Three weeks old and all kinds of stuff is happening in the Puppy Nursery.
This is the first in a series of sound habituations that expose 3-4 week old puppies to sounds that are known to cause anxiety in dogs later in life. Exposure to these sounds during this crucial 3-4 week period (and then continued periodically during the next several weeks) significantly the maturing pup avoid anxiety during these events as it matures. FYI: Not an actual window, just a big screen with YouTuBe channel .
Sound Habituation continues with young 3 weeks puppies to habituate them to sounds that tend to cause anxiety in dogs. This early exposure does have significant results in diminishing this type of anxiety for dogs as they mature. Today is an introduction to Fireworks played on a large screen TV. It starts at a low volume. If puppies show no fright or stress, then volume is increased slightly. This is played for about 1 hour 2x a day. Volume then increased tomorrow.Expanded Puppy Pen includes low ramp and extended potty areaYellow boy and Lime girl using new potty areaFirst experience with Puppy food gruelYummy Gruel
We also have been exposing puppies to loud sudden sounds to test their “startle & recovery” response.(Hopefully, I can remember to video when we do it tomorrow!) Each day, a new sudden loud sound is done 3x consecutively about twice a day (usually in morning and then after dinner). We started with just a loud hand clap, then a loud rattle of their pen, and today a wooden spoon against a pan. All our doing great. Some don’t even startle by the 2 or 3rd “bang”, and even when startled, all recover immediately and do not demonstrated any true fear and anxiety. This is a great sign!
As we are getting really near to due date, an x-ray was completed to get a more accurate count of expected puppies. Well…vet counted 11. Let the fun begin. Oh, my!
Teal girl: Brittany Country’s Duchess Silver Pigeon (Beretta) North Utah is Beretta’s new home with Clint and Britanie and their teenage daughter. Clint owned a Brittany many years prior, and since moving and settling in Utah, on a land with property that borders public access that is full of upland birds, Britanie initiated the search…
1st visit to vet for tail docking, dew claws removed…then a day to chill Wednesday morning at 8 am was their first appointment to the vet we hope they never remember. The little ones didn’t mind the gentle look over by Dr. Hall, but it was also time to dock their tails and remove the…
2 1/2 weeks and our eyes are open! Photos are shot in low light due to eyes just opening and safer for the babes for now to not face the light or have a flash right now, but here’s a good look at what these beautiful 11 look like at 2.5 weeks.
Videos taken over last couple of days, some from our Puppy Cam: The puppies definitely enjoy playing each other (well…wrestling, tackling, biting each other’s noses and ears), along with any new fun toys that have showed up in the play area.
Earlier in the day, we were doing some field training with our older Brittanys on Chucker and Quail. Unfortunately, one of our “teenager” Brittanys (aka little Miss Journey) got a little too rough with the quail, leaving it severely injured. We decided before having to euthanize it, we would use it in a kick cage…
