Merry Christmas Eve!!! There are few things cuter to look at than 5 week old puppies. They are curious and daring. They are fluffy, playful, and adorable. At 5 weeks, they really begin to have that quintessential puppy look: big head, squatty body, tubby tummy, miscievous fluff ball.
Several days ago we integrated the litters. We expanded their living space and removed a dividing wall. The integration has gone great; all puppies interact well and their size variation does not seem to pose any problem. The expansion proved to be too big too fast. Within a day or two it was clear that any advancements that had previously been gained in potty training were lost. The puppies were going everywhere and it was a veritably horrific mess. It literally took me 2-3 hours to deep clean their pen. Then I wanted to shower. Twice. I decreased their foot print and their potty training improved again. That's all inside the house. Outside the house, they have ample space to run and play.
Explorers. The weather broke long enough for both litters to spend a chunk of time each day outside for a few days this week. They've done great! The puppies are starting to jump and pounce. Many offer each other or their mothers a play bow. It's really adorable.
Training: Noise Desensitization has stopped; There is a window for it, and that window has passed. Noise habituation continues. We continue working on potty training, on puppy recall, and on Manding. Since the puppies are not named, recall is just getting them to come by calling them "puppy" and asking them to come. Manding is encouraging a sit when they want something, striving to discourage their natural desire and impulse to whine and jump when they want attention. Within the litter they are learning bite control as they teach each other how much is too much. A few puppies were taken out and given one on one time with Maya to also learn bite control. More one on one time with Moms will be given over the next several days we are stuck indoors because of rain.
Food: Puppies are still nursing, as well as eating softened kibble. They love it. Please purchase a bag of Nutro Ultra Puppy food to have when your puppy comes home. It's what they are used to. If you desire to feed something different, please start with Nutro Ultra and transition slowly to your food of choice. I explain why I choose Nutro Ultra in the Gear blog.
Parvovirus: Parvovirus is a very serious germ that can threaten the life of every puppy and take out whole litters. It's one of the top things that puppies are vaccinated for before 16 weeks. (I wrote a blog on vaccines if you want to read about why they need shots several times before 16 weeks). Normally parvovirus vaccine is given with their first shot at 7-8 weeks, but some breeders give them every 2-3 weeks starting significantly earlier as a precaution to the safety of their litter. As a precaution, all puppies have been given a parvovirus shot at 5 weeks old. I ran this by our vet on the last litter and he said I'm just throwing money down the drain, but that it would do no harm. I don't believe it's wasted money; if it helps keep puppies well, it's money well spent. Meet and greet visits are coming up at week 7, right around when puppies are becoming most vulnerable to getting sick, because maternal antibody protections are waning. So, the parvovirus vaccine at 5 weeks is a bonus shot, for my own peace of mind. It’s also for the peace of mind for one of our upcoming owners who lost their puppy reservation with another breeder when the breeder lost the whole litter to parvovirus. It will show on the shot record when puppy comes home. All puppies will receive their DHPP at 7-8 weeks old as well (the DHPP will be considered their first shot).
If you have not yet scheduled a vet appointment for when your puppy comes home, please do so now. Many vets have delays for appointments by a few weeks. Puppies go home in 3 weeks, so please get that appointment booked!
At 5 weeks old, the puppies continue to grow well.
Maya's litter: 4 1/2 - 6 pounds
Gloria's litter: 4 3/4 - 6 1/2 pounds
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