Soggy Doggies!

It's official now. June & July in SW Ontario have been the wettest on record. And this summer, Toronto has received more rain than Vancouver! This record follows our winter that had record snowfalls and last summer was the driest on record. Nothing is 'normal' any more or this is the new 'normal'. Because of the rain, it's been a challenge to get pups outdoors between thunder storms or rain. The only good aspect about this weather is that pups are being exposed to actual thunder instead of recorded sounds and they are adapting to wet grass and some light sprinkles on their coats.

Well, puppies are taking up a whole lot more of humans' time now which is why I am not able to post very often. I know people, especially the new buyers, have come to look forward to the posts and photos and I apologize. But, lack of blogging means I'm spending time with the puppies - handling, training, exposing them to new situations (and trying to get other things done too) and also hosting visitors. Rarely a day goes by when we don't have visitors so pups are getting a lot of handling by strangers. I know some breeders leave puppies in an exercise pen outdoors unsupervised for long periods but I don't. I am always close at hand or interacting with them, and only leave them for a few seconds if absolutely necessary. (Many years ago, I dropped in at another breeder's house to see their pups; because I had been there many times before, I popped into the house because the breeder wasn't answering the door but I knew she was around somewhere. The litter of Vizsla puppies was left to run loose in the basement with all sorts of things they could get into; they were skinny & were so hungry, they were eating their own feces. Not a pretty sight nor, IMO, a good way to raise a litter.

Anyway, our puppies' house training is coming along. As soon as they wake up, they are herded outside to do their business' and then again shortly after each meal. When they eliminate outdoors, they now get a click & very small treat to reinforce this behaviour. Of course, they still have accidents in the house - they are, after all, only 5.5 weeks old - but they eliminate more outside than in now. I have also started reinforcing a nose/hand touch as this behaviour is useful for so many things even if their owners don't do agility with them later on.

Miska has now been totally segregated from her brood for 3 days now in order to fully wean the pups. Her mammary glands are still filled with milk and will take several more days to dry up. In the meantime, Grandma Nova is giving them some discipline - from her spot on the couch - and Uncle Tyro is playing with them so they continue to have positive interactions with other dogs. Uncle Chili just can't figure the pups out and would rather avoid them, at least in the house - so we allow him a safe escape route.

Here's a slide show of photos from this past week. I am grateful to Greg Howell for providing photos of his daughter Rae Brynn and wife Cynthia with our puppies; the beautiful shots of the pile of peaceful sleeping puppies was taking by Greg.


If you want to view the larger versions of the photos in our Picasa album, click on the link below to open a new window.

OK - It's almost midnite & time for my bed. Puppies tend to rise early - I must get some sleep now! Good night.

Miska's puppies, 6th week