Today the Bright Stars met the Cato Board.
The first thing they did was chew/mouth it. Of course they did — that is how puppies explore the world.
Like human babies, everything goes in their mouths and this includes each other — and the humans.
Mouthing, biting, and chewing is normal and appropriate behavior for a puppy. In fact, it would be a bad sign if a puppy (or human infant) did not put everything in their mouth.
We can no more stop puppy mouthing and chewing than we can stop human babies from putting everything in their mouths.
Nova Jr.
And we shouldn’t even try — unless we want to raise a neurotic puppy or child.
Definitely not neurotic Moonshadows
When puppies are in their Baby Shark phase, we do two things. First, we redirect the puppy chewing to things we can both agree on.
Second, we allow mouthing on hands for the purpose of teaching bite inhibition. It is easy — when the puppy bites too hard, we shriek. This conveys to the puppy: OUCH!!!!!!! If the puppy continues to be rough, we do the mother dog thing — and this may surprise you…
Claire and Orion
When a puppy is playing too rough or generally being unruly, a mother dog simply leaves. That is it: she just removes herself from the puppy.
Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Mother dogs are kind to their babies.
Claire and Capella
Littermates also educate about bite inhibition. When a puppy is too rough with another, we all know it and the offending puppy gets the message.
Playtime at the Moonshadows
Having realistic expectations of puppies, dogs, kids, each other — and ourselves — is so important. We create frustration and disappointment when we fail to have informed and reasonable expectations, and nobody deserves to live with all that.
The other new thing with the Bright Stars is a crate.
At nighttime, all items are removed from the puppy areas for two reasons. First, it is safer that way, even though Dear Husband continues to be up with them overnight. Second, we want the puppies to understand that we sleep at night and play during the day (except for Dear Husband, of course).
The Moonshadows have new items today as well.
Moonshadows
Titan: Can I tell you a secret?
Buck: Of course.
Titan: I weigh two pounds today!
#gotitan
Have a terrific day!
Evening Pics
Heze
Ariel
