I need to learn how to count! 🤣
How do you like your coffee? I like mine with a good dose of puppies!
First time in the big back yard, they had a blast!!
How to wrangle 8 puppies!
Field Trip!!!
Today was the first field trip to the living room, they had so much fun bravely exploring the new spaces
Should have done pictures BEFORE mush lunch, the puppies find it hilarious how dirty they got for their 3 week pictures.
Treat and repeat.
What gets rewarded gets repeated. So what do I reward?
•sitting nicely-this way they learn sitting gets attention not jumping on people
•following me-being near you should be the best place to be
•come to me-any and every time a puppy/dog comes it should get rewarded.
•when i approach-if you need to catch your dog the last thing you need is then to bolt when they see you coming
•when they have something fun-you want to be able to take anything from your dog
•when they have something naughty-offer a treat as a trade
If you have a puppy or new dog, every pocket should have a treat. You=treats and good things. This positive associations early and young will help develop a happy trusting dog now and years down the line
Our outside routine!
They have to be sitting nicely(manding) at the gate before I open it to let them out, then it’s a mad dash to the door. Once outside everyone pees and majority are learning to wait to poop outside as well.
Too cold to go out in the snow so brought the snow in to them!
Barrier Challenge
Today was the first day with the food barrier challenge. Up until this point the other barriers they have had to navigate was out of the kennel to find mom when she came into the pen, and the small ridge to get out of the pen to explore the house.
The point of the barrier challenge it to help them develop a tolerance to frustration and encourage problem solving. By not assisting them to navigate the barrier to find food it helps build confidence and helps them learn to find a solution to a frustration.
We start super simple at first. Tomorrow the food will be pushed back a little further down the barrier and then eventually we will add another puppy already eating.
They all figured it out quickly and with mild frustration responses
A minute of puppy play for your Sunday afternoon enjoyment. They got a chance to explore outside their whelping box for the first time today. Soon their whelping box will no longer be able to contain their energy and we will upgrade to the play pen and soon they will be having expeditions to multiple rooms throughout the house! The one eyed cat Leela also popped in to say hello. She loves the puppies. Don’t work, she had soft paw caps on her nails to protect both our furniture and the puppies. She’s generally a very tolerant cat!