We will try to add updates to this page as our puppies grow and develop. This will give you a means to see how the individual puppies are maturing and insights to their personality. The exercises we do with the puppies are mainly extensions of our playtime with the pups. We do short sessions with lots of praise and fun. The puppies are being introduced to new stimuli and situations by these sessions.
April 16th, 2011 @ 5 weeks of age
Swimming lessons today in the jacuzzi:
Tegan: Needed coaching at first but then swam well.
Bridget: Immediately started swimming, flailed some but swam well
Cullen: Needed coaching, dropped rear but progressed.
Melvin: Needed coaching, dropped rear and tried to stand but did some swimming.
Brenna: Swam well.
Patrick: Very good swimmer right off.
Nadine: Very good swimmer right off as well.
Summary: The best pups at swimming today were Bridget, Patrick, and Nadine. All showed improvement during their brief lesson.
The pups' first swim lesson was given at 4 weeks of age. They didn't seem to have a paddling response. I believe they were just too young.
This lesson they were more responsive.
April 17th, 2011
Puppies went outside for a play session with our mini dachshund, Kona. Kona is particularly good at romping with pups. She's gentle yet very energetic.
The pups loved playing with Kona. Tegan tried to take Kona down.
I also brought out a pheasant wing on a string. Melvin, Tegan, and Cullen were the most interested in chasing the wing with Cullen being the most persistent.
Bridget displayed mild interest. Brenna was the most interested of the females. Patrick came in late in the game and showed definite interest. Nadine was more
interested in wrestling other puppies.
April 18th, 2011
Today a play session in the yard included the use of a rag tied to a buggy whip. The rag was pulled across the yard and puppies gave chase. Tegan, Cullen, Melvin and Bridget were the most interested. Tegan was very persistent with chasing and catching the rag.
April 19th, 2011
All the pups went for another brief swim in the jacuzzi. All showed much improvement in swimming skills. i can't say the pups actually like the swimming lessons but they are learning to swim.
April 20th, 2011
The puppies are supplied with lots of play equipment. A box serves as a small tunnel. The lid of a trash can wobbles and is a fun fort. A wobble board makes noise and moves. A short board on blocks is a small dog walk. All these help to introduce different concepts to the puppies.
Went outside for a brief game of catch the rag. This time Brenna and Tegan were the ringleaders. Melvin and Patrick also joined in.
April 21st, 2011
The puppies turned 6 weeks old today. They went in for their first health exam and vaccine. All went well and they didn't seem to miss a beat.
Wow! What a difference a few days make! This afternoon the litter went outside for pheasant wing chasing. Bridget and Brenna immediately latched on. Tegan very quickly came over and commandeered the wing. Melvin took over the wing later and was reluctant to release it. All the puppies except for Nadine really went after the wing. Nadine showed more interest than usual. Patrick is also really turning on to the wing.
I played fetch with a paper ball this morning. Tegan and Bridget were the most interested. Melvin, Cullen and Brenna joined in as well.
Personalities continue to form. Here's the latest observations:
Melvin: Easy going, but turns on to games. Largest boy.
Cullen:Most outgoing boy, good at chase games
Tegan:Most prey drive and biddable.
Patrick:Likes to visit and sit in lap, quieter boy. Smallest male.
Bridget:The most outgoing of the litter, good prey drive
Brenna:Becoming more outgoing, good prey drive
Nadine: Friendly, lap puppy. Most petite of the litter.
April 22nd, 2011
Today puppies were started on their housebreaking. As soon as they consume a meal, they are ushered outside into our dog yard. They are starting to learn the word "Outside" and understand it means to head for the door.
Once outside we played a catch the rag game. Again, the two girls Brenna and Bridget were the first to chase. Tegan and Melvin took chase as well. Tegan again gripped onto the rag and was reluctant to let go. All the litter soon joined in the chase.
Twice today the puppies were allowed loose in our living room area to play with the older dogs. Rose, a white standard, enjoys playing with the pups. Kona, the mini dachsund ran and wrestled with the puppies. Our newest canine member, Stella, a mini poodle also romped with the pups. Our alpha female, Princess Molly, interacted some but mainly wanted to discipline pups. All in all it was a good introduction to other dogs.
April 25th, 2011
We had a busy Easter weekend and had fun with the pups. Another wing session on Sunday night with the entire litter going after the wing at first sight. Brenna, Tegan, Bridget, and Cullen being the most "on" to the wing at first. Melvin joined in later. Brenna really hung on to the wing and lasted well. Tegan took over from Brenna. Patrick and Nadine showed increased interest.
Today, Monday, faces were shaved followed by a photo shoot. The pups are also being crated at night to start their introduction to crates.
April 27th and 28th, 2011 7 weeks of age
Yesterday was the last swimming lesson held in our jacuzzi tub. The pups are outgrowing my "swimming" facility. All were much improved with the two smallest pups, Partick and Nadine, doing the best.
Today we had a tug of war game in the morning with a rag on a string. All the pups show an increased drive to chase with Tegan and Brenna the most persistant.
When taken out individually to play retrieve with a pheasant wing, all retrieved quite well, all except Nadine that is. Brenna retrieved very well but was a bit concerned about the new location. She has a high drive but needs more confidence in new situations. Tegan shows the highest drive so far of the boys and can be a bit independent. Melvin will work and is a bit more laid back. Cullen shows a good drive and willingness to please. Patrick shows good retrieving skills and is a lover. Bridget retrieves well, shows good drive and is a bit more confident. Nadine is a lap puppy.
May 2nd, 2011
We've been busy the last few days. Puppies are now crated every night and have multiple trips to the dog yard during the day for a start on housebreaking. Leash training started also.
One day we took the puppies on a visit to the barn. I wanted for them to experience the sights, smells, and sounds of our goats and horses. For the pups safety, I put them in an empty horse stall. I thought they'd like to dig in the sandy stall and play. Nope! The pups thought they were in a bad prison! They howled and whined. With all the racket the goats were very nervous. The goats were convinced I'd brought "wolves" out to eat them! Let's just say the outing was not a success. The goats were frightened, milk production was down, and I ended up with a bunch of puppies that smelled like horse!
More individual wing retrieval resulted in all pups but Nadine enthusiastically retrieving. We've also gone on some romps out in the "big" world with the pups. I always take an adult poodle with the pups to help guide and socialize.
I want to take them on an extended walks but will stick close to the house. A brown bear killed a moose in our neighbors' yard on Saturday night. That means the bear could bed down most anywhere close by. I don't want pups to be a bear snack. Besides brown or black bears, we have eagles and owls, coyotes and wolves. That means the pups are kept close and not allowed to be unattended at anytime outside, even in the dog yard.
May 7th, 2011
Yesterday the puppies were evaluated using the P.A.T. Volhard method for temperament. They were also given a conformation critique. Photos taken at the critique and the P.A.T. results will be posted shortly. I was very pleased with the temperaments produced in this litter. Sometimes, when giving the P.A.T. some surprises occur. In this case, Nadine, who has shown little interest in retrieving till now, decided that retrieving was her game after all. All puppies scored as having a good or high prey drive. Stability was good. Overall the puppies scored as being good candidates for being good companions that are highly trainable.
As to other activities, the puppies have been on several walks this week, always keeping an eye out for the brown bear and cub that took a moose nearby. Thankfully no sign of the bear has been noted during the day. The pups have been on leash and been crated each night. They've also been on car rides. I found a play tunnel and hope to start playing with it today.
May 21st, 2011
We've had fun this week, mainly with nice long walks this week. We are down to three puppies; Tegan, Patrick, and Nadine. The weather has permitted some great outside time just rambling.
The pups are doing well with being crated overnight.
Working with the tunnel was fun. Tegan caught on immediately. Patrick and Nadine needed some coaching at first but clued in fast.
