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Look At Ellie’s Adorable Five Week Old Puppies

Five Weeks Old

And So Adorable

Ellie’s puppies are now five weeks old. They have developed from the helpless newborn puppies that fit into the palm of my hand to the “mini dogs” they are today. The puppies are now awake for longer periods and enjoy playing with their toys, littermates, Nanny Maui, and cuddle time. We are seeing their personalities starting to develop. 

Solid Food

Introducing solids to puppies begins with a “Puppy Smoothie” I grind puppy kibble in my blender to a powder and then add water that is filtered, boiled and cooled. The consistency of it is very watery at first making it easy for the puppies to lap up. With each passing day I gradually reduce the water and the food becomes thicker. 

Today the puppies transitioned to softened kibble. By eight weeks of age, the puppies will have transitioned to eating dry kibble.

Loving Mama Ellie

Ellie is a loving mama that adores her sweet babies. She has a kind gentle disposition and is very patient with her puppies. With the introduction of solids and sharp puppy teeth, some mamas would end their nursing obligation but not Ellie. She still allows the puppies to nurse a few times a day. In addition to this, Ellie will regurgitate her food to feed the puppies. (Something wild dog mothers do to feed their young)

Ellie loves to share with her puppies. Yesterday all our dogs got a treat – a prime rib bone. As this is not a regular occurrence, when each dog received their bone they trotted off in the yard to enjoy their bone in their own spot. Ellie on the other hand went to the door and wanted back into our house. When we let her in, she proceeded into the puppy area and gave her bone to the puppies to chew on which they enjoyed. Such a sweet mama!

Ellie cuddling with her puppies while they sleep
Grooming

We handle our puppies from birth, touching their ears, mouth and paws and give them lots of cuddles. We want them comfortable with the human touch. Another thing we introduce at a young age is grooming. We brush our puppies daily so they will be accustomed to this when they go to their forever homes. Brushing helps keep mats from forming and removes dirt from their coat helping keep the puppy clean.

We also trim the puppies’ nails when needed. The puppies’ nails grow quickly so it is important to trim them. This not only protects our mama’s from getting scratched while the puppies nurse, but it also gets them familiar to having the paws touched and nails trimmed.

Potty Training

✓ Lots of practice and correction

✓ Accidents ✓ Cleaning and laundry ✓Becoming more consistent

Progress is being made

This week has been a busy one. The focus of the week has been on potty training. It always seems like a long week when we begin potty training. I put the puppies into the potty box when they wake and after they eat and hope that things will click. Some puppies are quick learners, but others take longer. It can be frustrating when you put a puppy into the potty box, but they climb back out. You put them back in and out they come again. Next thing you notice they walk away and have an accident. I wonder, will they ever get it?

Potty Training begins with the puppies in the whelping box with the potty box at the entrance. In a few days, most of my puppies “get it” so I then remove the whelping box and enlarge the puppy area.

This litter was more challenging than others. The puppies were just not catching on. I check on the puppies only to discover one, two or more puppies using it as their own personal sleeping area. How will the other puppies use it if puppies are sleeping in it? So, I decided to remove the whelping box and give them a larger puppy area. When puppies have too big of an area there’s a larger chance that they will have accidents. This was the case with this litter. It was a week of constant cleaning, laundry and, lots of correction! 

Finally on Saturday I knew we were making progress. The puppies were going into the potty box on their own. We will still have accidents and some puppies will be more consistent than others but, progress is defiantly being made!

Producing gentle loving puppies

Puppy Partys

✓Building a connection with people ✓Socializing with young and old ✓Socializing with other adult dogs

It is important when raising puppies to socialize them which means introducing them to as many new experiences as possible when they are young. Some of the new things that the puppies have been introduced to this week are music, various household sounds, new toys, access to a raised dog bed, our other adult dogs, solid food, and water. 

We are blessed with a large family so, when we have get-togethers, it is built-in puppy parties. Tom’s cousin was over from Finland for a visit so Saturday we had a large gathering of over 30 people for a BBQ. The puppies had lots of interaction with people both young and old. Everyone wanted to see and hold Ellie’s babies. This is great socializing for the puppies building a connection with people and in turn producing gentle puppies that will become loving companion dogs for their forever families.

Throughout the day there we many children in playing with the puppies. When the day was over, we had very tired puppies. LOL

This video takes a look back at the past week. The puppies have grown so much and have graduated to new collars. Hopefully this makes it is a little easier to distinguish our blond puppies from each other.

Lots to experience

LOOKING AHEAD TO WEEK SIX

  • Awake time will continue to increase
  • Puppies will continue learning to use potty box
  • Socialize with each other through play
  • Balance will continue to improve.
  • Puppies will be introduced to the outdoors
  • Daily Outdoor play time as weather permits
  • 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.
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See How Much Our Four Week Olds Are Progressing

Four Weeks Old

Looking Back

This past week has been full of new experiences for Ellie’s puppies. They have progressed so much in that short period of time. 

Over the past seven days, the puppies’ milk teeth have erupted, their awake time has increased, their hind leg have become stronger and they are much steadier on their feet. Although the puppies still sleep much of the day, when they are awake they love socializing with their littermates through play. 

Time to Move to the Main Floor

GOOD-BYE

to the warm quiet space that the puppies have occupied since birth. 

HELLO

to the main floor, many noises of a busy household and many life lessons. 

moving to main floor

On Friday the puppies made the big move. We packed them into a laundry basket and brought them to the main floor. They were very vocal and tried to climb out of the basket on the way down.

Once there, I gave the puppies the challenge of trying to get to their mama. A few puppies climbed out and I helped the rest out of the basket. Ellie reassured her babies and fed them.

The puppy area has the Whelping Box in the centre, the potty box on one side and Ellie’s elevated bed on the other.

The puppies will only have access to the Whelping Box where they play and sleep and Potty Box that they will learn to move to to void.

Potty Training Begins

The puppies are now able to void without the help of their mother, so it is important to begin potty training. Because puppies have a natural instinct to move away from their sleeping area when they need to go, I want the puppies to begin learning “where to go” before they start on solids.

For the first few days after the puppy move to the main floor, I spend my time moving the puppies to the potty area when they wake and after they eat. It is important that puppies start learning that they cannot “go” anywhere. So, we teach them “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 on our part will benefit forever families by making housebreaking easier for them when they go to their forever homes.

On the first day of of potty training, the puppies were curious and practiced going in and out of the box. We are making progress

The Potty Area is just outside the entrance to the whelping box. We use a plastic litter box filled with pine pellets.When the puppies were sleeping I walked by the whelping box and discovered that two puppies went to sleep in the potty box. 😂Lots of work to do before they start to “get it”.

We are making progress with each passing day
Puppy Party
Play Time

Discover New Things

This week the puppies had playtime outside their whelping box. This exercise will help develop strong muscles. Soon they will be running around.

Puppy Party – On Thursday my Grandchildren played with the puppies. This was great socialization for the puppies to interact with young children.

Play Time – Sunday the puppies explored the new area, toys and they experienced walking on a different floor surface.

The puppies love people. Whenever we sit in their whelping box, it doesn’t take long before we have a lap full of puppies who shower me with kisses.

🐾😘🐾

Weaning is beginning

Time for solids

Ellie is starting to nurse her puppies in the “Standing Position” This is the sign that she is ready to start weaning them. The puppies are ready to start eating solids.

❤️

Lots to experience

LOOKING AHEAD TO WEEK FIVE

  • Puppies will start eating solids
  • Puppies will continue learning to use potty area
  • Awake time will increase
  • The puppies will continue to socialize with each other through play 
  • Balance will continue to improve and puppies will begin to run
  • Enlarging the puppy area
  • Crate introduction
  • Mama will now add the invaluable teaching phase to her caring & protecting responsibilities over the next weeks.
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Ellie’s Puppies Turn Two Weeks Old

LOOKING BACK

Another week has passed, and Ellie’s puppies are now two weeks old. We have had a busy week caring for Ellie and her puppies! Lots to do: ENS, cleaning, weighing, collar checks to name a few. But my favourite is puppies cuddles. Ellie continues to be a loving and attentive mama. She is protective and loves to care for her babies!.

Watch our two week old puppies nursing. They have grown so much!

My family have been over for puppy visits and cuddles this week. The puppies are getting accustomed to different people holding them

Milestones Reached

This week, Ellie’s puppies reached a couple milestones.

Weigh-in

The first milestone reached this week was Doubling Their Birthweight. Large breed puppies usually double their birthweight between day 10 and day 14. Ellie’s reached this milestone early. Four of the puppies doubled on day eight and the other two puppies followed the next day, doubling their birthweight on day nine. With only six babies for Ellie to feed, the puppies get an abundance of milk. They are getting quite chubby.

Daily weigh-in

Eyes Opened

Another milestone was reach later in the week – Eyes Opening. Puppy’s eyes open between day 10 and day 14. I look forward to this milestone from whelping day. When I got up in the morning on day 10, I started checking the puppies every few hours to see if I could see any sign that their eyes were starting to open but to my disappointment, nothing seemed to be happening. Then came Day 12 – on Saturday I could see the puppies’ eyes beginning to open. It starts in the corners of their eyes and gradually unseals over many hours. It is always so exciting to see the puppies look back at me – I think they look more “alive”!

Red Collar Boy was the first puppy to open his eyes!

Puppy Twitches

Puppy Twitches are a sign of a healthy puppy. Watch the video of Purple Collar Girl sleeping and notice the  “Puppy Twitches” 

Look At Those Beautiful Eyes

The video below shows each puppy. Look at the beautiful eyes. Five of our puppies’ eyes have opened. We are still waiting to see Purple Collar Girls beautiful eyes. They should open soon.



Puppies Getting Stronger & Becoming More Mobile

The puppies have gained strength in the hind legs and are becoming more mobile. They are moving faster and a few of the puppies have started to climb out of their whelping box. So, we have added a door panel to our whelping box entrance to keep the puppies safely contained inside their box.

Orange collar box climbing out
We added a door panel to our whelping box to keep puppies safe inside
Watch Ellie and Brinkley’s two week old puppies trying to walk on all fours. They are not steady yet but practicing walking helps strengthen their hind legs. They will progress as the weeks pass, becoming steadier until they can run.

Transitional Period

The first 12 weeks of a puppy’s life are incredibly important. This is an almost magical time when a breeder has the power to change the outcome of a puppy’s life by what we choose to teach them. By doing just the right things at just the right time, we can give your puppy the best start possible.
Now that the puppies’ eyes have opened they have entered the Transitional Period. Every puppy is different so “Behavioural Markers” are used to identify the beginning and end of each developmental period. These timelines are simply guidelines. The transitional period begins when the puppy’s eyes open and ends when they first startle upon hearing sounds. 

LOOKING AHEAD TO WEEK THREE

  • ENS exercises will continue until day 16
  • Puppies will continue to eat and sleep most of their day
  • Puppies will continue growing 
  • Sight will slowly improve 
  • Puppies’ ears will open and they will begin to hear.
  • Puppies will practice walking on all fours, strengthening their hind legs
  • Puppies will become more aware and start to interact with their litter-mates
  • Puppies will start to vocalize
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Introducing Ellie and Brinkley’s Retirement Litter

Introducing Ellie and Brinkley’s Retirement Litter

D.O.B. Monday, May 15th, 2023

The Boys

Red Collar – Birth weight 428 grams
Orange Collar – Birth weight 476 grams
Blue Collar – Birth weight 480 grams
Yellow Collar -Birth weight 493 grams

The Girls

Pink Collar – Birth weight 456 grams
Purple Collar – Birth weight 328 grams
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Surprise, An Early Arrival

Ellie surprised us with a early whelp

Due Date Window

A dogs due date is an approximate date. When calculating a dogs due date , we count 63 days after mating. A dog can safely give birth between 58 and 65 days from mating. Ellie Surprised us yesterday by going into labor early on day 59.

Labor Begins

Ellie went into labor early in the morning. By noon we knew the time was close and took her to the whelping box, wrapped her tail and waited with her for the first puppy to arrive

Because whelping is a messy business we wrap Ellie’s tail to keep it clean
Ellie breaks the puppy’s sac
Ellie cleans her baby
We rub puppies with a towel to help dry them
Watch as a newborn puppy crawls to join his littermates to nurse
It is important to get newborn puppies nursing as soon as possible to get the important first milk called colostrum. This protein-rich special milk provides passive immunity to the newborn puppies. Passive immunity can last several weeks and protect them from various infections and diseases.

Adorable newborn faces

Ellie delivered her first puppy at 1:05 pm and the last puppy at 3:12 pm. The total whelping time was just over two hours. Ellie had six puppies in her litter – 4 boys, and 2 girls.

Left to Right: Female, Male, Female, Male, Male, Male

Ellie looks very tired after a job well done. It is a hard job whelping and Ellie will spend the next few days sleeping and caring for her babies.

Ellie & Brinkleys 2023 litter

May 15, 2023

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Echo’s Puppies Have Gone To Their Forever Homes

Today our last puppy left us and our house is quiet house again but, not for long. Ellie’s puppies are expected in a weeks time. I don’t have time to spend missing our puppies because I have to concentrate on preparations for raising another litter.

Echo was a great mama and did a wonderful job raising her litter. She is now back at home with her guardian family.

Puppy Pick-up days are always busy. Our puppies are bathed, brushed and blow-dried, nails trimmed, ears cleaned and then time to take the adorable Go-Home Picture. As always, some puppies are easier than others to capture their pic but they all look adorable with their fluffy coats and little bandana.

Echo’s Puppies Go-Home Pictures

TIMBER – Grey Collar Boy
GEORGIA – Orange Collar Girl
PIPER – Purple Collar Girl
JAKE – White Collar Boy
FINN – Yellow Collar Girl
LUCA – Black Collar Boy
REIGNY – Pink Collar Girl
CHOJI – Light Blue Collar Boy
CALIE – Green Collar Girl
DELILAH – Red Collar Girl

Saying Good-Bye

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!

I always look forward to hearing how your puppy is doing and seeing pictures of them as they grow. We have set up a litter page of Echo’s litter under the Past Puppy Tab. ! will post updated pictures as we receive them. It is always fun to watch the littermates as they grow!

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Eight Weeks Old Now and Look How They Have Grown

Echo’s sweet babies are now eight weeks old. They have grown from helpless newborns to the adorable, active puppies they are today. The love to play together, chasing each other and go exploring.

Preparing for Puppies Go-Home Day

It is always bittersweet the day before puppies leave. You are excited for their forever families and just imagine the joy they will bring but, sad to say good-bye.

There is lots to do to get ready for puppies to leave. Paperwork, pack their puppy bags with some treats. Also the daily chores of caring for the puppies, cleaning, laundry etc. Keeping busy helps keep my mind from thinking of saying good-bye.

PACKING THE PUPPY BAGS

Puppy Adventure – gone wrong!

While I did the preparations for Go-Home day that begins tomorrow, my husband Tom took over the duties of watching the puppies by himself. The puppies were playing in the big yard while he kept an eye on them and every now and then he would practice the “Puppy, Puppy” recall. On one of the recalls when the puppies came to him, he noticed he was four puppies short. So he put all the puppies in the puppy enclosure on the deck and began looking for the four missing puppies.

Tom discovered that the missing puppies had gone under the deck and didn’t know how to get out. They had gone in a hole under the stairs and continued to explore under our deck.

We can thank Echo for the hole under the stairs. We noticed Echo digging a few days ago. When we noticed this Tom said “I had better fill that in”. Which he didn’t do it soon enough. The puppies found their way in.

Tom to the Rescue

I came out to try to keep the puppies calm. They were scared and whining loudly. Tom went in to gather some tools and returned to remove a board and rescue the puppies.

Video: Puppy Adventure Gone Wrong

Not to worry, all four puppies made it out safe and sound but very dirty. Just for the record, all the lost puppies were girls – Pink, Yellow, Red, and Purple Collar.

It is never a dull moment around here. Taking care of a litter of puppies is a full time job!

After the puppy rescue, Tom went to work right away and refilled the hole LOL!

Crate Training

The puppies have started crate training this week. Some puppies love their crate while others love to protest. This is something that the forever families will continue to work on at home.

After our ordeal today we fed the puppies their lunch and put them in their crates for a nap. I forgot to cover some of the crates which I quickly corrected. Covering the crate with a blanket makes it feel like a cozy den. The puppy should think of their crate as their safe place.

I gave them a piece of a biscuit for a treat to help them settle. Some puppies ate their biscuit and went right to sleep. A few puppies complained loudly but soon settled and went to sleep too.

Some of the puppies didn’t like the door closed and let me know by whining

When we put the puppies in their crate I give them half a biscuit for a treat. Sometimes this helps distract them and think of their crate as something good.

Finally, all the puppies settled and had a nap

LOOKING AHEAD

The puppies are leaving this week for their forever homes. You have a lot of work ahead of you correcting, training and caring for your new puppy but be patient, they are still learning. The time and work you put in to training your puppy pays off when you have a loving well behaved dog that will love you as only a dog can – unconditionally. You will be the most important person in the world to them. 

It’s is always bittersweet saying goodbye to our puppies. I have enjoyed every minute of their care and they have a piece of my heart. It is with sadness I say goodbye to my puppies, but it brings me joy to see the excited families smiles and to know that our puppies are joining such wonderful, loving, forever families. 

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An Exciting Day As Puppies Run in the Big Yard

Puppies Run in the Big Yard

The puppies have had another new and exciting experience. They got to go and explore the big yard. This is always a highlight for us as we watch the puppies experience this freedom. It never takes long before they are running around, chasing each other, and stopping to smell so many new things.

Watch the puppies exploring the yard. They had a great time! You may notice in the video that some of the puppies were quite dirty. This is because we still have some mud in our yard and like every dog, they love to get dirty. After so much fun and exercise the puppies came back into the house for a long nap

Teaching Puppies to Submit

When the puppies move to the big yard for exercise this give their mama Echo the opportunity of teaching her puppies in a bigger area. Of course Maui the nanny wants to give Echo a hand. They are teaching the puppies dog manners; to listen and submit. When the puppy submits, they lay on the back in the submit position.

I took a little video of Maui making one of the puppies submit.

Practicing Puppy Recall

I also work with the puppies during this time to teach recall. Recall is a lesson that the puppies will learn over a long period of time. The puppies will continue learning from their forever families

While the puppies are playing and exploring, I will call them with the “Puppy Call”. This is how we beginning teaching recall.
I have been practicing recall during the big yard experience. The puppies love attention so when they hear me calling them they love to come for a pat.

When is was time to head back home, I called the puppies. You can see in the video the progress they are making. Such smart puppies!

Crate Trainning

Pictured above is our new set up. We have set up the crates and are beginning crate training. The puppies have been exposed to the open crate since we removed their whelping box from the puppy area. They have been able to come and go as they pleased. Sometimes the puppies go to the crate to sleep by themselves or with a buddy. Now they will be sleeping by themselves with the door closed.

I have covered the crates with blankets to make it like a den, but they can still see the puppy that will be sleeping in the crate beside them.

The first part of crate training, the puppies take a nap in the crate with the door closed. Next part, just before the puppies start to head home, they will sleep all night in their crate with the door closed. This can only be done just before the puppies turn eight weeks and can “hold it” for a longer time between potty breaks.

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Echo’s Sweet Six Week Old Puppies Love To Play

LOOKING BACK

Echo’s sweet puppies are six weeks old today. Although the puppies are now awake more they still sleep much of the day.

We have had a great week caring for the puppies and introducing them to so many new things . They have grown bigger and we can see each unique personality developing. The puppies have now progressed to eating softened kibble.

This past week we have had “Summer Weather” with temperatures in the high 20’s. The puppies have spent their days outside on the deck exploring, playing, eating their meals, and of course getting lots of sleep.

Outdoor Play

Exercise is important for puppies to build strong bodies but, puppies must also be challenged to build strong minds. One of the ways this is accomplished by regularly introducing new toys.

On Saturday I was making puppy blankets by cutting up bolts of material. The material had an edging that had to be cut off. Instead of throwing out the offcuts I had an idea. I decided to make braided ropes from the offcuts. It was a great idea because not only did the puppies get a new toy which they love, it was FREE!

Watch the puppies as they play with their new ropes

Water Play

Goldendoodles love the water! It is important to introduce water to them slowly so that they are not scared. Puppies need to explore water on their own. So, because of our unseasonably hot weather this past week I decided it would be the perfect time to introduce water to the puppies.

I used a boot tray filled with water. Because it is only two inches deep, it makes the perfect container for a little puppy pool.

The puppies just got their feet wet and didn’t want to spend time in the water. They thought it was a big drinking bowl ! 😂

Potty Training Continues

With the introduction of outside play, it is more of a challenge to teach the puppies to “go” in one spot which is the potty box. This is because when a puppy has access to a large area, they more away to “go” but not necessarily in the box. I have been correcting the puppies by taking them to the potty box. Some puppies are better than others but they are all making progress. Watch as Pink Collar Girl goes to the potty box all by herself!👏

A Look Back at the Past Week

The puppies love their outdoor play time. They are learning what is acceptable play when wrestling with each other. If they bite the other puppy too hard, the puppy gives a sharp high pitch yelp to let the other puppy know “that hurts!” If the puppy continues to play too rough, other puppies won’t want to play with them.

Things to watch for in the video

  • Puppies playing in the tunnel
  • Puppies wrestle with each other
  • Puppies learn that Maui doesn’t have any milk 😂

LOOKING AHEAD TO WEEK SEVEN

  • Puppies time spent awake will continue to increase
  • We will continue to encourage puppies to use potty area
  • Socializing and learn from each other through play
  • Learning to submit
  • Meeting their forever families on Saturday
  • Will begin transitioning to dry kibble
  • As always, puppies will continue to get lots of cuddle time