Puppy school

The puppies took a field trip today – they got to go to school! Every litter of puppies we’ve had has visited my children’s school, to the delight of children and teachers alike. They are still small enough that we could fit all six of them into a small puppy crate – it was a bit full but they still had a bit of room to move around, and they’re used to lying all in a heap anyhow so no big deal. 

We arrived at school just as the children were coming in, so it was very noisy in the hallways. We quickly took the pups upstairs to the Grade 7 classroom where it was quiet (before the kids arrived) and my daughter, her classmate, her teacher & I too them out and gave them some cuddles. They were all just dandy, not quaking at all – at least not right then. A few moments later the kids arrived and after the national anthm and announcements, we gave a brief into and then passed one pup to each table of 5-6 children to hold and play with. 

Some of the kids are a bit shy or scared of dogs. There are many immigrant kids in this school and some of those kids (or their parents) have a dim view of dogs, likely because the only dogs they’ve been familiar with in their home countries are street dogs – wild and indeed dangerous. But I think even those kids enjoy seeing the puppies and it’s likely good for them to experience what a sweet creature a dog can be if raised as a pet and give loving attention. 

After about 25 minutes we put them back in the crate and headed down to the Grade 4 classroom. Here the kids sat in a circle on the carpet and we let all six pups run around from child to child – or be passed around. Everyone was oohing and aahing over the cuties.

This is a lot of stimulation for a little pup, seeing so many new faces and having to cope with a fair bit of noise. And at not yet 6 weeks old, their periods of energetic play still tend to be fairly short. So within about 15 minutes of being in the Grade 4 classroom the pups were pooped out, and started to flop down on the carpet or in the kids’ arms and doze off. After 25 minutes again, we put them back in the crate where they all just flopped in a tired puppy pile and I took them back home, where Mama sniffed them over and they took a quick drink before falling into a sleepy pile once more.

These pups did marvellously well with the experience. We didn’t hear any squeaking or crying from frightened pups. There was a bit of trembling out of nervousness, but it didn’t last and every single one of them was very happy to go meet all the children and didn’t show any fear or anxiety at all the hands reaching out for them. I’m impressed at their gentleness and quietness – I think they have all inherited their Mama’s gentle, friendly nature. 

Puppy video

This video was taken a few days ago. See the puppies in action!

Five weeks old!

Boy, the pups are getting active now. A typical day since the weekend has started with the pups waking up around 6am and being ready to eat and play! We give them a bit of soft food (soaked kibble mixed with tinned food) as they are still in the process of getting their teeth, give them a chance to nurse, and then let them out of the puppy corner to play in the dining room area. If they don’t get out of the puppy corner fast enough, they let us know they want their playtime!! They can get very insistent with their squeaking! Even the quiet ones are sure to let us know they want some attention and action NOW! As soon as we open the gate and let them out, the squeaking stops and the action starts.

Auntie Phoenix (our one-year-old apricot female, not actually related to these pups) is afavourite playmate. She is very gentle with them, and doesn’t actually really play much wit them – she seems a bit uncertain of how to play with such tiny munchkins – but she acts a bit like a mom, licking them and letting them climb all over her and snuggle up beside her in the dog bed by the table. Grandma Momo is more prone to actually play – she’s had pups of her own and knows what they can and can’t do. (Though at the moment she is subject to the cone of shame as she has a sore on her paw and we need to keep her from licking at it an further irritating and infecting it). Mama Galena used to growl at the other dogs – especially Phoenix – to keep them away from the pups when they were litter, but now that they’re active, playful, and not so dependent, she is happy to let Phoenix & Mo interact with the pups. Phoenix has even been able to venture right into the puppy corner without getting a warning. The kids get down on the floor and play with the puppies too, calling to them, giving them a toy to bite or chase or play tug with, and generally having fun. 

  

Thankfully our entire main floor is hardwood or vinyl, so any messes are easy to clean up, as the pups are at the beginning stages of potty training. We have a pee pad in their puppy corner that they use fairly reliably, and another one by the dining room table for playtime. But outside the puppy corner they may not think to run to the pee pad so messes will happen.

Recently when we let the big dogs out the French doors onto the “poop deck,” the puppies hve displayed some interest in following them outside. It’s still a bit cold out so we haven’t let them venture out on their own yet, though just the past two days a couple of them have been taken around the block while securely tucked inside a kid’s jacket. 

We are continuing to see personalities bloom. The biggest male is our gentle giant – very calm, quiet, snuggly, and playful. The smaller chocolate male is adventurous, exploring the house more widely, and a bit more independent. He likes snuggles too but is happy to play on his own if there’s no one to give him attention. The two caramel parti girls are lively and active, into active tussling with Auntie Phoenix. The chocolate female is between the two males – middle of the road in activity, vocalism, huggability… The chocolate parti girl is still generally very quet though we’ve seen her get noisy in her demands to get out of the corner to play, and a bitg snuggler though I’d say the larger male beats her in that department by a tad. 

Mama Galena is beginning to give the pups more independence (or perhaps Is houdl say beginning to want some down-time?). She’s spent most of the last two nights sleeping in my bedroom, rather than insisting she needs to be with the pups, and spends more time outside the puppy corner than in, only going in to check on them when they’re hungry or complaining. I’m sure the beginning of teeth is a contributing factor to the desire not to let them nurse as frequently. Within a week I expect they will be eating as much solid foold as nursing, and within 2 weeks they should be essentially weaned. 

They are continuing to grow well. The b

g chocolate boy is a bit over 2kg by now, while the smallest girl is about 1.5kg. All but the smaller chocolate boy already have several teeth – upper canines, upper incisors, and the beginnings of lower canines and incisors. The smaller boy is just starting to show the beginnings of teeth, so he’s a bit slower than the others in this regard. They are very sturdy on their feet, not just walking but running all over, and they are learning to climb over the base of the gate that allows them out of the puppy corner – about 10cm high. 

 

Just another 3-4 weeks and they’ll be ready to head home!!

Just two left!

One more pup found a new home on Sunday – the bigger chocolate boy, who is a prime snuggler and love-bug. Congratulations to the Williamson family! This boy will be staying in the Ottawa area, so we hope to see him in the future at some of our Doodle Romps.

That leaves the smaller chocolate male and the chocolate female still available. These two are both moderately active (as far as we can assess at this point), from very quiet to moderately quiet, more on the adventurous side, and very playful. 

Happy birthday, Auntie Phoenix!

Phoenix, our apricot female, celebrated her first birthday yesterday!! We celebrated by taking her to WAG, the local pooch café where dogs can enjoy doggie cookies while their owners relax over a cup of coffee, tea or chocolate. They also sell dog food, toys, clothes, and other supplies (cat stuff too, but we’re there for the dogs!).

Since it was a special birthday we purchased a doggie birthday cake. It was frozen, so she asn’t able to enjoy it there, but once we got home again we warmed it up and Phoenix was happy to share it with her pals Amore and Galena. The puppies didn’t get any, as it would have been too hard for them to chew.

Phoenix will have her turn to be a mama in about a year’s time, but for now she is enjoying playing with Galena’s pups and having a chance to get used to puppies in the house and how to interact with them. 

Just a note

This afternoon I am having a procedure on my eye that will make my vision very blurry for at least 7-10 days. It will be hard to read (and therefore, to do e-mail etc) for much of that time, so if anyone wants to contact me it would be best to phone: 613-552-3066 (cell).

I'm rushing to finish off stuff that HAS to happen before I go to the hospital for the 1/2 hour procedure, so may not get time to download and post photos. If not, I'll try to guide my daughter or son through the process so you don't have to wait forever for new pix. Kids are amazing with computers, but this is something they haven't done before so will need a bit of help.

Four-week update

The pups are now one month old and have changed so much since they were born! We are starting to see more individual personalities coming through. So far they are confirming what we've observed from the beginning - that the chocolate parti is extremely quiet and sweet-tempered, that the caramel parti with fewer spots is fairly active and adventurous, that the solid chocolate boy with more white is a bit more vocal... But other observations are emerging, like that the solid chocolate boy with less white (the bigger boy) is also very quiet and snuggable, and a very good kisser, that the solid chocolate boy with more white (the smaller boy) is also quite adventurous and likes to get out of the puppy corner and explore (maybe that's why he's been more vocal? He wanted to get out and see the world!) The solid chocolate girl is also a very sweet and quiet pup.

The ones with the curliest fur are likely to be the two caramel partis and the smaller chocolate boy. The chocolate parti girl, Cupcake Kiera, has the softest fur with the least curl but is sure to get more curl as she develops.

Let's hope the last of winter gets itself done with soon so we can start to introduce them to the lovely out-of-doors. One day last week I thought we could almost take them out, with just a few degrees more warmth and a jacket on (we have dog jackets in all sizes!!) - but then winter gave us its last (we hope!!) hurrah and it's looking like the weather won't cooperate for another week or so.

There was a flurry of activity last week on the puppy-interest front, which resuled in two more reservations, and but for a bit of miscommunication and bad timing, might have meant a couple of the solid chocolates would have been placed. But the climate appears to be pretty good for puppy sales this spring so I'm just awaiting the next flurry of activity to place the last 3 pups.

The pups' vet check-up and vaccinations are scheduled for March 19, and they will be neutered on March 27. After they have have their check-up we will begin scheduling pick-up dates and times. Your pup will be coming your way in 4 to 6 weeks!

(Pictures to come.)