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Holistic Puppy Log - Birth through week 1
- Thread starter Dr. Sara
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2018
- Messages
- 326
Puppy Log - Week Seven
The pups are growing well. They are all each still eating the same amount; now up to 5 ounces three times a day today. We increase each day, and no one has left anything on any day, and they are all at good weights, with ribs that one can easily feel. All weigh ten pounds or more, and everyone gained at least a pound this week.
Pups had a few different foods this week. Their favourite was the fish skins, paws down!
Another new treat was venison and chicken jerky, and I used a trachea (not my own, a cow’s) as a pacifier while I trimmed their toenails. I did this in the open garage, during a thunderstorm, and the pups accepted the nail trim and the weather with no fuss.
They also started fish oil, 200 mg once daily on their breakfast, topped with their raw yogurt.
I started a teaspoon of pumpkin in the evening to see if a little more fiber might help them be a bit less ravenous at breakfast. They don’t cry in the morning until they see me actually coming in the pen, but the way they dive into their food is pretty intense.
The pups are always fed individually, and they eat many of their meals on top of the big crate. I comb them out every morning. This week we graduated from the flea comb to a big dog comb.
The pups enjoy meeting more friends. This bunch welcomes everyone, swarming up people when possible, and usually gnawing - gently or otherwise - on body parts! They like playing tug, and will gnaw on the Zogoflex toys that are in the pen.
The pups had time loose in the house and yard individually with the older dogs. Maerzen was a little too protective in the yard, trying to herd them back inside, so we had them with Great Grandmum Rubiy in the yard. Ru loves pups, and is incredibly gentle with them, even when they are pesky. Grandmum Rheswyn like to clean them, but she is a bit rough. Rubiy cleans gently, as if she were stroking a butterfly. Rheswyn cleans like she is removing a coat of paint. Maerzen often pushes between Rhes and the puppy; perhaps Maerzen remembers those days? In the house Maerzen follows the puppies, and if they want to play, she will mouth tussle with them. Only a few still try to try to nurse, and she moves away rather quickly - guess she is ready to have her figure back!
We continue to work with habituating the pups to new sounds, sights, and experiences. When working with pups, it is important to be a coach and cheerleader. These pups need encouragement if they are worried. Think ‘You can do it, we will do it together’ manner and tone of voice. ‘Poor baby, are you scared?’ sounds like whining to a pup, and does not inspire confidence!
Vacuuming near the pen seemed to worry the pups, so I moved the vacuum away and fed treats until they decided it was not a big deal. One pup was especially concerned, so I held her in my arms and walked around the room at a good distance from the vacuum until she was more relaxed. When pups are afraid of something, you want to create a good association without frightening them. Oddly, when John plays drums in the lower level, they come to the front of the pen and sing along.
I set the bottle pool up this week, with a ramp up to the top. I let the pups decide what they want to do with it. All of them climbed on the ramp, but only four went in, which is fine. Even if they don’t choose to go in, they hear the noise and see what the others are doing. I’ll set it up again this week.
Individual leash walking continued. The collars the pups are wearing now are quick release safety collars, so if they were to get tangled in the pen the collar will pop open. This means that if they get afraid and yank back on the leash, the collar will pop open. These collars are good for teaching here in a confined space with which they are familiar, but they will need a collar that does not pop open for leash walking. I use a plain flat collar with a quick release buckle for all training, and a safety collar with ID tags in the house.
We are slowly introducing stairs. All pups tried going up two stairs, most succeeded easily. We are careful and slow about going down stairs, and we only allow pups to go down one stair on to grass or a cushioned mat. A lot of the pups were worried about this, so I gently helped them down.
Car rides went about as well as expected. They did a lot of screaming for the first ten minutes, then calmed down, with occasional talking. I took three or four at a time, one solo in a crate, and two or three together in a larger crate. I had a ice bottle in each crate, as being cool helps them settle down. From loading to unloading, it was over half an hour for each set; about twenty minutes of driving. I will do this at least once more, and I will try to give them two more rides. I can pop treats in the crate when they are quiet, the goal is to give them positive associations.
I am hoping for some warm weather for water play. At any rate, we will see what the pups think of wheelie bins, umbrellas, and bicycles this week!
All of the new families know which pup will be theirs. They will let us know what call name to start using, so we can give that a positive association, too. I will continue to use the colours as well in the posts.
All pups will get an AKC registration name. The name can have up to 36 characters, counting spaces. All of the pups will have Bernvonrust as part of their name, and I hope the new families will include the bird name, as it helps me remember which litter is which! This will take up 17 - 20 spaces, including the space before or after those two names.
It is hard to believe the pups will start going to their forever families in less than two weeks. Our house will feel so empty, and ten other homes will have bouncy baby Berners!
Two pictures: The top is Greatgrandmum Ru with a pup, the second is Mum Maerzen mouth wrestling a pup
The pups are growing well. They are all each still eating the same amount; now up to 5 ounces three times a day today. We increase each day, and no one has left anything on any day, and they are all at good weights, with ribs that one can easily feel. All weigh ten pounds or more, and everyone gained at least a pound this week.
Pups had a few different foods this week. Their favourite was the fish skins, paws down!
Another new treat was venison and chicken jerky, and I used a trachea (not my own, a cow’s) as a pacifier while I trimmed their toenails. I did this in the open garage, during a thunderstorm, and the pups accepted the nail trim and the weather with no fuss.
They also started fish oil, 200 mg once daily on their breakfast, topped with their raw yogurt.
I started a teaspoon of pumpkin in the evening to see if a little more fiber might help them be a bit less ravenous at breakfast. They don’t cry in the morning until they see me actually coming in the pen, but the way they dive into their food is pretty intense.
The pups are always fed individually, and they eat many of their meals on top of the big crate. I comb them out every morning. This week we graduated from the flea comb to a big dog comb.
The pups enjoy meeting more friends. This bunch welcomes everyone, swarming up people when possible, and usually gnawing - gently or otherwise - on body parts! They like playing tug, and will gnaw on the Zogoflex toys that are in the pen.
The pups had time loose in the house and yard individually with the older dogs. Maerzen was a little too protective in the yard, trying to herd them back inside, so we had them with Great Grandmum Rubiy in the yard. Ru loves pups, and is incredibly gentle with them, even when they are pesky. Grandmum Rheswyn like to clean them, but she is a bit rough. Rubiy cleans gently, as if she were stroking a butterfly. Rheswyn cleans like she is removing a coat of paint. Maerzen often pushes between Rhes and the puppy; perhaps Maerzen remembers those days? In the house Maerzen follows the puppies, and if they want to play, she will mouth tussle with them. Only a few still try to try to nurse, and she moves away rather quickly - guess she is ready to have her figure back!
We continue to work with habituating the pups to new sounds, sights, and experiences. When working with pups, it is important to be a coach and cheerleader. These pups need encouragement if they are worried. Think ‘You can do it, we will do it together’ manner and tone of voice. ‘Poor baby, are you scared?’ sounds like whining to a pup, and does not inspire confidence!
Vacuuming near the pen seemed to worry the pups, so I moved the vacuum away and fed treats until they decided it was not a big deal. One pup was especially concerned, so I held her in my arms and walked around the room at a good distance from the vacuum until she was more relaxed. When pups are afraid of something, you want to create a good association without frightening them. Oddly, when John plays drums in the lower level, they come to the front of the pen and sing along.
I set the bottle pool up this week, with a ramp up to the top. I let the pups decide what they want to do with it. All of them climbed on the ramp, but only four went in, which is fine. Even if they don’t choose to go in, they hear the noise and see what the others are doing. I’ll set it up again this week.
Individual leash walking continued. The collars the pups are wearing now are quick release safety collars, so if they were to get tangled in the pen the collar will pop open. This means that if they get afraid and yank back on the leash, the collar will pop open. These collars are good for teaching here in a confined space with which they are familiar, but they will need a collar that does not pop open for leash walking. I use a plain flat collar with a quick release buckle for all training, and a safety collar with ID tags in the house.
We are slowly introducing stairs. All pups tried going up two stairs, most succeeded easily. We are careful and slow about going down stairs, and we only allow pups to go down one stair on to grass or a cushioned mat. A lot of the pups were worried about this, so I gently helped them down.
Car rides went about as well as expected. They did a lot of screaming for the first ten minutes, then calmed down, with occasional talking. I took three or four at a time, one solo in a crate, and two or three together in a larger crate. I had a ice bottle in each crate, as being cool helps them settle down. From loading to unloading, it was over half an hour for each set; about twenty minutes of driving. I will do this at least once more, and I will try to give them two more rides. I can pop treats in the crate when they are quiet, the goal is to give them positive associations.
I am hoping for some warm weather for water play. At any rate, we will see what the pups think of wheelie bins, umbrellas, and bicycles this week!
All of the new families know which pup will be theirs. They will let us know what call name to start using, so we can give that a positive association, too. I will continue to use the colours as well in the posts.
All pups will get an AKC registration name. The name can have up to 36 characters, counting spaces. All of the pups will have Bernvonrust as part of their name, and I hope the new families will include the bird name, as it helps me remember which litter is which! This will take up 17 - 20 spaces, including the space before or after those two names.
It is hard to believe the pups will start going to their forever families in less than two weeks. Our house will feel so empty, and ten other homes will have bouncy baby Berners!
Two pictures: The top is Greatgrandmum Ru with a pup, the second is Mum Maerzen mouth wrestling a pup
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2018
- Messages
- 326
Pup Log - Week Seven
The pups are growing well. They are all each still eating the same amount; now up to 5 ounces three times a day today. We increase each day, and no one has left anything on any day, and they are all at good weights, with ribs that one can easily feel. All weigh ten pounds or more, and everyone gained at least a pound this week.
Pups had a few different foods this week. Their favourite was the fish skins, paws down!
Another new treat was venison and chicken jerky, and I used a trachea (not my own, a cow’s) as a pacifier while I trimmed their toenails. I did this in the open garage, during a thunderstorm, and the pups accepted the nail trim and the weather with no fuss.
They also started fish oil, 200 mg once daily on their breakfast, topped with their raw yogurt.
I started a teaspoon of pumpkin in the evening to see if a little more fiber might help them be a bit less ravenous at breakfast. They don’t cry in the morning until they see me actually coming in the pen, but the way they dive into their food is pretty intense.
The pups are always fed individually, and they eat many of their meals on top of the big crate. I comb them out every morning. This week we graduated from the flea comb to a big dog comb.
The pups enjoy meeting more friends. This bunch welcomes everyone, swarming up people when possible, and usually gnawing - gently or otherwise - on body parts! They like playing tug, and will gnaw on the Zogoflex toys that are in the pen.
The pups had time loose in the house and yard individually with the older dogs. Maerzen was a little too protective in the yard, trying to herd them back inside, so we had them with Great Grandmum Rubiy in the yard. Ru loves pups, and is incredibly gentle with them, even when they are pesky. Grandmum Rheswyn like to clean them, but she is a bit rough. Rubiy cleans gently, as if she were stroking a butterfly. Rheswyn cleans like she is removing a coat of paint. Maerzen often pushes between Rhes and the puppy; perhaps Maerzen remembers those days? In the house Maerzen follows the puppies, and if they want to play, she will mouth tussle with them. Only a few still try to try to nurse, and she moves away rather quickly - guess she is ready to have her figure back!
We continue to work with habituating the pups to new sounds, sights, and experiences. When working with pups, it is important to be a coach and cheerleader. These pups need encouragement if they are worried. Think ‘You can do it, we will do it together’ manner and tone of voice. ‘Poor baby, are you scared?’ sounds like whining to a pup, and does not inspire confidence!
Vacuuming near the pen seemed to worry the pups, so I moved the vacuum away and fed treats until they decided it was not a big deal. One pup was especially concerned, so I held her in my arms and walked around the room at a good distance from the vacuum until she was more relaxed. When pups are afraid of something, you want to create a good association without frightening them. Oddly, when John plays drums in the lower level, they come to the front of the pen and sing along.
I set the bottle pool up this week, with a ramp up to the top. I let the pups decide what they want to do with it. All of them climbed on the ramp, but only four went in, which is fine. Even if they don’t choose to go in, they hear the noise and see what the others are doing. I’ll set it up again this week.
Individual leash walking continued. The collars the pups are wearing now are quick release safety collars, so if they were to get tangled in the pen the collar will pop open. This means that if they get afraid and yank back on the leash, the collar will pop open. These collars are good for teaching here in a confined space with which they are familiar, but they will need a collar that does not pop open for leash walking. I use a plain flat collar with a quick release buckle for all training, and a safety collar with ID tags in the house.
We are slowly introducing stairs. All pups tried going up two stairs, most succeeded easily. We are careful and slow about going down stairs, and we only allow pups to go down one stair on to grass or a cushioned mat. A lot of the pups were worried about this, so I gently helped them down.
Car rides went about as well as expected. They did a lot of screaming for the first ten minutes, then calmed down, with occasional talking. I took three or four at a time, one solo in a crate, and two or three together in a larger crate. I had a ice bottle in each crate, as being cool helps them settle down. From loading to unloading, it was over half an hour for each set; about twenty minutes of driving. I will do this at least once more, and I will try to give them two more rides. I can pop treats in the crate when they are quiet, the goal is to give them positive associations.
I am hoping for some warm weather for water play. At any rate, we will see what the pups think of wheelie bins, umbrellas, and bicycles this week!
All of the new families know which pup will be theirs. They will let us know what call name to start using, so we can give that a positive association, too. I will continue to use the colours as well in the posts.
All pups will get an AKC registration name. The name can have up to 36 characters, counting spaces. All of the pups will have Bernvonrust as part of their name, and I hope the new families will include the bird name, as it helps me remember which litter is which! This will take up 17 - 20 spaces, including the space before or after those two names.
It is hard to believe the pups will start going to their forever families in less than two weeks. Our house will feel so empty, and ten other homes will have bouncy baby Berners!
Top: GreatGrandmum cleaning Green
Bottom: Mum tussling with Blue
The pups are growing well. They are all each still eating the same amount; now up to 5 ounces three times a day today. We increase each day, and no one has left anything on any day, and they are all at good weights, with ribs that one can easily feel. All weigh ten pounds or more, and everyone gained at least a pound this week.
Pups had a few different foods this week. Their favourite was the fish skins, paws down!
Another new treat was venison and chicken jerky, and I used a trachea (not my own, a cow’s) as a pacifier while I trimmed their toenails. I did this in the open garage, during a thunderstorm, and the pups accepted the nail trim and the weather with no fuss.
They also started fish oil, 200 mg once daily on their breakfast, topped with their raw yogurt.
I started a teaspoon of pumpkin in the evening to see if a little more fiber might help them be a bit less ravenous at breakfast. They don’t cry in the morning until they see me actually coming in the pen, but the way they dive into their food is pretty intense.
The pups are always fed individually, and they eat many of their meals on top of the big crate. I comb them out every morning. This week we graduated from the flea comb to a big dog comb.
The pups enjoy meeting more friends. This bunch welcomes everyone, swarming up people when possible, and usually gnawing - gently or otherwise - on body parts! They like playing tug, and will gnaw on the Zogoflex toys that are in the pen.
The pups had time loose in the house and yard individually with the older dogs. Maerzen was a little too protective in the yard, trying to herd them back inside, so we had them with Great Grandmum Rubiy in the yard. Ru loves pups, and is incredibly gentle with them, even when they are pesky. Grandmum Rheswyn like to clean them, but she is a bit rough. Rubiy cleans gently, as if she were stroking a butterfly. Rheswyn cleans like she is removing a coat of paint. Maerzen often pushes between Rhes and the puppy; perhaps Maerzen remembers those days? In the house Maerzen follows the puppies, and if they want to play, she will mouth tussle with them. Only a few still try to try to nurse, and she moves away rather quickly - guess she is ready to have her figure back!
We continue to work with habituating the pups to new sounds, sights, and experiences. When working with pups, it is important to be a coach and cheerleader. These pups need encouragement if they are worried. Think ‘You can do it, we will do it together’ manner and tone of voice. ‘Poor baby, are you scared?’ sounds like whining to a pup, and does not inspire confidence!
Vacuuming near the pen seemed to worry the pups, so I moved the vacuum away and fed treats until they decided it was not a big deal. One pup was especially concerned, so I held her in my arms and walked around the room at a good distance from the vacuum until she was more relaxed. When pups are afraid of something, you want to create a good association without frightening them. Oddly, when John plays drums in the lower level, they come to the front of the pen and sing along.
I set the bottle pool up this week, with a ramp up to the top. I let the pups decide what they want to do with it. All of them climbed on the ramp, but only four went in, which is fine. Even if they don’t choose to go in, they hear the noise and see what the others are doing. I’ll set it up again this week.
Individual leash walking continued. The collars the pups are wearing now are quick release safety collars, so if they were to get tangled in the pen the collar will pop open. This means that if they get afraid and yank back on the leash, the collar will pop open. These collars are good for teaching here in a confined space with which they are familiar, but they will need a collar that does not pop open for leash walking. I use a plain flat collar with a quick release buckle for all training, and a safety collar with ID tags in the house.
We are slowly introducing stairs. All pups tried going up two stairs, most succeeded easily. We are careful and slow about going down stairs, and we only allow pups to go down one stair on to grass or a cushioned mat. A lot of the pups were worried about this, so I gently helped them down.
Car rides went about as well as expected. They did a lot of screaming for the first ten minutes, then calmed down, with occasional talking. I took three or four at a time, one solo in a crate, and two or three together in a larger crate. I had a ice bottle in each crate, as being cool helps them settle down. From loading to unloading, it was over half an hour for each set; about twenty minutes of driving. I will do this at least once more, and I will try to give them two more rides. I can pop treats in the crate when they are quiet, the goal is to give them positive associations.
I am hoping for some warm weather for water play. At any rate, we will see what the pups think of wheelie bins, umbrellas, and bicycles this week!
All of the new families know which pup will be theirs. They will let us know what call name to start using, so we can give that a positive association, too. I will continue to use the colours as well in the posts.
All pups will get an AKC registration name. The name can have up to 36 characters, counting spaces. All of the pups will have Bernvonrust as part of their name, and I hope the new families will include the bird name, as it helps me remember which litter is which! This will take up 17 - 20 spaces, including the space before or after those two names.
It is hard to believe the pups will start going to their forever families in less than two weeks. Our house will feel so empty, and ten other homes will have bouncy baby Berners!
Top: GreatGrandmum cleaning Green
Bottom: Mum tussling with Blue
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2018
- Messages
- 326
Puppy Log - Week Eight
These pups continue to be champion eaters. As of Sunday 5 May they are eating 6.8 oz, three times daily. I expect they will be eating 8 ounces, three times daily when they go home this coming weekend. We have added some new foods: chicken wings, chopped hard boiled egg with the shell, dried chicken feet, and peanut butter. The eggs and chicken wings were fed as part of their total food intake; the chicken feet and peanut butter, like their beloved Icelandic fish skins, are treats to keep them occupied.
Along with champion eating comes champion elimination. The pups get about 75% of their eliminations on the pee pad or the newspapers, when their siblings haven’t trashed the joint. They also get outside two or three times a day, and often they eliminate outside; hoorah! They all gained around three pounds this week, and weights are now in the 13 to 13.5 pound range. We get a fabulous workout, between lifting them for meals, and carrying them up stairs and outside.
The pups are getting individual time, and time in groups of two or three, to roam in the yard. They excel at following. These pups are so friendly, and want to be with people, so they follow quite well. We have gone up and down hills, seen jumps and walked on low boardwalks. I love letting them out after dinner to bounce around the front yard in small groups; they are so enthusiastic, even when shredding my azaleas!
We allow exploration in the house as well, with the big dogs. They have learned that Rheswyn, Maerzen, and Rubiy are not the same. Grandmum Rheswyn tells them she is not to be pestered, while the other two are much more tolerant. Great Grandmum Rubiy wants to lick the first few, and if / when they get pestiferous, she asks to go behind a gate, away from them. Maerzen likes to play with them and order them around if she thinks they shouldn’t go somewhere. Play with mum can look kind of scary, because she play bows to them, and swings her big head and teeth at them. They are undaunted, though some are more interested in mixing it up than others are!
When training new behaviours, channel your inner coach and teacher. You want to be upbeat, and avoid stern or begging tones. Pups have excellent hearing (listening is not always so good), so when you repeat verbal cues, you are teaching them to ignore you. Get their attention before you try to teach anything. The best way to get their attention is by being interesting, with food, toys, and happy talk. Get the behaviour you want - say a sit - by luring them into it with a piece of food or a toy, then when they sit say 'Yes! Sit!' and give the treat or toy. Don’t use the word before the desired behaviour until you are pretty sure that they are associating the word with the behaviour. Use an enthusiastic ‘Yes!’ when they do something right, and follow it up with praise, and a physical reward when you can.
The pups are progressing nicely with leash walking and sitting. They know that if they yank on the leash, we just stop until they calm. If they seem reluctant to go forward, I never tug on the leash, I just pat them under their tummy, give a few encouraging words, and up they get. For a sit, I use my hand as a lure to bring their attention up, then when their bottom hits the ground, they get a ‘yes!’, a ‘sit!’, and often a treat. Sometimes they jump at my hand, but I just wait them out, and they figure out what I want.
We often play fairly loud music, and that doesn’t bother them. Music can be useful as a way to mask background sound, so consider leaving some playing in your pup’s crating area.
The pups did well with wheeled objects and with umbrellas. They ignored them, alerted to them, or went after them. All these responses are normal. If they showed hesitancy after alerting, I showed them how much fun I was having patting the thing, and they came up to it just fine. Show the puppy new, potentially worrisome objects, from a distance. New similar objects won’t look exactly the same as what they have seen, so pup may alert or show a fear response. Sitting down on the ground with pup is usually a good move. They can come up on you, and see the thing from a safe perch and distance. Remember, don’t use ‘poor puppy’ tones, use ‘brave puppy!’ tones.
We had an excellent car ride with all the pups, with no screaming at all. We started the ride with an ice bottle in the crate, and a treat before starting. There were a few tiny whines, but nothing significant. Hoorah, pups! I will try to do one more car ride, if the weather cooperates.
I have been handling their mouths and teeth, and will start using a finger brush on the teeth this week. Weekly nail trims continue; they are getting bigger and more wiggly, but a fun thing to chew on or an ice bottle to lie on makes the procedure easier.
I comb the pups daily, and they all are fine about it. Daily grooming keeps the coat in good condition. Pups start to get their adult coat at three months, beginning at the base of the tail. The adult coat should not be clipped, because it protects the skin and prevents sunburn. Double coats do not grow back with the same quality. If the coat is shaven, it will take two shed cycles (a year) for the coat to be normal, and some dogs will never have the same coat after being shaven. Shaving the belly for surgery is not a concern, as it is not as thick as the rest of the body. I use a comb or rake on my adult Berners, and have never had a problem with matting.
The most important thing that pups are learning in this last week is how to be a dog. This is why pups should stay with their litter until they are at least 8.5 weeks of age. This is an important period in learning to read signals from other pups, and from the adult dogs in the household. As most dogs are ‘only dogs’ this teaches the pups to relate appropriately to other dogs that they meet. One reason so many dogs have bad ‘dog manners’ - rushing up to other dogs, or jumping on dogs - is that they never learned what behaviour is acceptable from adult dogs. Dogs that are separated even earlier (6 to 7 weeks) experience profound stress from the separation, as this is the period of strongest companion / location attachment. It would be a lot easier for the breeder to send the pups (aka: poop machines) home earlier than 8.5 weeks, but it would be a poor choice for the pups!
I will be filling out the contracts, health certificates, and AKC registration this week. I have your addresses and email for AKC from the questionnaires. I don’t give the AKC your phone number.
I would like to have everything ready in advance so pup can get on the road with you speedily. Please let me know:
1- If you have a spouse / partner, are you to be listed as co-owners for the AKC registration? This requires a $10 co-owner fee. Let me know what name or names I am to put as the owner. The basic registration fee for one owner is $35 which I pay. If you want co-ownership or any of the other AKC ‘goodies’ (pedigree, magazine subscription, etc), be aware of the additional costs.
2 - What puppy name do you want on the registration papers? As discussed last week, you have 36 characters, which will include Bernvonrust, and hopefully the 4 to 7 letter puppy name, as well as whatever else you want.
3 - Who should be listed as owners on the sale contract?
Please remember to bring:
Leash
Collar - current neck size is 12 inches. They have their safety release collars which are safe to wear all the time, as they will separate if the pup gets tangled. They need something that doesn’t release if the pup yanks for leash walks
Crate or harness for transport; if using a harness you will need a person to sit with the pup and a thick towel or blanket for underneath the pup and ice bottle
Cooler for the raw dog food
Large sock (soccer or knee sock) or old t-shirt or pillowcase for their ice bottle
Check book
These pups continue to be champion eaters. As of Sunday 5 May they are eating 6.8 oz, three times daily. I expect they will be eating 8 ounces, three times daily when they go home this coming weekend. We have added some new foods: chicken wings, chopped hard boiled egg with the shell, dried chicken feet, and peanut butter. The eggs and chicken wings were fed as part of their total food intake; the chicken feet and peanut butter, like their beloved Icelandic fish skins, are treats to keep them occupied.
Along with champion eating comes champion elimination. The pups get about 75% of their eliminations on the pee pad or the newspapers, when their siblings haven’t trashed the joint. They also get outside two or three times a day, and often they eliminate outside; hoorah! They all gained around three pounds this week, and weights are now in the 13 to 13.5 pound range. We get a fabulous workout, between lifting them for meals, and carrying them up stairs and outside.
The pups are getting individual time, and time in groups of two or three, to roam in the yard. They excel at following. These pups are so friendly, and want to be with people, so they follow quite well. We have gone up and down hills, seen jumps and walked on low boardwalks. I love letting them out after dinner to bounce around the front yard in small groups; they are so enthusiastic, even when shredding my azaleas!
We allow exploration in the house as well, with the big dogs. They have learned that Rheswyn, Maerzen, and Rubiy are not the same. Grandmum Rheswyn tells them she is not to be pestered, while the other two are much more tolerant. Great Grandmum Rubiy wants to lick the first few, and if / when they get pestiferous, she asks to go behind a gate, away from them. Maerzen likes to play with them and order them around if she thinks they shouldn’t go somewhere. Play with mum can look kind of scary, because she play bows to them, and swings her big head and teeth at them. They are undaunted, though some are more interested in mixing it up than others are!
When training new behaviours, channel your inner coach and teacher. You want to be upbeat, and avoid stern or begging tones. Pups have excellent hearing (listening is not always so good), so when you repeat verbal cues, you are teaching them to ignore you. Get their attention before you try to teach anything. The best way to get their attention is by being interesting, with food, toys, and happy talk. Get the behaviour you want - say a sit - by luring them into it with a piece of food or a toy, then when they sit say 'Yes! Sit!' and give the treat or toy. Don’t use the word before the desired behaviour until you are pretty sure that they are associating the word with the behaviour. Use an enthusiastic ‘Yes!’ when they do something right, and follow it up with praise, and a physical reward when you can.
The pups are progressing nicely with leash walking and sitting. They know that if they yank on the leash, we just stop until they calm. If they seem reluctant to go forward, I never tug on the leash, I just pat them under their tummy, give a few encouraging words, and up they get. For a sit, I use my hand as a lure to bring their attention up, then when their bottom hits the ground, they get a ‘yes!’, a ‘sit!’, and often a treat. Sometimes they jump at my hand, but I just wait them out, and they figure out what I want.
We often play fairly loud music, and that doesn’t bother them. Music can be useful as a way to mask background sound, so consider leaving some playing in your pup’s crating area.
The pups did well with wheeled objects and with umbrellas. They ignored them, alerted to them, or went after them. All these responses are normal. If they showed hesitancy after alerting, I showed them how much fun I was having patting the thing, and they came up to it just fine. Show the puppy new, potentially worrisome objects, from a distance. New similar objects won’t look exactly the same as what they have seen, so pup may alert or show a fear response. Sitting down on the ground with pup is usually a good move. They can come up on you, and see the thing from a safe perch and distance. Remember, don’t use ‘poor puppy’ tones, use ‘brave puppy!’ tones.
We had an excellent car ride with all the pups, with no screaming at all. We started the ride with an ice bottle in the crate, and a treat before starting. There were a few tiny whines, but nothing significant. Hoorah, pups! I will try to do one more car ride, if the weather cooperates.
I have been handling their mouths and teeth, and will start using a finger brush on the teeth this week. Weekly nail trims continue; they are getting bigger and more wiggly, but a fun thing to chew on or an ice bottle to lie on makes the procedure easier.
I comb the pups daily, and they all are fine about it. Daily grooming keeps the coat in good condition. Pups start to get their adult coat at three months, beginning at the base of the tail. The adult coat should not be clipped, because it protects the skin and prevents sunburn. Double coats do not grow back with the same quality. If the coat is shaven, it will take two shed cycles (a year) for the coat to be normal, and some dogs will never have the same coat after being shaven. Shaving the belly for surgery is not a concern, as it is not as thick as the rest of the body. I use a comb or rake on my adult Berners, and have never had a problem with matting.
The most important thing that pups are learning in this last week is how to be a dog. This is why pups should stay with their litter until they are at least 8.5 weeks of age. This is an important period in learning to read signals from other pups, and from the adult dogs in the household. As most dogs are ‘only dogs’ this teaches the pups to relate appropriately to other dogs that they meet. One reason so many dogs have bad ‘dog manners’ - rushing up to other dogs, or jumping on dogs - is that they never learned what behaviour is acceptable from adult dogs. Dogs that are separated even earlier (6 to 7 weeks) experience profound stress from the separation, as this is the period of strongest companion / location attachment. It would be a lot easier for the breeder to send the pups (aka: poop machines) home earlier than 8.5 weeks, but it would be a poor choice for the pups!
I will be filling out the contracts, health certificates, and AKC registration this week. I have your addresses and email for AKC from the questionnaires. I don’t give the AKC your phone number.
I would like to have everything ready in advance so pup can get on the road with you speedily. Please let me know:
1- If you have a spouse / partner, are you to be listed as co-owners for the AKC registration? This requires a $10 co-owner fee. Let me know what name or names I am to put as the owner. The basic registration fee for one owner is $35 which I pay. If you want co-ownership or any of the other AKC ‘goodies’ (pedigree, magazine subscription, etc), be aware of the additional costs.
2 - What puppy name do you want on the registration papers? As discussed last week, you have 36 characters, which will include Bernvonrust, and hopefully the 4 to 7 letter puppy name, as well as whatever else you want.
3 - Who should be listed as owners on the sale contract?
Please remember to bring:
Leash
Collar - current neck size is 12 inches. They have their safety release collars which are safe to wear all the time, as they will separate if the pup gets tangled. They need something that doesn’t release if the pup yanks for leash walks
Crate or harness for transport; if using a harness you will need a person to sit with the pup and a thick towel or blanket for underneath the pup and ice bottle
Cooler for the raw dog food
Large sock (soccer or knee sock) or old t-shirt or pillowcase for their ice bottle
Check book
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2017
- Messages
- 1,368
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2017
- Messages
- 1,368
I was able to meet two of your pups new guardians this weekend, Sara, and they are so excited about having berners who have been raised so holistically. They will be doing everything they can to continue the great start you have give the pups.
These puppy posts have been so much fun to read and I know that many members will now be looking for breeders raising pups and kittens this way.
Dr. C
These puppy posts have been so much fun to read and I know that many members will now be looking for breeders raising pups and kittens this way.
Dr. C
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2018
- Messages
- 326
Thank you, Christina! I'm sure that they benefitted greatly from the weekend!
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2018
- Messages
- 326
Pup Log - Week Nine and New Homes
The ninth week continues pup socialization and teaching, in preparation for going home with their forever families. We had a large group of friends over for socialization this week, and the pups were delighted to greet and climb on everyone.
We continued letting them interact with the older dogs in ones and twos. Maerzen likes to play with them, and Rheswyn and Rubiy like to clean them. The pups have explored the downstairs area, going under cupboards and sofas, and all over the big dogs’ beds. A few insisted they are big dogs and should climb stairs, too, but we limit them to two up and one down on their own to protect their developing joints. Even with that, there are a few who think that going down off a stair should involve a leap. This is why we have good footing cushioning the stair descents!
The pups are more adventurous, so they run about the yard in small groups, investigating / destroying plants, running on the terrace edge, and pouncing on one another. They will often watch out the picture window in the pup pen at the wildlife in the yard below. They nonchalantly experienced more thunderstorms, and improved with seeing / hearing the vacuum. This is an ideal time for them to go to new homes, because they are have enough self confidence and curiousity to leave the familiar behind.
We introduced more different training treats, all freeze-dried, baked, or dehydrated meat based treats. Lakse Kronch salmon is a favourite, are are the Only Natural Pet Store’s venison and chicken jerky, and lamb liver. I break these into tiny pieces the size of a fingernail trimming for treats. The pups have all learned that sitting in front of me and looking up is a good way to get a treat, or to get chosen first for meals. I also ask for a sit with a lure and the word sit.
We continued feeding the pups individually this week. We took them outside immediately after each meal and encouraged them to ‘busy’. By the end of the week, they were usually urinating consistently outside after meals, though they still urinated inside as well. Many had stools outside; one pup is quite determined to eliminate in some way each time outside! We don't hurry inside right after eliminating, as that might give them the idea “Oh, I eliminate, and then no more fun outside”. They all had a bit of a leash walk, free walk, or playtime after the elimination attempt.
We were feeding 8.3 ounces three times daily when the pups went home. Two pups are still with us for a few days, and they are eating 8 to 8.2 ounces three times daily. There is big difference in appetite when you have 9 siblings rocking and rolling with you! The new families will need to watch that the pups don’t get heavy.
I am often asked, “Won’t you be sad when they go?” I AM sad to see them go, and, yes, I do cry, but that is tempered by some facts:
1 - The pups are reaching an age where I could not provide sufficient intellectual and emotional stimulation for the pups to reach their full potential. My life for the last 9 weeks has been these puppies, and in the last two weeks, virtually all of my time has been consumed by these puppies. I love to nurture and teach pups, and I feel that I have fulfilled my commitment to these pups to raise them to nine weeks with the optimal socialization and stimulation that I have provided to other litters.
2 - The sheer volume of waste produced would shortly become physically impossible to manage. Even taking the pups outside (which takes 5 to 15 minutes per pup, three times daily), they still have to eliminate inside. Taking the pups out in bunches would be more time effective, but they play, rather than eliminate, and we have other playtime for just play. In addition, I like to monitor the stool quality, and as they don’t sign their stools, unless you see it happen, you don’t know whose it is.
3 - Moving ten fifteen pound puppies in and out, up and down, has become physically taxing. The exercise has done wonders in burning calories, but has not been so fabulous for my back!
4 - The most important factor - I know the pups are going to excellent homes. When people enquire about pups, they get a detailed email relating how I want pups fed, and basic good management. The questionnaire asks in depth questions to ascertain that the pups are going to homes where they will be cherished and cared for in an appropriate manner, stipulated in the sales contract. This knowledge takes a lot of the sadness out of sending the little ones home. I see the delight on the faces of their new families, and the new families know that I am an email away for support.
I hope that you have enjoyed reading about the litter. They are a delightful bunch of unique personalities, united by their friendly, outgoing natures. I look forward to hearing and seeing how they continue to develop!
The ninth week continues pup socialization and teaching, in preparation for going home with their forever families. We had a large group of friends over for socialization this week, and the pups were delighted to greet and climb on everyone.
We continued letting them interact with the older dogs in ones and twos. Maerzen likes to play with them, and Rheswyn and Rubiy like to clean them. The pups have explored the downstairs area, going under cupboards and sofas, and all over the big dogs’ beds. A few insisted they are big dogs and should climb stairs, too, but we limit them to two up and one down on their own to protect their developing joints. Even with that, there are a few who think that going down off a stair should involve a leap. This is why we have good footing cushioning the stair descents!
The pups are more adventurous, so they run about the yard in small groups, investigating / destroying plants, running on the terrace edge, and pouncing on one another. They will often watch out the picture window in the pup pen at the wildlife in the yard below. They nonchalantly experienced more thunderstorms, and improved with seeing / hearing the vacuum. This is an ideal time for them to go to new homes, because they are have enough self confidence and curiousity to leave the familiar behind.
We introduced more different training treats, all freeze-dried, baked, or dehydrated meat based treats. Lakse Kronch salmon is a favourite, are are the Only Natural Pet Store’s venison and chicken jerky, and lamb liver. I break these into tiny pieces the size of a fingernail trimming for treats. The pups have all learned that sitting in front of me and looking up is a good way to get a treat, or to get chosen first for meals. I also ask for a sit with a lure and the word sit.
We continued feeding the pups individually this week. We took them outside immediately after each meal and encouraged them to ‘busy’. By the end of the week, they were usually urinating consistently outside after meals, though they still urinated inside as well. Many had stools outside; one pup is quite determined to eliminate in some way each time outside! We don't hurry inside right after eliminating, as that might give them the idea “Oh, I eliminate, and then no more fun outside”. They all had a bit of a leash walk, free walk, or playtime after the elimination attempt.
We were feeding 8.3 ounces three times daily when the pups went home. Two pups are still with us for a few days, and they are eating 8 to 8.2 ounces three times daily. There is big difference in appetite when you have 9 siblings rocking and rolling with you! The new families will need to watch that the pups don’t get heavy.
I am often asked, “Won’t you be sad when they go?” I AM sad to see them go, and, yes, I do cry, but that is tempered by some facts:
1 - The pups are reaching an age where I could not provide sufficient intellectual and emotional stimulation for the pups to reach their full potential. My life for the last 9 weeks has been these puppies, and in the last two weeks, virtually all of my time has been consumed by these puppies. I love to nurture and teach pups, and I feel that I have fulfilled my commitment to these pups to raise them to nine weeks with the optimal socialization and stimulation that I have provided to other litters.
2 - The sheer volume of waste produced would shortly become physically impossible to manage. Even taking the pups outside (which takes 5 to 15 minutes per pup, three times daily), they still have to eliminate inside. Taking the pups out in bunches would be more time effective, but they play, rather than eliminate, and we have other playtime for just play. In addition, I like to monitor the stool quality, and as they don’t sign their stools, unless you see it happen, you don’t know whose it is.
3 - Moving ten fifteen pound puppies in and out, up and down, has become physically taxing. The exercise has done wonders in burning calories, but has not been so fabulous for my back!
4 - The most important factor - I know the pups are going to excellent homes. When people enquire about pups, they get a detailed email relating how I want pups fed, and basic good management. The questionnaire asks in depth questions to ascertain that the pups are going to homes where they will be cherished and cared for in an appropriate manner, stipulated in the sales contract. This knowledge takes a lot of the sadness out of sending the little ones home. I see the delight on the faces of their new families, and the new families know that I am an email away for support.
I hope that you have enjoyed reading about the litter. They are a delightful bunch of unique personalities, united by their friendly, outgoing natures. I look forward to hearing and seeing how they continue to develop!
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