Tomorrow the pups will be 4 weeks old and are ready for the next phase of socialization. During the 3-4 week period they explored their limited environment, the whelping box and the puppy pen. Lots of toys to investigate, tunnels to go through, low boxes to climb on. They started leaving the whelping box to explore the pen, and with that comes the instinct to "keep the nest clean". Most peeing is done outside the box now, in a litter box or on the newspapers. Because the litter tracks, I'm not sure I will continue with that, but the pups often use the box when they pee which keeps the paper drier, so we'll see. They're quite mobile now and really
into exploring their surrounding, and all of them are comfortable being held and snuggled. Mira and Baxter were the least good about being held, but Mira is now one of the most social. Summerset will get the extra handling for the next few days.
At four weeks their horizons will expand to include exploring outside the pen, and being carried upstairs to experience the sights and sounds of the household. I'll let Max go into their pen to walk around and sniff them too - Fern makes him lay outside the pen to watch Puppy TV. AND it's time for more socialization with people outside the family. Heather and girls will be over this evening, and Laurie is arriving to spend the weekend. We'll have a few other groups in too. It's time to play Pass the Puppies - everyone sits on the floor and takes turn snuggling each puppy, and I'll be watching to see how each puppy reacts. Any puppy that seems at all uncomfortable gets singled out for extra handling.
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| Pretty Peabody |
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