Let’s talk about the process of your puppy from conception, to birth, and right up till you receive them.
Our girls go into heat on an average of ever 7-8 months, some as often as every 6 months.
Once heat has begun it lasts up to 21 days with the average days of fertility being 2 to 4 days. It is a tight window of time to get the girls pregnant. This is why, when a girl has a heat cycle and has been bred, does not guarantee they will get pregnant, that is up to mother nature.
Often times we don’t for sure know our girls are pregnant till about day 45. Some of our more seasoned girls we can tell before that, due to body changes, eating habits, and personality changes.
The Moms are pregnant for approximately 62 days.
The first 14 days are VERY critical for the puppies. This is when they are their most vulnerable, the do not have the ability to regulate their temperature, can not hear or see. The are completely reliant on their Mom and Mary, their human nurse maid. Also this is the most important time in their neurological development, at this time Mary begins to handle them in a specific pattern to increase brain development, stress management , and beginning their life long bond with humans.
At 14 days the puppies eyes open, they begin to regulate their temperature, and their ears open. They begin to interact with the world around then.
3 weeks is when the raw food diet is introduced and the puppies are interacting more with their world and siblings, play begins.
Weeks 4-5 is puppy development time, they are still with their Mom , taking short trips outside in a sterilized puppy play area. The first introduction to potty training begins. They start to learn to not go the bathroom in their play or food area. Moms begins to distance themselves , allowing them to nurse just a few times a day. Moms begin to instill social rules, teaching them how to play and do normal dog things. At 4 WEEKS we will reach out to families telling them they have been assigned to a litter. We wait this long so we can understand the litter and place a family with a litter that has the traits that best fit the new families needs. We will not tell families before this.
Week 6 puppies first real adventure begins! They are placed outside in our puppy house and play area. The puppy house is a heated and air conditioned area, the house has a doggie door continuing the puppies potty training. With in 3 days the puppies know how to use the doggie door and will go outside to go the bathroom throughout the day. The puppy house allows the dogs to learn independence, they can play and sleep when they want and social etiquette is beginning to develop in the litter. This means they learn it’s not ok to drag a friend around by their tail!
Week 7 is the week you all are waiting for! Puppies independent personalities have developed and we assign specific puppies to each family and a very cute, Puppy announcement is sent to each new family! Also, puppies have begun to learn to sit for treats and will come to our “Puppy Puppy Puppy” call.
Week 8 Puppies go to their new homes or begin their stay with our trainer for puppy finishing school!
