A Day in the Life of a Walk with Me Doodle Puppy

Week 0: This is the week prior to delivery. We are super busy prepping the whelping area and ensuring everything is ready to go for the big day. Mommas generally get a pre-delivery groom by Becki and we start checking her temperature daily. Once momma’s temp drops under 99 degrees F it’s getting close to go time.

Week 1: The puppies have arrived. This is the most critical week, our biggest goal is to ensure all of the puppies are getting enough milk and gaining weight. We do weight checks twice daily during this week and offer supplementation as needed. Mommas are super protective during this week and instinctively know when to feed their pups. The puppies can not hear or see yet and are totally dependent on their momma to feed them and stimulate them to go potty.

Day 3 we begin early neurological stimulation and early scent introduction. These continue through day 16 of life.

Early neurological stimulation is a series of 5 movements or holding positions that we do with the puppies. The benefits are lifelong and shown to improved cardio vascular performance (heart rate), stronger heart beats, stronger adrenal glands, more tolerance to stress and greater resistance to disease.

Early scent introduction is where we introduce a new scent everyday and track their response. The introduction of new scents, helps build nose confidence, which in turns helps puppies rely on this sense more as they get older. It opens the door for them to do therapy work that involves their nose as well as things like search and rescue.

At one week we also begin weekly nail trims with clippers and a Dremel.

Week 2: The pups are scooting around. They are still mostly just eating, sleeping and growing. We administer their first round of dewormer. Eyes should start to open during this week. Once eyes open the puppies become more curious about the world around them. Mommas generally start taking longer breaks away from the whelping pool, as they slowly know to start spacing out their feedings.

Week 3: During this week most puppies are starting to wobbly walk. They also are starting to walk away from their sleeping area to potty. Once we see this happen, we begin litter box training. Litter box training early on really helps teach the puppies there is a play to potty and a play to play and sleep. Puppies will go from eating, right to the litter box and then go right from sleeping to the litter box. Within a few weeks they learn that is their potty place.

This week we also begin loud noise exposure, this is done for three days, they are brief periods where we exposure them to very loud noise, as puppies do not yet show fear, this helps them desensitize to noise. After those three days of brief loud noise exposure we begin noise exposure to everything from dogs barking, to fireworks, babies crying, construction, the list could go on! We play it very quietly to start and gradually raise the volume by take home day none of it even phases them.

We start gentle handling at 3 weeks of age. This is a 12 step series of handling techniques where we get the puppies prepared for grooming with clipper exposure, blow dryer exposure & vibrating tools, as well as, handling of all types from their toes, to their bellies, ears, to their mouth. This really sets the puppies up for success in all areas.

Week 4: This is our most favorite week. We introduce the puppy jungle gym and the kennel. The puppies are more active, they can hear and see and are starting to recognize when you walk in the room. This week we start introducing different toys and textures to the puppies. Weaning also gradually starts as the puppies prepare to transition over to puppy mush. We will give the pups their first sanitary trim this week, and the second round of dewormer is administered.

Week 5: This week is a big one for the pups too! We move them out of their smaller whelping playpen to their larger playpen where they have more room to run and play. We start taking out momma feeding sessions and replacing them with puppy mush.

Week 6: This is when they will get their first full bath and blow dry. We will also do sanitary trim again. Pups should be fully weaned by the end of this week, starting to take solids and have 24/7 access to water. We administer their third round of dewormer.

Week 7: This is a BIG week!!! We will complete puppy evaluations AND have family visit day!!! Whoop, whoop!!! This is also when the puppies have their vet visit for wellness checks. We will insert microchips and vaccines are administered. The puppies are fully litter box trained, free feeding and getting lots of playtime with our girls. They will get one more bath and blow dry before going home with you!

Week 8: It’s take home day!!! We administer their 4th round of dewormer and send them home with their final two doses. The puppies will come with their own take home bag and transition over to being your very best friend!!! This is where we can officially welcome you to the Walk with Me Doodle family!