Well how much fun are 7 week puppies?
I'd put fun above hard work, but they are time consuming (I wouldn't have it any other way)...
All the puppies now have lovely new homes to go to and new names, but they'll be with us for at least another few weeks or so.
There are advantages and disadvantages to summer time puppies. The advantages for us breeding them at that time (and really not having any choice), is that we can open the back door, and the puppies just love playing in the garden. This keeps our carpets clear of puppy poop etc!
The disadvantages though are maybe for the puppy's family, in that due to long time prearranged commitments, the puppy's can't venture into their new homes at 8 weeks, but will be leaving at 9 to nearly 11 weeks old. But I know that all the families are really excited about their new family member.
Orio (previously Claude) learnt last week how to jump out of the whelping box at night and kept leaving me little parcels in the lounge. The funny thing was though, that he got back into the box as if nothing had happened!
When Sky (our girl) started to do the same, it was time to take action, and we took out the pig rails. So far so good.
That was until last night when a parcel was left at the bottom of the stairs (Sky's spot). Time for a re-think, I think!
Playing
Our four Tibetan Terrier puppies (3 boys, 1 girl) are having a whale of a time! Summer, their mum, has just started to play with them and in general, is returning gradually to her pre-pregnant self. She spent about 20 or so minutes playing with Zeus (previously Ryan) the other night, rolling him, tapping him with her paws, jumping around him - it was a joy to watch. She's since done the same with Mario (previously Sable), who is a bit like his name sake, Super Mario, darting around the garden. I'm sure she'll do the same with Oreo (previously Claude) soon.
The toys the puppies like are their small soft toys which we bought from charity shops, and the toys some of our friends have bought them too. Small chewy toys which they can pick up easily. Empty toilet rolls and kitchen rolls, go down very well. My slippers. Our toes. Anything hanging on the washing line that they can reach. Small sticks and branches. Summer's ears. Corners of mats. Dish clothes and socks pupped out of the washing basket as I take them out of the washing machine... You get the picture!
Newspaper
I've been so thankful for all the newspaper that our friends and friends of friends have supplied us with. You just can't have enough! We filled two shelves of a cupboard and as it keeps being topped up, we haven't emptied a shelf yet. I will be giving bundles to our puppy's families to use. It really soon goes...
Inoculations
Yesterday (Wednesday), we took the puppies (and Summer) to have their first inoculations. They were very good and the vet was lovely. She also gave them all a good check, listening to their hearts, checking every nook and cranny, and all were given a very good bill of health!
Tomorrow, we will be going back to the vets for the TT puppy's final (whilst with us) dose of worming medicine. It's a three day course, given by syringe. It tastes really nasty (if the puppy's faces are anything to go by)!!
Puppies need to be wormed EVERY month - at LEAST - up to 6 months. As Sky will be staying with us, once the other puppies have gone to their homes, we'll be starting her on Advocat. If your dog or puppy laps at puddle water (as the advert says), your dog is in danger of lung worm which is carried by slugs and snails. Lung worm, if not treated, can kill your dog, so just know the signs to spot. It also keeps fleas away, and we've found that ticks don't develop as quickly and sometimes even die (horrid things) with Advocat!
I'm in the middle of preparing a load of photos to load. I'll TRY to get these on the site tomorrow.
Showing posts with label puppy training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label puppy training. Show all posts
Thursday, 15 August 2013
Monday, 17 June 2013
Training and Treats
Summer our gorgeous black and white Tibetan Terrier was nearly nine weeks old in September 2009, when she came to live with us. She hadn't had her jabs so could only walk in the garden.
We took Summer to the vets two days later for a once over and to also see that going to the vets doesn't have to be scary (would definitely recommend this!). Then a day or so later, we went back and she had her first jab. I think it was worse for me than her. The vet was very gentle and she hardly noticed!
I think we had to wait a few weeks before her second booster jab, when we also had her wormed and she was chipped (a necessity from 2014).
We had to wait a further 7-10 days to actually take her outside, so she could reap the full benefit of the jabs. By this time, it was obvious that our garden wouldn't be a sufficient play area for our TT pup, and I'm not sure who was walking the walls more, her or us?!
So it was with great excitement that as soon as we could take our Tibetan Terrier puppy for a walk and as we live close to town, that that is where we headed. And did she love it?! Lots of admiring faces and lots of cuddles, for our Summer...
I had also booked our puppy into training classes, which started immediately.
What fun we both had! I was a real dog owner novice, but I quickly learned that even though my puppy may want to walk for an hour, that it isn't good for their growing bones, and two or more half hour or less walks, is much more beneficial. We both learnt about walking on the lead and bought one of our trainers "training leads" (which we still use nearly 4 years later). The group was great fun, and Summer and a flat haired Retriever, became the 'naughty kids', wanting to play when they should be 'training'.
But Summer passed the Kennel Club Puppy Class, and went onto also pass the KC Bronze and Silver grades. Unfortunately, we got a little stuck at Gold, which we tried three times. The first two times she passed everything except the remote isolation. I had to tie her up in a location where she couldn't see me. And boy did she whine! On the third attempt, we'd practiced so much, that she passed this with flying colours. And decided she'd fail on 'stopping at a distance', which she had had no trouble at all doing in the past (this is where I stood at one end of a field, Summer at the other. I would call her to me and make her STOP half way down the field...except she didn't...)!
Never mind! I decided that we'd tried enough, and were accepted into Agility classes.
I can't recommend taking puppies to classes as soon as you can. You learn a lot. The puppy learns an awful lot. It's socialisation for both of you. And if you're having problems, the trainer will ALWAYS have a whole list of ideas from experience, which you can try!
TREATS
Training in class and at home is made much easier if you have a food orientated dog, and even if you haven't, a nice smelly treat, really does help.
At training class, it was suggested that we make home made 'liver cake', and Summer loved and still loves, it!
RECIPE
One pack of livers (any type - price about £1.20)
Bag of plain rolled oats (bottom shelf of the supermarket's cereal section)
Liquidise in a blender, ALL the liver. Gradually start adding the rolled oats. You may wish to remove from blender into a bowl and use a wooden spoon. Keep adding the oats and mixing, so the oats are covered in the gooey mixture. When it becomes difficult to stir and/or there is no more liver to cover the oats, then stop adding the oats. All the oats should be well covered with liver slush.
Next you can start scooping/pouring the quite solid mixture into a pyrex pie dish or similar flat based microwaveable dish. The mixture should be about 1 1/2 cm deep.
Place in the microwave for about 7 minutes. At 7 minutes check the mixture, if it is more or less the same colour of brown all over the top, it is done. If the centre is looking bloody, microwave for a further two minutes. The end result is spongy, not crusty.
You can use the oven instead, but be warned, the aroma of liver will live in your house a lot longer! Cook for 10 minutes in a pre heated oven (about Gas 6 / 180) and check. Continue cooking until brown all over.
Remove cooked 'liver cake' onto a chopping board and slice immediately whilst still warm (it is easier than when cold). Cut the pieces so they are about 2cm square.
Once they have all cooled down, package up about 5 pieces in cling film. Put one package in your fridge to use, and the rest, place in their 5 pack pieces, into a plastic bag and put in the freezer.
To use, take a mini pack out of the freezer the night before use.
The dogs just LOVE it!
Good luck...
We took Summer to the vets two days later for a once over and to also see that going to the vets doesn't have to be scary (would definitely recommend this!). Then a day or so later, we went back and she had her first jab. I think it was worse for me than her. The vet was very gentle and she hardly noticed!
I think we had to wait a few weeks before her second booster jab, when we also had her wormed and she was chipped (a necessity from 2014).
We had to wait a further 7-10 days to actually take her outside, so she could reap the full benefit of the jabs. By this time, it was obvious that our garden wouldn't be a sufficient play area for our TT pup, and I'm not sure who was walking the walls more, her or us?!
So it was with great excitement that as soon as we could take our Tibetan Terrier puppy for a walk and as we live close to town, that that is where we headed. And did she love it?! Lots of admiring faces and lots of cuddles, for our Summer...
I had also booked our puppy into training classes, which started immediately.
What fun we both had! I was a real dog owner novice, but I quickly learned that even though my puppy may want to walk for an hour, that it isn't good for their growing bones, and two or more half hour or less walks, is much more beneficial. We both learnt about walking on the lead and bought one of our trainers "training leads" (which we still use nearly 4 years later). The group was great fun, and Summer and a flat haired Retriever, became the 'naughty kids', wanting to play when they should be 'training'.
But Summer passed the Kennel Club Puppy Class, and went onto also pass the KC Bronze and Silver grades. Unfortunately, we got a little stuck at Gold, which we tried three times. The first two times she passed everything except the remote isolation. I had to tie her up in a location where she couldn't see me. And boy did she whine! On the third attempt, we'd practiced so much, that she passed this with flying colours. And decided she'd fail on 'stopping at a distance', which she had had no trouble at all doing in the past (this is where I stood at one end of a field, Summer at the other. I would call her to me and make her STOP half way down the field...except she didn't...)!
Never mind! I decided that we'd tried enough, and were accepted into Agility classes.
I can't recommend taking puppies to classes as soon as you can. You learn a lot. The puppy learns an awful lot. It's socialisation for both of you. And if you're having problems, the trainer will ALWAYS have a whole list of ideas from experience, which you can try!
TREATS
Training in class and at home is made much easier if you have a food orientated dog, and even if you haven't, a nice smelly treat, really does help.
At training class, it was suggested that we make home made 'liver cake', and Summer loved and still loves, it!
RECIPE
One pack of livers (any type - price about £1.20)
Bag of plain rolled oats (bottom shelf of the supermarket's cereal section)
Liquidise in a blender, ALL the liver. Gradually start adding the rolled oats. You may wish to remove from blender into a bowl and use a wooden spoon. Keep adding the oats and mixing, so the oats are covered in the gooey mixture. When it becomes difficult to stir and/or there is no more liver to cover the oats, then stop adding the oats. All the oats should be well covered with liver slush.
Next you can start scooping/pouring the quite solid mixture into a pyrex pie dish or similar flat based microwaveable dish. The mixture should be about 1 1/2 cm deep.
Place in the microwave for about 7 minutes. At 7 minutes check the mixture, if it is more or less the same colour of brown all over the top, it is done. If the centre is looking bloody, microwave for a further two minutes. The end result is spongy, not crusty.
You can use the oven instead, but be warned, the aroma of liver will live in your house a lot longer! Cook for 10 minutes in a pre heated oven (about Gas 6 / 180) and check. Continue cooking until brown all over.
Remove cooked 'liver cake' onto a chopping board and slice immediately whilst still warm (it is easier than when cold). Cut the pieces so they are about 2cm square.
Once they have all cooled down, package up about 5 pieces in cling film. Put one package in your fridge to use, and the rest, place in their 5 pack pieces, into a plastic bag and put in the freezer.
To use, take a mini pack out of the freezer the night before use.
The dogs just LOVE it!
Good luck...
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