Week 1 Update:
It’s hard to believe that the puppies are already 1 week old! They are growing fast and thriving! They may seem incredibly small, but they have more than doubled her birth weight! We weigh the pups 2 times a day the first week, and once we confirm they are consistently gaining weight then we switch to weighing them once a day.
For the first few nights after the puppies were born, I was up quite a bit to make sure Heidi & the puppies were doing well. Heidi needed coaxing to go to the bathroom, drink, and eat the first few days. She’s so devoted to her puppy that she neglects her own needs! After the first few days, Heidi starts coming downstairs briefly to say hello, but then she quickly runs back upstairs to her puppies. Yesterday, I started taking her on short 10 minute walks so that she can get out and stretch her legs a bit. She seems to appreciate the break! We are letting Heidi eat as much as she wants since she needs a lot of extra calories to be able to produce enough milk for her puppy. And of course, she is getting lots of pets, pampering, and treats!
On top of making sure her puppies are fed around the clock, Heidi also has to stimulate her puppies to go to the bathroom. She licks them so that they will eliminate. Pretty gross! But if Heidi didn’t take care of it, then I would have to do it with a washcloth- so I appreciate it! At this point the whelping box stays fairly clean with Heidi taking care of the messes! We use fabric incontinence pads in the whelping box that we change regularly. As the weeks go on, I will be in charge of cleaning up more and more of the messes! So I’m relaxing now, allowing Heidi to do the work while I can!
On day 3 we started ENS (early neurological stimulation) and ESI (early scent introduction). Also known as the super dog program or bio-sensor, ENS involves stressing the puppies just slightly in very specific ways in order to improve their physiological response to stress in the future.
Early scent introduction is a training program of introducing new scents to a newborn puppy. ESI was designed to enhance a puppy’s ability to react and identify specific scents. It helps puppies gain awareness with their nose and boost their confidence. It’s an especially helpful training program for service and therapy dogs. Some examples are cinnamon sticks, dirt, cat fur, cloves, gravel, lavender, mint, and more. If doing something so simple and easy can improve a dog’s confidence and enhance a dog’s abilities at being a service or therapy dog- then I’m all in! The puppies seem to like smelling the different scents. They takes big whiffs!
It’s amazing how well equipped puppies are to be able to crawl and find their mama to eat. They bob their heads back and forth and drag themselves towards her. We have noticed the puppies pulling themselves up higher each day. The puppies are unable to see or hear at this point. Their eyes will start to open in the next few days (usually at about 10 days old). Their ears will stay closed for a bit longer- about 3 weeks. Currently, they spend their day just eating and sleeping! They twitch and pop involuntarily during their sleep as she develops muscle tone. This is known as “activated sleep.” The pups also had their first nail clipping with an infant nail clipper, this way they will avoid scratching Heidi and each other, and it helps them to begin to get used to having their nails clipped.
Before we know it, they will graduate from crawling on their bellies and be up on all 4 legs running around!
Getting Ready for your Puppy:
It’s never too soon to start getting ready for your puppy! Some things to consider are: Where will your puppy sleep? Have you considered a puppy socialization class? How do you get started on the right foot for potty training? There are many beneficial videos on YouTube that can help you get ready.
I highly recommend crate training your puppy. Before your puppy comes home, she will be acquainted with a crate. When I move her to a larger area at around 4 weeks, there will be a crate that she will be able to check out and explore in her area. At 6-7 weeks she will sleep in a crate. So a crate will not feel like a scary or isolating thing for your puppy. Crate training makes potty training and keeping your puppy safe & out of mischief much easier. I would also recommend having your puppy sleep near you in their crate when they first come home. It will help her have a better association with the crate and will prevent her from feeling isolated. While crates will not be brand new to your puppy, it will still be an adjustment for them when they go to their furever homes.
Here’s a video from Baxter & Bella on crate training your puppy
There’s also a shorter version you could check out.
Baxter and Bella offers an online training service & offers a wealth of information via YouTube and through their podcast. They have a wealth of information on how to prepare for your puppy, week 1 with your puppy, and many training videos. I used their program for my dog Ember, and highly recommend watching their videos before your puppy comes home. They give useful tips on what to do when you bring your puppy home, potty training, crate training, bonding with your puppy, socializing your puppy, and training your puppy. I especially appreciate the Junior videos they have- it helps to teach children how to interact with dogs and teaches them tricks they can do with their puppy. You can get a lot of their information free on YouTube & through their podcast, but if you would like to purchase their full program you can get 25% off with the coupon code “landofgoshen.”