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.
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.
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.
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.
Look At Our Adorable 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
Willow’s Puppies First Outdoor Adventure
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!
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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.
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!
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!
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Four Weeks Old – WOW, time passes by so quickly!
Four weeks old already – WOW, time passes by so quickly! I am a couple days late getting our four-week post out. This is because we have been busy with preparations for our daughters upcoming wedding in January, wedding invitations, and bridal showers. All these things and a little under the weather as well. Even though we have had these things added to our plate, our puppies care has not suffered, and they have had lots of love and attention.
It is hard to believe that our puppies are already four weeks old and have progressed so much. A lot has happened this past week. Such as, milk teeth have erupted, moving to the main floor, hind leg becoming stronger, better balance while walking, awake time increased, and more socializing with their littermates through play. Also, our puppies have been practicing their vocalizing and can now growl and bark as you will hear in the videos.
Weaning Under Way
Weaning is well under way. This process is achieved by reducing milk from mama, drinking water from their bowl, and getting most of their nutrition from their puppy food. The puppies are doing well on their food and are always excited for another meal!
Potty Training Under Way
Potty training is also under way and the puppies are making great progress. Although we still have a lot of work to do in this area, I am pleased with their progress so far. This is because there have been less accidents in their whelping box and lots of success in the potty box. Because the puppies are doing so well with their potty training, yesterday we decided to give them more room by removing their whelping box and expanding their puppy area.
Socialization
As I have mentioned before, socialization is important when raising puppies. We have achieved this by introducing our puppies to different people young and old. This helps the puppies to be calm and seek out humans for companionship. The puppies love spending time with us, and it is very apparent when they all run to sit on our laps for a cuddle.
Socialization not only involves interaction with different people but includes many things. Some of these things are new noises, different walking surfaces, and the introduction of different toys as well as challenges. We will achieve these things throughout the coming weeks as we challenge the puppies with as many new experiences. It is through these new experiences that will help strengthen the puppies’ body and brain.
LOOKING AHEAD TO WEEK FIVE
- Awake time will increase
- Continued to socialize with each other through play
- Balance will continue to improve and they will begin to run
- Puppies will continue learning to use potty area
- Daily visits to the Puppy Exercise Area where they will play and explore
- Mama will now add the invaluable teaching phase to her caring & protecting responsibilities over the next weeks.
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Exciting News, Our Puppies Are On The Move!!!
Exciting News, Our puppies are on the move
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.
THE PUPPIES ARE ON THE MOVE!
It was a busy morning preparing the new puppy area before the actual move began. Why you ask, because preparing the puppy area is a big job!
The main floor puppy enclosure is set up just off my kitchen located at the centre of our house. The reason I choose this area is because it is by the door outside and the puppies will experience the most interactions in this spot.
At first, the puppies only have access to a small area – the whelping box and potty area only. The puppies will sleep and play in their whelping box and have access to their potty box just outside the entrance. The mama’s elevated beds are next to the whelping box which they can sleep on. Also, the beds help when she jumps into the whelping box to care her puppies.
We have fencing enclosing the whole puppy area, with a fence in the middle dividing the two whelping boxes to keep the litters separate. The fence gates will be left open so our mamas are able to come and go as they please to care for her puppies.
First we moved Willow’s litter. After that, it was Ellie’s litter’s turn to make the big move.
Next – potty training begins.
The puppies are now going potty without the help of their mother. Therefore it is important to begin “potty training” at this age. The reason for this is 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. So, for the next few days I will 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 potty anywhere. So we teach them “there is an acceptable place to go potty” at young age. The reason for this is to stop 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.
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WOW, Our Sweet Puppies Are Already Three Weeks Old!
Looking Back
Three weeks old already – how quickly time passes! This week the puppies have been progressing rapidly. They continue to gain weight and grow bigger with each passing day. Their eyes are fully opened, and vision is improving. Their ears are open, and they can now hear. Some of our puppies’ milk teeth have started to erupt. Their hind legs have become much stronger as they have been practicing walking on all fours. The puppies are much more aware of their surroundings and have begun to play with each other. They have become quite noisy as they practice their vocalizing. It is so cute in the daytime but not so much in the middle of the night 😴LOL.
Daily Cuddles
The puppies continue to receive lots of cuddles daily. My grandchildren are great helpers with this. I love to share this learning experience with them; teaching them to love and respect animals and to be gentle. The older ones have learned this already but my one- year-old granddaughter is still learning and has to be reminded! Our puppies already love human interaction – when I enter the whelping box, it isn’t long before I have a lap full of puppies🐾😊🐾.
Critical Socialization Period
Now that the puppies can hear and react to noise, they are entering 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. We will work with the puppies over the next five weeks on the Puppy Culture Protocols.
There are 7 key things that will nurture the emotional intelligence of a puppy:
- Communication – giving a puppy his own voice i.e. Manding and attention/distraction protocols
- Emotional stability – the ability to recover easily from fear as well as stress i.e., startle recovery, barrier challenges etc
- Habituation – familiarity with the maximum number of things (Puppy Parties, sound protocols, household noises , meeting different people, dogs etc.)
- 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.)
- Health – physical wellness and motor skills that will allow the puppy to develop in a neurologically and physically sound way (daily weight checks, grooming, proper nutrition, fecal checks, and deworming, if necessary, vet health checks and vaccinations)
- 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.
- 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.
- Shaping emotional responses: happy and calm CER (Conditioned Emotional Responses)
Look at these cuties
This morning (Saturday 19th), we took videos of the puppies when we returned them to their clean whelping boxes. Have a look at the videos to see our adorable three-week-old puppies.
Looking Ahead To Week Four
- Puppies will still sleep much of the day/night as they continue to grow rapidly
- Puppies will play with each other developing important social skills
- Puppies’ hind legs will continue to become stronger as they walk more
- Hearing will improve
- Puppy milk teeth will erupt
- Puppies will be moving to the main floor mid-week and begin potty training
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Look, All Our Eyes Are Now Opened
I always say, when the puppies eyes open, they seem to come alive. Have a look at our puppies two week singles. Don’t you agree? Over the next few weeks, we are looking forward to seeing their personalities develop as we introduce them to so many new things!
I tried to get these singles for our “two week old” blog but, it is never an easy job taking puppy pictures. I had to take these pics over a two day period. Willow’s puppies wouldn’t co-operate the first day so, I tried again the next day. If you think Willow’s puppies don’t look very alert, you are correct. I thought I would have better luck if they had a full tummy and that always makes them sleepy! d
Ellie & Brinkleys Litter
1245 grams
1085 grams
1150 grams
1000 grams
1295 grams
1165 grams
1180 grams
1240 grams
Approximately half Ellie and Brinkley’s puppies will be Flat Coat Goldendoodles (retriever type – no beard). It is not until the puppies are six weeks of age that it is apparent which will be Flat Coats and which will be Teddy Bear. Whatever type they are, Ellie and Brinkley produce smart, loving, gentle puppies. We have had great feedback from their forever families. Some of their past puppies are emotional support dogs for a family member.
Willow and Brinkley’s Litter
965 grams
985 grams
940 grams
1005 grams
950 grams
995 grams
895 grams
1020 grams
1070 grams
Willow and Brinkley have the genetics to produce a vast variety of colours and patterns. All of their puppies will be Teddy Bear Goldendoodles. We have received great feedback from the families of their first litter.
