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Introducing .. the A-Team!
We have a special surprise this week - two 5 week old pups from the farm! I would NEVER EVER recommend anyone aquire a 5 week old pup as a pup taken from its dam that young will miss out on critical dog/dog socialization and thus never learn how to properly relate to other canines. We have made an exception for these pups for two reasons. First, we have a proper pack complete with matriarch and male role models in which to properly socialize the pups to other dogs, and we are conducting an experiment. It has been my experience that farm pups (and many open air kennel dogs) develop a nasty habit - coprophagia (they eat their own poop -eeeew!) so we are seeing if pulling the pups as early as possible will allow us to prevent this nasty habit from forming.
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2
Let the dog/dog socialization begin!
I have queried other breeders and in their experience, pups taken at 4 weeks and socialized in this way will grow up goofy -5 weeks is the absolute earliest you can pull a pup and do this type of socialing and end up with a dog that has normal behaviors. I have aquired Angel - the white tri - as an addition to the RatpiT, and Aries her brother will go on to a friend. I am thankful the farmer trusted me with this pup so young (he would not do this for just anyone!) and I am thankful Aries' owner has allowed me to raise him with his sister so she can be socialized with a pup her own age.
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3
Hmm... Sonja doesn't seem to be helping much .. or is she?
All she is doing is eating their food! Food for a newly weaned pup at this time consists of soaked adult chow (we do not use puppy chow) that is made into a slurry. The pups have figured out its food, but are still looking for boobies! Seeing Sonja go for their slurry motivates them to eat up!
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4
Angel climbs atop the sleeping crate...
Both pups hit the ground running and are social and eager to explore their environment.
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5
92 day old Tiny is not so tiny compared to these pups!
The 35 day old A-Team must be seperated in their mini-run from the older pups. The A-Team is only now concerned with dominance order, while the 3 month old pups have their dominance behaviors in full swing! The older pups would bully the tiny pups at this age, so they must remain seperated until the A-Team grows up a bit.
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6
Mini-run for the A-Team...
Its still COLD in MN, so the pups have a crate to serve as a sleeping den, plus some bedding outside the crate -a 'porch' to their little house, if you will. At this age they are making the journey to the end of the run to eliminate - great start to clean house habits!
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Even if they are not moving freely amid the full pack...
The tiny A-Team members are getting the full display of behaviors that make dogs dogs. Pups that are taken away from their litters at this age that are not allowed to be dogs will grow up socially retarded; they won't speak proper canine speak, may never be able to get along with other dogs and may always get into fights with other dogs because of this. It is important that any dog that enters the RatpiT be dog oriented, so the humans stay out (ie quit holding those cute pups and carrying them around) and let the pups be with other dogs to learn how to become proper dogs!
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8
The big pups are eager to interact with the A-Team...
The A-Team is only just beginning to show dominant behaviors, and the juveniles are anxious to respond with corrective actions!
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9
Aries is just plain saucy!
Both Nemo and Jack try to take Aries on!
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10
Now each other..
Sis tries to stand on her bro's shoulders. At this stage of the game, the pups will try to stand on or mount each other. They learn how to push each others buttons, and then they get mad and over react like tiny snapping Tazmanian Devils! And then they forget what it was they were doing and wander off - short attention span at 5 weeks!
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11
Big world..
Huge change from the farm environment and these pups did not batt an eye! They are eager to explore and ready to climb anything - and would, if we would just let them out!
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12
Nemo flirts with Angel.....
All Angel wants to do is get out and at 'em!
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13
Aries pounces...
And he has a number of things to pounce on - toys or his sister - but he chooses his dinner! Pups at this age like to do the mexican hat dance with their food!
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14
Angel goes for the spring pole.....
OK, not a proper spring pole, but a shredded bunny toy attached via a rubber band gives a good tugging action just the same!
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Aries on top...
He has climbed up to see what he can see! The shoe box next to the crate forms 'Steps 101'. Thus far both pups readily go up and down their practice steps!
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16
A wonderful end to a busy week .....
When Mitchall heard about Dauntless he told his mom that he wanted her! Why? BECAUSE she had a heart murmur! When I asked why this was so, he explained that someone needed to believe in her. You see, Mitchall was born with a heart murmur also, and was not expected to live past 9 months of age. He is about to celebrate his 14th birthday this year, and I must say that now that Dauntless has been spayed and her heart found to be healed, I wonder if it was Mitchall's faith in her that caused her heart to recover! Mitchall has the perfect name for his pup too; he calls her HONEY- for her lovely amber color and because she is so sweet!
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