I first heard about Zeutering (neutering via chemical application of Zinc Gluconate) on a blog from a US Service Member stationed overseas who had the procedure performed on her dog and was upset it wasn't widely available in the US.

Zeutering allows a male dog to become sterile but to retain some endocrine function, thereby avoiding some of the health issues seen with early spay and neuter. We believe in letting a dog physically mature before withdrawing the hormonal engines that help to drive uniform growth.

Here's more information:
http://www.arksciences.com/faq.html

The puppies checked in for their weekly meeting today, and their weights are looking good. Because they're becoming so active and running themselves out until they're exhausted, their growth rate should slow.

Puppy love!

These puppies are extremely active now – they are wonderfully active and their personalities are developing so rapidly!

Here’s what we’ve been up to:

Weaning: they visit mom about once a day if she’ll let them. Last night was a no-go with growling involved, so I am guessing she’s d-o-n-e done.

Outside playtime: We’ve been going outside in the morning and evenings as temperatures allow. I’d say we’ve been averaging at least a good hour outside daily. The weather has been beautiful but a little chilly in the morning so if it’s frosty we don’t stay out long. Dogs partially regulate their temperature through the soles of their feet so they’re pretty good about letting us know when their tootsies are too cold to play. Papa dog has recently joined us in playtime since Mama has relaxed her protective instincts a bit. She’s still on patrol watching closely, but I think she enjoys the company and the help in socializing the pups.

Potty training: Puppies are doing great at doing their business outside and understand that cue. When inside, they do their business away from their play area. I’d say we’re at an 80% hit rate with the potty pads concerning #1, but with #2 they prefer an area off the potty pads. More than you wanted to know probably, but they’re pretty consistent about it.

Crate training: We are actively crate training our puppies right now so it will not be a foreign concept when they get to you. On average they are spending an hour to two hours in the crates in the evenings after they’ve eaten and have been outside. A few complain for about 15 minutes, but then they calm down. Granted they are together with littermates. We’ll transition to longer crate periods and some sole crate periods over the next week.

What’s coming up for the puppies:

Tonight we’re having puppy bath time and this weekend we’ll have shots, our last worming medication and microchip implantation. We’ll also take photos for our HomeAgain ID cards. If you have a veterinarian you’d like me to input as your vet contact on the HomeAgain card, please drop me a note.

We’re increasing our food ration to the next level on the bag. Right now it’s 2 cups a day per puppy and they’re growing fast. To read user reviews of the dog food we feed, visit http://reviews.tractorsupply.com/0519/514956699/4health-puppy-formula-35-lb-bag-reviews/reviews.htm

We are also separating the smaller pups from the larger ones at dinner time so they will have an opportunity to eat more should they desire.

What’s coming up for the families:

·      Please send me an e-mail to schedule a pickup time for the weekend of Nov 17/18. We’ll be available anytime after 7:00 Friday night and after 10:00 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

·      I will send statements of remaining amounts due. If you prefer to pay cash upon pickup, please let me know and I will be sure to have change on hand. Cash or credit/debit card only, please.

·      I have the sample contract on my website and have prepared versions in your puppy packs. Please review the sample contract and let me know if you have any questions.

·      On pickup day, plan to spend about 40 minutes here – by the time we go over the paperwork, questions, and goodbyes it’s easy to burn through 40 minutes or more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQDneALe86I

Updating via mobile so they won't appear hyperlinked but check FB.

I didn't have time to take all puppy pics today but I thought I would share the ones I did get of Penny this morning. She got a second bath this weekend so her new family could come do some allergy testing, and this is her after her shampoo and blow dry, or what I call the puppy equivalent of "big Texas hair". You can see how different one puppy can look depending on the light and camera settings!

We are into Puppy Toddlerhood! This is when the social period in your puppy’s life begins. The puppies emerge on their own from the litter and venture into the surrounding environment. Gentle handling by us helps to form a trusting relationship with humans in order to become man’s best friend.

During the toddler period puppies learn basic behavioral patterns specific to dogs:

• While playing, they practice different body postures, learning what the postures mean and how they affect their mother and litter mates.
• They learn what it is like to bite and be bitten, what barking and other vocalizations mean and how to use them to establish social relationships with other dogs.
• From the age of five weeks, the mother teaches her puppies basic manners. They learn to be submissive to her leadership and what behaviors are acceptable. If necessary, she growls, snarls, or snaps at them as a form of discipline. When weaning the litter, for instance, the mother will discipline her puppies so that they will leave her alone. Because the mother disciplines them in a way that they clearly understand, after a few repetitions, the puppies will respond to a mere glare from her.
• A 5 week old puppy is beginning to understand house training rules and begins to understand living with humans as well.