Mariah’s Puppy Journey – A Whole New World!
The puppies are now 3 ½ weeks old. The changes from last week to this week are beyond remarkable!! Their eyes are open and they can hear everything now. They are walking and galloping in a toddler sort of way. Real food is now on the menu three times a day. Little stuffed toys, soft toys, balls and a few tiny agility items are now a daily activity. They are play bowing and biting each other. Teeth are coming in and Mariah does not want to nurse them much anymore because it hurts!
I have moved them from their wooden whelping box to a very large exercise pen in the livingroom to keep them safe but it allows them to see and hear everything in the house. They see the other dogs going in and out the door. All the kitchen noise of food preparation, and clanging pots and pans are a part of everyday life now. Noise familiarization is imperative at this age so that as they grow, things will not startle them such as honking car horns, a shake of a plastic bag, or a hair dryer. This is a great part of a breeder’s responsibility to see that puppies have this stimulation for puppies to make the transition into the real world with as little stress as possible.
I am thrilled to see that noises don’t bother my puppies. Yesterday, I ran the vacuum in their giant exercise pen. They were asleep at the time. Only one looked up to see what it was then went back to sleep! I LOVE that they will not have noise sensitivities when they are adults! Noise sensitivity is such a difficult behavior to deal with if a puppy has issues.
I leave cartoons on the television when I am gone so they hear lots of different sounds only cartoons can make. They see all the movement on the television in the living room – fast moving objects that are highly unusual. Bach and Beethoven are on the radio on alternate days. Condor has already developed an interest in playing the cello!
There are always conflicting thoughts about how old puppies should be to socialize with people outside the breeder’s family or other family pets. A responsible breeder will be well versed in the critical emotional develop periods and provide safe socialization and educational events to help their puppies be the best they can be. Responsible breeders will always turn to their vet and continually research the newest, well founded scientific studies.
During this critical period of growth, it is imperative that puppies are exposed to as many safe socialization events as possible to grow up as healthy individuals. Puppies that are not well socialized early on may suffer the consequences with fearful behaviors that are very difficult to turn around and often mistaken for prior abuse.
While genetic temperament is critical in the formation of who a dog becomes, environment is also critical. This past weekend, the pups got to meet my grandson! They were immediately drawn to Ben and climbed over him, and sniffed him everywhere! These are not only endearing moments, but invaluable as the puppies grow and develop!
Caption: My grandson, Ben, with puppy “Condor” enjoying each other’s company with close supervision.
