Puppy Grand Central

Mary-Ann Sontag February 16, 2021

The Moonshadows continue to grow and develop, adding steadier walking every day. They are playing with each other, albeit still a bit awkwardly. This is a series from play between Titan and Portia…

The Moonshadows still mostly eat and sleep — this is Ariel…

But their awake periods are lengthening…

…and they love to interact.

I hesitate to say too much about individual puppies because whatever I say can create bias. Puppies change so much and so quickly — it is important to stay open in our assessments and opinions. With that caveat — Hunter (below) is a charming, wiry, and early adventurer…

Today the Bright Stars have their special teeter back — this is Lyra…

They also have a bowl of water, which doubles nicely as a wading pool…

Mirak…

Sun…

I hope you have a wonderful day!

Evening Pics

The Importance of Expectations

Mary-Ann Sontag February 15, 2021

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.

And we shouldn’t even try — unless we want to raise a neurotic puppy or child.

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…

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.

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.

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.

Titan: Can I tell you a secret?

Buck: Of course.

Titan: I weigh two pounds today!

#gotitan

Have a terrific day!

Evening Pics

The Daily Report (Updated)

Mary-Ann Sontag February 12, 2021

One good thing about the temperature being below zero is that I do not have to rush to get the frozen raw food that was delivered yesterday in the house in a big hurry…

This is helpful because things have been a bit hectic and crowded in here as we transitioned the Bright Stars out of the whelping box.

Consider how one takes down a whelping box and puts up an entire pen in the same space — while managing ten puppies and their mom. Enter Suzanne — she did not just help with the photos!

The additional space allows us to use some of the wonderful things we have been gifted — like this structure that Lori made and sent to us a few years back…

And just wait until you see what Nova Sr. in Minnesota made and sent to the puppies!

We also have some really great toys that have been sent and will be coming out soon. So much gratitude to everyone in the Bright Stars/Moonshadows community — for your gifts, your texts, your emails, your good thoughts, and your laughter imagining what it must be like to have 10 + 10 puppies in the house. It all matters.

Three weeks is a magical age. Hearing is emerging and vision gets better and better. The puppies are mobile and interactive. This means it is time for them to start expanding their experiences and their minds with safe, manageable novelty.

You will begin to see a constantly changing assortment of experiences offered to the Bright Stars — things that they can successfully master at their own pace, thereby promoting competence and confidence.

When the Moonshadows hit three weeks, they will be engaging in the same processes.

For now, the Moonshadows are doing what they need to do — getting ready to take on the world.

Potty pads are in the center of the Bright Stars puppy paddock because when puppies wake up or stop eating, they drift away a bit and potty; having the pads in the middle maximizes hitting the target.

We use spendy human incontinent pads because they stay dryer than puppy pads when used. Since smell helps puppies know where to go (literally), there is a used one under the new ones to help support success.

And so all is both well and changing here as the puppies’ developmental needs and capacities change.

Life in fast forward.

Have a lovely day.

Evening Report & Photos

Congratulations to the Bright Stars’ Auntie Ruthie on her first Novice obedience leg. First trial, first leg — well done, Team Ruthie! Being a star runs in the family :)

Our Big News is that Claire ate an entire meal from a BOWL!!!! This is literally the first time in about two months that she has done that. Dare I hope that we are turning a hormonal corner?!