families. I love to share the excitement of their forever families but, it is with tears I say goodbye. I have loved and cared for them for the first eight weeks of their lives. I have watched them grow, experience new things, and learn so much. It is now time for their forever families to continue where I left off. The poem below is one I found years ago and it expresses so well how I feel!

    Thank you for giving our puppies a wonderful home where I know that they will be loved and cherished. They will in turn give unconditional love that only a dog can give!

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    These Beauties Are Now Seven Weeks Old!

    Can these puppies get any more adorable? Look at our puppies seven week old singles. They have grown into Beauties!

    Ellie and Brinkley’s Litter

    Orange Collar Girl
    Light Blue Collar Boy
    Magenta Collar Girl
    Purple Collar Girl
    Green Collar Boy
    Dark Blue Collar Boy  
    Pink Collar Girl
    Red Collar Girl
    Seven Weeks Old

    Willow and Brinkley’s Litter

    Camo CollarBoy
    Blue Collar Boy
    Green Collar Girl
    Black Collar Boy
    Grey Collar Girl
    Mocha Collar Girl
    Cayenne Collar Boy
    Yellow Collar Girl
    Magenta Collar Girl
    Seven Weeks Old

    Looking Back

    Ellie’s and Willow’s puppies are now seven week old . They continue to grow bigger and more adorable each day. The puppies are full of energy and curious about everything. They love outdoor play time where they get lots of exercise running and playing with all the puppies. Ellie’s puppies visited the vet on Wednesday for their Wellness Check, Immunizations and micro chips. They were all given a clean bill of health. Willow’s puppies head to the vet tomorrow. The puppies have now made the transition to eating dry kibble puppy food which they get three times a day.

    Crate Training

    This week we started crate training and it is going fairly well. Some of our puppies go in to eat their treat and take a nap without complaining. A few puppies take turns letting me know that they are not enjoying it. LOL. We will continue to have daily crate training and hopefully the puppies will have a good start when they go to their forever homes!

    Outdoor Play

    Even in the snow and cold temperatures the puppies have been able to enjoy their daily outdoor playtime. They love to go outside! Whenever they hear the sliding door open to let our adult dogs outside, the puppies run to their enclosure door and wait to see if it is their turn to go out too.

    Potty Training Update

    Potty training is going very well. The potty box is well used and there are very few accidents. Lots of hard work on our part but so satisfying when I see the puppies run over to the potty box and hop in when needed!!!

    Santa Visit

    Yesterday the puppies had a visit from Santa. It is always good to have an extra pair of hand and my daughter Kendra was a big help with our Santa Photo Shoot.

    Sometimes taking puppy pics tries your patience but we had fun taking pictures with Santa.

    The puppies must have been good because Santa brought some new toys!

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    Puppies Are Beginning Crate Training Training

    I finally got the crates set up to begin crate training. I decided to do one litter a a time. This morning Willow’s litter went in to explore. They were in and out and a couple puppies stayed inside and laid down. After awhile, it was time to put each puppy in and close the door.

    I want to make this a positive experience for the puppies so, I gave them a treat. It was a Whimzees dental chew for puppies. This is a first experience for our puppies and it kept them occupied.

    Puppies had a Whimzees treat in their crate so that they associate the crate with something good!

    Willow’s Puppies

    Willow’s puppies Crate Training 1
    Willow’s puppies Crate Training 2

    Willow’s puppies did very well. Our grey collar girl wasn’t happy at first but soon settled. The puppies slept for a couple hours. Great job puppies!

    Ellie’s Puppies

    Ellie’s puppies Crate Training 1
    Ellie’s puppies Crate Training 2

    Ellie’s puppies took a little longer to settle. Our pink collar girl didn’t like the crate at first and it took awhile but she finally stopped whining and slept quietly. Ellie’s litter did a great job sleeping quietly in their crates for their afternoon nap.

    The puppies will continue to have naps in their crates for the next few days. Next week we will begin night time in their crate.

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    Outdoor Fun For Our Puppies

    Just a short post today. It was a beautiful winter day full of sunshine and the puppies had a great time playing and exploring. They are becoming experts at coming outside on their own. We added a couple large stuffies and I opened up a new little area for the puppies to explore.

    They have come a long way!
    Can you see your puppy?
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    See Excited Puppies Enjoy Their First Snow

    Selection Day

    We had a great day yesterday at Puppy Selection. It is one of my favourite times raising puppies. I get to experience the excitement of our forever families as we introduce them to their puppy.

    Our puppies were very tired at the end of the day with so much interaction with people. Meeting lots of new people is great for the puppies’ socialization. Even though the puppies didn’t get their daily outdoor exercise, they were all tired and had a long nap after a late dinner.

    Snow Day

    Today we woke up to excitement of snow. Being Sunday, my husband Tom went to church with my grandsons who are sleeping over for the weekend. I stayed home to look after puppies (they are never left alone). This gave me a chance to take the puppies outside and introduce yet another new experience – SNOW! I have read and agree, “The only thing goldendoodles like better than water is Snow! Our puppies loved their time outside. While our puppies continued playing in the snow, I went inside to clean out the puppy areas. After their long outdoor play session, I brought tired wet puppies back inside for a long nap.

    First taste of Snow
    Fun in the Snow

    Tired Wet Puppies

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    A New Toy For Puppies To Explore

    The puppies are growing bigger and more active with each passing day. We have been fortunate with the weather and the puppies have been able to have daily outdoor play. Today Ellie’s puppies went out first for their outdoor exercise which included a new toy – a tunnel. The puppies know when there is a new toy, and everyone wants a turn. The tunnel makes a “crinkle sound” which the puppies loved. At first, they just jumped on it. I waited to see which puppy would be the first to go through. Watch and see.

    Puppies love the “crinkle sound” the new tunnel makes
    Who will be the first puppy to go through the tunnel?

    Willow’s Puppies Challenge

    Puppies are always learning and being challenged to build their brain. Today’s challenge was for the puppies to come out of their enclosure and go outside on their own. Watch to see which puppies succeeded.

    Puppy Challenge – Who will be brave and make it outside on their own?
    All the puppies except our Merle’s made it out on their own. Maybe tomorrow LOL!
    Outdoor Play and then, back inside where it is nice and warm for a nap

    Look At Our Adorable Puppies

    Can you find 17 puppies?
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    Watch Our Excited Puppies And Their Outdoor Adventure

    Our first Outdoor Adventure with the puppies is one of the highlights of puppy raising. From five weeks on, the puppies will have outdoor play as weather permits. This is exciting for puppies, mama’s, and our other dogs. It is so fun to watch the puppies experience new smells, new walking surfaces, descending steps, and lots of room to run.

    At first the puppies were a little timid staying close to the ground and smelling as they moved around. When they felt more at ease they started to relax, explore, run and play.

    My husband Tom enclosed our deck with fencing making the outdoor puppy enclosure. This keeps our other dogs out while giving our mama room to teach their puppies without interference. Maui the nanny, doesn’t let the fence stop her. She jumps over with ease and comes and goes as she pleases. In the video’s watch as the mama’s along with Maui teach puppies to submit.

    Ellie’s Puppies First Outdoor Adventure

    1st taste of the outdoors – Watch the puppies descend the steps.
    Fun time of learning and play – Ellie and Maui are teaching the puppies to submit

    Willow’s Puppies First Outdoor Adventure

    1st taste of the outdoors Willow’s puppies were a little more cautious than Ellie’s puppies to go down the steps. (Ellie is not too please to be excluded LOL)
    Fun time of learning and play – Near the end of the video, Grandma Ruska came in for a little training. The puppies were quick to listen!

    Grandma Ruska Teaches puppies

    Grandma Ruska wanted in on the puppy teaching. She loved being a mama and raised some amazing puppies. Ruska is now retired but still loves puppies. She wanted into the puppy enclosure to get in on the teaching. Watch as she calmed the puppies right down. They listen well!

    Puppies learn to listen
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    Our Five Week Old Cuties

    LOOKING BACK

    How quickly time passes and how quickly puppies grow! Ellie and Willow’s sweet puppies are now five weeks old. The puppies have developed from helpless newborns to “mini dogs”. They have learned so much over the past five weeks. This past week we have been working hard on training the puppies to use the potty box. They still have a long way to go and some of the puppies are more consistent than others, but all are making great progress! The puppies are now awake for longer periods and enjoy playing in the exercise area. Nursing time from mama has decreased and the puppies continue to enjoy eating puppy mush and drinking from their water dish.

    LOOKING AHEAD TO WEEK SIX
    • Awake will continue to increase
    • Food will become much thicker progressing toward the goal of eating dry kibble
    • Puppies will continue learning to use potty area
    • Puppies will continue to socialize with each other through play
    • Puppies balance will continue to improve.
    • Puppies will begin short outdoor playtime as weather permits
    • Puppies will continue learning from their mama as she disciplines them and teaches them to behave 
    • As always, puppies will continue to get lots of cuddle time.
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    Puppy Adventure In Their New Puppy Exercise Area

    The puppies had a great adventure today in their new puppy exercise area. It is in our front hall. There is an activity centre in the middle, a potty box in the corner and lots of toys to discover and play with. The puppies were also introduced to a different floor surface. Our front hall is ceramic which is a little more slippery. This is beneficial to the puppies as they need to learn to walk on many surfaces.

    1st Willow’s litter

    After I set up the new area it was time to add puppies. Ellie was feeding her litter, so Willows litter were the first puppies in the exercise area. I started by putting each puppy into the potty box first to show them where to go potty. Then I stood back and watch them explore. It is so exciting to watch these little ones discover new things!

    17 puppies – both litters combined

    After a while I decided to add Ellie’s litter to the mix. This worked out very well as all the puppies seem to get along. With 17 puppies to care for being able to combine the litters will make my life a little easier! This also gives me the opportunity to clean out the puppies’ sleeping area which are still separate.

    Maui the Nanny

    Maui our 1-1/2 year-old-poodle is very agile and can jump our fences with ease. She decided to hop the fence and joined the puppies. She has had prior experience other litters and makes a great puppy nanny! Maui is gentle and loving. It is always a bonus when you have other dogs to socialize with the puppies. After the puppies realize that every dog doesn’t have milk, they had a great time playing with Maui.

    The puppies soon tired out and one by one started dropping off to sleep. The end of the video shows “last puppy standing” Magenta Collar Girl from Willow’s litter had all the toys to herself and took advantage of it – LOL!

    Sweet dreams!