DOGS
FAMILY
LITTERS
CONTRACT
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You would
think the work was done once you do the genetic charts and decide on a
mate. Ha! Now that the pups are born you get to help form their
personalities for the rest of their lives by playing with them. Well
actually it is called stimulation it starts with the placement of the
whelping box and continues until approximately 6 months of age. This
stimulation helps with their cardio vascular system, heart beat,
adrenal glands and their tolerance for stress. The trick is to provide
the right amount of stimulation at the right point in time.
The first
type of stimulation is from 3 days after birth to about 2 weeks of
age.
1) Holding each puppy securely in both hands with his head up for a
few seconds
2) Then holding the pup just as securely with his head down for a few
seconds
3) Then holding the puppy on his back securely between your hands for
a few seconds
4) Then laying the puppy on his stomach on a cool towel
5) And placing a Q-tip between their toes
This needs to be done with each and every pup once a day. At
Stafford's Kennel we also leave the TV running all day every day. This noise stimulation accustoms the pup to family household noise.
Next as
their eyes are opening up and they are learning to stand and walk on
all fours, well maybe it is more accurate to say they are falling and
rolling instead of walking. They are really at their cutest at this
point and the mother is still doing all the work. The stimulation at
this point would be to cut their toenails and introduce strange
objects. Rolling balls, things to climb on and bending their joints.
At about the end of 3 weeks I expand the whelping box area; this gives
the needed room to move as they learn to get about on all fours.
As the 4th
week nears their senses kick in, the eyes focus and hearing turns on,
this requires a stable environment and lots of love. Once they
accomplish this it is time to start the puppy gruel. I use a homemade
formula of canned milk, plain yogurt and egg yolks. After the first
introduction to this they get the hang of it and you can't keep them
out of it.
Weeks 5, 6
& 7 In this time period is when they begin to learn what being
a
dog is all about. They practice body postures, expressions and
vocalizations. How it sounds and feels to bark and to be barked at.
They learn how to bite and what it feels like to be bitten. This
lesson can only be learned from the mother and littermates. This is
one of the reasons you should never adopt a pet before 7 weeks of age.
Here at Stafford's we also move the litter to the attached heated
garage where there is even more room to run and play. We also have
created an area for potty and one for play. It is amazing how around
6-7 weeks of age they just go to the potty area to do their business.
Here there is a radio on 24/7. We have received several compliments
about how easy Stafford pups are to housebreak. During this time I
have friends on a waiting list to come over to my house to play with
puppies. Stimulation of this kind comes with different voices and
different ways of being held, all in preparation for their new
families. Different types of toys are provided to carry around in
their mouths. At 6-7 weeks it is time for them to receive their first
shot. I use a Distemper and Parvo combination on a reduced vaccination
schedule following AAHA recommendations (info about reduced
vaccination schedules and the AVMA included in puppy packet). They
have already been wormed at this point, and that is only if needed.
They will also make their first trip to the vet to get their eyes and
heart checks. We start crate training them at night, then once let out
in the morning they run for the pine shaving area. We also start
putting them on a leash and walking them around the driveway.
At 8 weeks
is an ideal time for them to go to their new homes. This is the time
period that they start bonding to humans. It is necessary to separate
them even more when putting them in the crate at night, if not they
will imprint on each other and not readily on humans.
Sometime
around 11 weeks they will go thru their first fear impact period. This
is the dog's fear perception, not yours. It is very important not to
baby them if they act afraid of something new. You need to distract
them with a training exercise.
You have
this new Stafford pup at home now and they are starting to test your
limits. This starts around 13-16 weeks of age. You must teach the pup
that you are the leader of this family pack, so you can do simple
basic obedience training here. Don't forget the praise and treats!
You should only buy from breeders who spend this much time and attention on each litter and each puppy! If the litter is raised out in a kennel or barn, then the puppies will not be properly socialized - they will not be familiar with a typical family's habits and regular household noises. These isolated pups are likely to be frightened of new sounds and many things they have never experienced.
REMEMBER:
You have control by the way you spend your money, so spend it wisely.
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