These weeks build on the solid foundation of the previous 6 weeks. If all has been done well then by now puppies are confident, eating well, sleeping through the night, not barking, not whining and interested in exploring new environments, people and animals that come their way. They are not showing signs of being unwilling to go somewhere new and are happy. healthy bouncy puppies.
The highlights of this phrase include:
- Now actually interacting with adult dogs and learning how to use cut off signals to indicate they are no threat and learning that they can not rush headlong into the face of an adult dog.
- Learning from their litter mates how to use their teeth in play.
- Increasing variety of food being introduced
- More and more outings to puppy safe venues
- Increased independence from mum and the other puppies
- Grooming training starts (this is very important for poodle puppies)
- Reinforcement of a good day/night routine
- Being separated from humans and other dogs for part of the time so that separation anxiety is not going to become an issue.
- Recall training, start of lead training, start of loose lead walking training (being asked to follow a human around without a lead)
- Introduction of enrichment toys such as food dispensing toys.
- Spending time as single pups away from other dogs so they can handle being an only dog.
- Exploring the outside world and finding out about wind, rain, horses, cattle, leaves, trees and that fences mean containment.
- Learning how not to be afraid during a thunderstorm
- Learning how not to be afraid when they hear loud sounds like radios, gun shots, trains, cars, trucks, babies crying etc.
Just a quick comment on vaccination. I follow the most up to date schedule for vaccination from Dr Jean Dodds, a world expert on vaccination, and do not give the first vaccination (C3) until puppies are 8 weeks of age. I then only give one more after 16 weeks of life and then no further vaccination for the rest of the life of the dog. I also do not microchip until as close to over 8 weeks as possible as I feel it is fairly traumatic for baby puppies. It is required as a condition of sale in my state. The puppies are wormed at 3 and 6 weeks and then again as they are about to go to their new homes.
Kareema
Healing Energy Animals
Kareema is the owners of Healing Energy Animals where devil dogs, horrible horses and crazy cats are turned into perfect pets using Relationship Animal Training and over 50 years of experience training a wide variety of animals.
Healing Energy Animals provides owners and pet professionals assistance with with common pet behavior training, feeding and grooming issues such as barking, escaping, scratching, aggression and fleas. Kareema consults and writes widely on a range of pet care issues for owners and also assists pet care professionals in setting up and growing their businesses by the provision of customer handling advice, sales and marketing strategies and up to date product information that allows for the differentiation of their pet care business from their competitors.
Healing Energy Animals is an Australian business but operates worldwide via the provision of virtual services.
