Sorry for the late update! Had a busy weekend with visitors, first baths, and first time stacking!
Where has the time gone? The pups are 5 weeks old and the fun is ramping up!
During week 4 we continued on everything from prior weeks. In addition to all of those continued skills we added some new things to teach and expose them to.
First off, they get supervised playtime in the kitchen/living room! Three times a day they would get about 30 min of running around and having a grand ol time. Our resident kitty would mill amongst this play. They all are respecting her presence as just another creature of the house and not a play thing. In addition to the kitty they are getting constant exposure to our male doberman, Stavros, and mom is starting to play with them. Both vital things for them to experience to learn proper doggy social skills!
We added in barrier training. This is giving them a small/easy barrier or obstacle they have to overcome without any assistance from people to access what they want. We used meal times for this. They learn that just because they cry they won't receive help and quickly learn that they can overcome challenging and stressful situations on their own. The first day was the only day a few struggled but eventually overcame... After that every obstacle has been "challenge accepted" for them all!
I've introduced clicker/marker training to them. They are learning that click = food and are developing a Pavlovian response to the marker. Marker training doesn't have to be a clicker either, a simple word "Yes!" can easily mark to a dog that the behavior they just performed was pleasing to us and that they are going to be rewarded for it. Using this training for examples such as a puppy that maybe climbing and jumping on you, as soon as their feet hit the floor, mark with a click or Yes! THEN reward. You will find that they "get" what you want so much faster using marker training! This is why I'm giving them a headstart on this for their future homes!
In addition to marker training I'm continuing to build on rewarding sitting behavior for attention. I walk up to their xpen with a handful of treats. Their natural puppy response is to jump, climb, and cry at the gate! The moment someone sits they hear the marker and have food offered in front of them. Once they get that, I start rewarding eye contact before I reward. I'm finding the puppies now coming up to me in different areas of the house, not just outside the xpen but sometimes inside or during their playtime outside. Puppies coming up to me then sitting right away in front of me, looking up at me and waiting patiently for attention. No matter what I'm doing, I always make sure to show them that I see their efforts and pick each one up individually to give them a few seconds of affection for reward. This is offered behavior and if you take time to capture, mark and reward it the moment it happens, you will see this good behavior eventually offered 100% of the time!
The pups survived their first week in their pen in the kitchen! They heard EVERYTHING that goes on in a house. Loud food processors, the dishwasher, the washer and dryer running and beeping, the oven beeping, loud banging of pots and pans in the sink as they are being hand washed, the Roomba, dropping of pots and pans, the big dogs barking, and even the smoke detector a few times. A few things (not all) they would startle to, for them it was coming out of the crate to see what was going on. I saw no fear in any of them. Once the noise was over or they investigated it enough, they'd go back to sleep. Good pups!!
The pups also slept in kennels (with doors open) for the first time AND kept them both entirely clean of any pottying for the entire week!! We just added a third crate last night. Eventually each puppy will have their own kennel. They are now drinking water on their own and are starting to bathe themselves.
On Thursday the puppies started being fed in their kennels with the doors closed. Two and three puppies to a kennel for now. We take the puppies out of their pen, put their food bowls in the kennel and wait for the puppies to offer manding (sit and seeking attention). The first two puppies to sit get scooped up and placed back in the xpen. They are then encouraged to run into their kennel with the food all on their own. This is to continue to build a strong desire for the kennel as a good place that THEY want to be! Bonus: Dietrich asked nicely to be let out of the kennel before her food was gone. We let her out only for her to immediately storm over to the litterbox to do a #2! Proud momma moment to see everything coming together!
How week 4 started
End of week 4. The pups advanced to two litter pans and more room to play and an extra kennel. They also started drinking water on their own this week!
Again, pics are out of order timeline wise but all during week 4. Another post to follow with more pics
Supportive momma going through the weaning process with them.
Stavros absolutely LOVES them and they seem to like him too. He can often be found hanging out around the puppy pen either: play biting, nose booping, licking or admiring the puppies.
The xpen is open for her to escape if she wanted. During her cleaning up of their food she decided that their tiny kennel looked comfy.
Proud momma and her beautiful babes.
This girl is OBSESSED with the Roomba.
Thank God it's not like raising a child and most of the work is done after they go home in 12 weeks! But those 12 weeks! Wow. Especially once they're on the move! I think you're doing a wonderful job with them! I'm very proud of you!
at one time there were 5 puppies all investigating her lol. Miss Dietrich chewing sweater strings
They are all doing great! So lively and spunky.
but week 5 had been... QUITE busy! Love these little guys though, they are worth it. 
