SoftMaple Spring 2005 litter


6/13/2005 (Day 36)


Drinking from the big dish



Playing with the hanging toys


Playing with each other

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.


6/14/2005 (Day 37)


Wake up sleepyheads!


Outside while I clean up the puppy room


Grabbing a meal from Moxie

6/15/2005 (Day 38)


Moxie


The pups eat breakfast in the Shark Cage while I clean up


Semi stacked pictures of the pups
The pups didn't cooperate all that well with stacking. They are only 5 weeks and three days old. All were wagging tails, so some look like they don't have tails. This is only the first set, and we will be doing the pictures again in a few days. This just gets them used to being positioned on a table.


Green Collar Black Boy


Yellow Collar Black Boy


Red Collar Black Boy


Blue Collar Black Boy


No Collar Black Boy


Pink Collar Black Girl


Blue Collar Liver Boy


Green Collar Liver Boy


Pink Collar Liver Girl


Red Collar Liver Girl


Yellow Collar Liver Girl

6/16/2005 (Day 39)






6/17/2005 (Day 40)


Three stooges


Pink black girl and Pink liver girl


Blue boy plays tug with one of the hanging toys. This one has a string of sleigh bells on it, and makes a lot of racket!


Pink Girl

6/18/2005 (Day 41)

Yesterday we gave the pups some duck wings to play with. Moxie of course wanted to take them all for herself! I'll try to get some pictures of the pups with the wings today. Most of the pups grabbed the wings and ran off into the crates, and tried to keep them away from their siblings. If we can do it outside, I should have a better chance at pictures. This is an active bunch!


In the dog truck heading outside

Afternoon pictures in the yard


The morning rain passed, so they pups could come out from under the dog building, and get some sunshine.


Following Mark in the Yard








6/19/2005 (Day 42)
Happy Father's day!


View from above



In the crate



I don't know how she can still nurse them with all of those teeth!
The pups are able to eat solid dry food now, but Moxie still lets them nurse in the morning.


Since this is Fathers Day, we should thank the Dads behind this litter.

A picture of Coal from the cover of November 2002 Dog Fancy Magazine

Ch. Dese's Black As Coal, CD, WC, CGC, TT, JH CR-530G26M-T, CR-CA47/30M/C-T, CR-582
Winner of the Stud Dog Class at the 2004 National Specialty. Coal is a multi group placing dog. He was best of Opposite Sex Sweeps at the 1998 CCRCA National Specialty. He is also sire of a multi group placer and a national specialty supported entry winner.

Andre is Coal's father

Am & Can Ch. Boyerie's Andouille O'Wits' End CR-264G24M

Andre is sire of the 1999 and 2002 Westminster Dog Show Best of breed winner, as well as sire of an all breed Best in Show winner.

A picture of Moxie's dad Jet From the December 2003 AKC Gazette

CH Soft Maple's O' Dark Thirty JH, SH, MH, WC, WCX, WCQ, CD, CGC, TT, HOF CR-CA177/89M/C-PI-ECHO, CR-685, CR-536G27M-T

Jet is the breed's first Master Hunter with an AKC Championship. He is also winner of the 2003 CCRCA annual Field Trophy, and co-winner of of the CCRCA annual Field Trophy.

On to week seven (Starting June 20th)



SoftMaple Curly Coated Retrievers
Mark and Cathy Lewandowski
8282 Soft Maple Road
Croghan New York 13327


SoftMaple 2005 Spring/Summer litter
Ch. Dese's Black As Coal, CD, WC, CGC, TT, JH CR-530G26M-T, CR-CA47/30M/C-T, CR-582 and
CH SoftMaple's Pheasant Dreams WC CGC CR-722G34F, CR-El134F34, CR-CA178/41F/P-NOPI, CERF 2005 CR-814N

Moxie and Coal's pedigree


SoftMaple Puppy Application

SoftMaple Contract

softmaple@curlycoat.org