Fall 2001 litter

Week Three (Days 15-21)
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES

+ Teeth begin to erupt
+ Puppies stand up and start walking
+ Begin to lap liquids
+ Defecate/urinate without stimulation
+ Start becoming aware of environment
+ Start playing with littermates
+ Develop sense of smell
+ Puppies will start to discriminate as to where to relieve themselves

 Puppy Toddlers (3 - 6 Weeks) During the Toddler period, puppies emerge on their own from the litter. They venture into the surrounding environment. This emergence from the litter is a gradual and continual learning experience. During this stage of development puppies learn basic behavioral patterns specific to dogs. While playing, they practice different body postures, learning what the postures mean and how they affect their mother and litter mates. They learn what it is like to bite and be bitten, what barking and other vocalizations mean and how to make and use them to establish social relationships with other dogs. Such learning and activity tempers their own biting and vocalizing. From the age of five weeks, the mother teaches her puppies basic manners. They learn to be submissive to her leadership and what behaviors are acceptable. If necessary, she growls, snarls, or snaps at them as a form of discipline. When weaning the litter, for instance, the mother will discipline her puppies so that they will leave her alone. Because the mother disciplines them in a way that they clearly understand, after a few repetitions, the puppies will respond to a mere glare from her. If a pup has not learned to accept leadership (and discipline) in its early interactions with dogs, its training will be more difficult. Puppies that are removed from the nest too early tend to be nervous, more prone to barking and biting, and less responsive to discipline. Often they are aggressive with other dogs. Generally speaking, a puppy taken away from it's mother and litter mates before seven weeks of age, may not realize its full potential as a dog and companion. To maximize the mental and psychological development of puppies, they must remain in the nest with their mother and litter mates until seven weeks of age.

10/22/2001: (day 15 worming the puppies!) Even though Gabby’s stools were checked, and she was parasite free prior to breeding, I assume that they have worms. Roundworm larvae and encyst in body tissue of adult bitches and activate during the last stages of pregnancy to infest puppies. So even though Gabby did not have worms, and the pups have not been around any other dogs, they have a good chance of having worms. Since Gabby cleans up after the puppies, she also must be treated.

Worming should start at 2 weeks. Worming needs to be repeated at 3, 4, 6, 8 and 10 weeks. . The first treatment kills any adult worms. The second treatment kills any new worms that may have hatched after the initial treatment. Once the puppies go to their new homes, the pups new veterinarian will take over the worming schedule. It may be necessary at this time to bring in stool samples for analysis. First step is to weigh the pups to see how much wormer they will be getting. Today I use Double strength pyrantel pamoate liquid wormer from Foster and Smith. It is used for the elimination of large roundworms and hookworms in dogs and puppies. I also use Nemex-2 which is the same strength and ingredients. I had the Foster and Smith ProWormer-2 on hand, and the Nemex is in the mail as we speak.


Puppies get a measured dose of wormer

10/24/2001 (day 16) Today is the last day of the Bio Sensor exercises.

Tactile stimulation


Head held erect


Head pointed down


Supine position


Thermal stimulation

you can jump back to the first days of the Bio Sensor to compare how the pups look!


click to see larger pictures of mom and babes October 24th

10/25/2001: Not much activity today. The pups walk around the whelping box more when Gabby steps out. They make funny growling noises. They look towards anyone walking by. They may still see more shadow and motion than actual detail. With their squinty eyes, and wrinkled roman noses, they look like a bunch of old men. :-) Several times a day we pick up each pup and hold them under our chins and talk to them. Ears are starting to open. Some of the pups will react to sound.

Liver Boys Black Boys Liver Girls Black Girls
Green Collar Green Collar growles with sound Yellow Collar
looks up with sound Growles when I make
noise near the box		 Looks up with loud sound Seems the best at
focusing on movement
Red Collar
usually first to find
and follow Gabby


10/27/2001: All the pups are walking much better. They can recognize Gabby when she walks by the box and they get real excited to see the dairy bar go by! Some are finding their voices. A couple will sit and bark. They turn toward noise. When I turned up the radio, several woke up and started puppy growling. You can tell they are more aware of each other. Although not playing yet, some are making gestures that will lead to play.
Several times a day I pick up each pup, talk to the, pet them, and briefly give them a simple stressor. A momentary pinch to the ear, another day a momentary pinch between the toes. Not a hard pinch, and the same pressure for each pup. Some pull away, some yip out, some don't seem to notice.
I dig out and wash off the puppy pans. I think I'll try the puppy mush bath soon! (you will know what I mean when you see the pictures!)

Liver Boys Black Boys Liver Girls Black Girls
looking out over the box One of the first to
try to play with siblings
Pulls away when pinched		 Struggled to get
away when pinched		 yips loudly and pulls
away when pinched
Blue Collar Pulls away when pinched,
but no sound		 not much response
to the pinch		 White Collar
Found her voice
woke us all up barking
yips loudly and pulls
away when pinched


See the Halloween pictures, Puppies in the pumpkin patch!

Week Four (Days 22-28)

Things to think about now... bringing your curly pup home and early socialization

2001 Pedigree

Those First Weeks at SoftMaple & The Bio Sensor method of early puppy stimulation

Back to first page of puppy diary

Your Curlies General Health (ears/eyes/teeth,etc)

CH SoftMaple's O'Dark Thirty SH WCX CD CGC CR-536G27M-T OFA cardiac, CERF (Jet) to CH Charwin Evensong WCX JH CGC CR-CA22/41F/C CR-480F35F CERF (Gabby)

Puppies born 10/8/2001 ~ 10/9/2001
4 black girls, 3 liver girls, 2 black boys, 2 liver boys.

(10/8 - 10/9) Countdown, and the pups are born
(10/10 - 10/11) dewclaws, loss of liver girl
(10/12 - 10/13) Bio Sensor pictures
(10/14) A picture album
Week Two
Weeks three and four
All the pups 11/7/2001
Weeks 5 and 6
11/14/2001 A puppy outing
The puppies go on a picnic!
11/15/2001 Toys! Toys! Toys!
November 15th Wing pictures
Dinner in jail! Crates for your curlies
11/16/2001 grooming your curly pup
11/17/2001 (collar and leash)
Week 7
What is a temperament test?
All the pups, Stacked photos 11/21/2001
11/21/2001 Water Water Everywhere!
11/22/2001 Happy Thanksgiving!
11/23/2001 First Shots
11/25/2001 Splish Splash! First Bath!

Hunting Page
Agility Page
Tracking Page
CGC page
Dock Jumping
Rally and Obedience page
Breeding: What We're Taught


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