Training Curriculum: What to Expect as they reach their developmental milemarkers.
Week 1:
At this week, from birth, Puppies learn suckling and bonding with their mom. They are learning to imprint Mom’s smell and human mom’s smell and touch. Weights almost double from birth. Puppies are in the whelping pen with heaters and heating pads to maintain body temperature control. At this point, their sense of smell is really getting developed in order to find mom and nipples. We start “body work”, meaning we touch their ears, paws, tails, rub their bodies, nose bridge, chest area daily. This will continue up until they are picked up.
Week 2:
At week 2, Puppy’s eyes start to open and they start learning to track and focus on something in slow motion. Human touch and voice continues to be imprinted. Puppies are still in the Whelping pen on heating pads with warmers in the room. Nails and hinny trimming begins as nails grow.
Week 3:
Puppy’s ears are starting to open. They start working on leg strength as they wobble around in the pen, coming over to Mom for milk. Puppies start tracking people’s voices with their eyes and ears. Accuity starts to improve. Pee Pee Pad training begins, along with Bell Training. Their bedding is halved in between bedding and pee pee pads. Apartment upgraded anticipated as puppies start to walk around more as they explore their environment.
Week 4:
At week 4, Mush is introduced with Mom teaching them how to lick and eat the mush. The weaning process begins. Grooming, with a brush and nail clipping continues along with hinny hair trims, focusing on touching body parts like ears, feet and tails. Kid Play exposure begins along with toy exposures. Puppies graduate to a puppy playpen with a floor and an ex-pen.
Week 5:
Puppies start to like the food mush but still want some milk occasionally from mom. Crate training begins in the playpen either with plastic crates, wire crates, little dog houses, caves or all the above. Exposure to different floor surfaces begin with other stimulating toys. They will be out on ceramic tile, hardwoods, rugs, vinyl, and linoleum surfaces.
Week 6:
Puppies starts to interact with adult dogs. Teeth are starting to emerge. Chew toys are very valuable. Curiosity helps with discovery of new environment and situations, like tile and hardwood floors, concrete, grass. Food is switched over to hard foods along with some softer food. First Set of Shots can be given, AKC Microchips placed, Outdoor exposure and play may start if weather permits.
Week 7:
Continue with all the above learning, add collar wearing, playing fetch, learning how to receive a treat and pack eating. Evaluate personalities and temperaments. As your puppy grows up, you can earn a temperament Title through AKC.
Week 8:
Doggie Door Training begins. Puppies can begin to go to their new homes, especially those with prior dog owning/training experience, depending on the puppy’s level of maturity. Puppy Exit reviews are completed with our vet as puppies get ready to head to their new homes.
Week 9:
Outdoor playing continues depending on the weather, along with outdoor potty instructions, making sure to protect puppy from big birds of prey and other hazards such as steps, high places, poisonous plants and bugs.
Week 10:
Ready to go home to new families to learn their routines.
Please be prepared to travel if you are out of state. We do not ship puppies, they are not cargo, but precious lives.
