Jolly's 2018 Puppies - 7 Weeks Old

The puppies are full of life at 7 weeks old!  Getting them to sit still for photos is a bit challenging, but I strategically timed the photo shoot after lunch, potty time, and play time.  They were somewhat tired, but still wanting to explore the world.  Below is Chase ditching photo time for plant chewing.

The puppies’ world expanded quite a bit in the past week.  They visited the vet for a health check up.  We had a fabulous visit - all the puppies checked out to be healthy!  To top it off, they were super well-behaved.  No whining, barking, or crying!  And not a single accident on the way there, at the vet, or on the way home, which is a real indication they are on their way to being crate trained.  Below are some photos from the vet visit; I had some handsome helpers along as well.

 We also continued to give them lots of new experiences.  Many of these happened without any staging on my part because the puppies are part of our family life right now.  The puppies explored our play area outside, felt mulch beneath their feet, and saw swings (complete with children swinging), a picnic table, and a play house.  They also heard, smelled, and saw a children’s riding toy.  One dear puppy even experienced a short (and supervised) ride on the toy while being held by MJ.  They saw someone climbing on a step ladder, heard a helicopter overhead, and listened to a weed eater through the window. And lots more things that I likely didn’t even think about!  We believe early, positive experiences with new environments and objects can help in having a confident adult dog who isn’t fazed by new things.
 
They already met cats; this week it was baby chicks.  The puppies had little interest in the chicks, a reaction that I like to see.  They weren’t frightened or compelled to chase.

On a house training note, this litter is doing excellent with going potty outside and in their potty box.  As I mentioned above, they are well on their way to being crate trained.  I tell our new puppy families that their puppy won’t be house broken when she/he comes home, but the puppy will be very ready for crate training.  (For more on how we prepare for crate training, read my past blog posts – Part 1 and Part 2.)  One product we do put to use several times a day to keep the puppies’ whelping area clean is Life’s Abundance Biodeodorizer.  This is hands-down my husband’s favorite Life’s Abundance product.  The best part is how far it sprays, which means he can stand back far from any mess and spray on the good-smelling liquid to make clean up waaaay more pleasant!

We like the Biodeodorizer because it works naturally to eliminate the source of bad odors.  Using only water, alcohol, and unique digestants (i.e. bacterial cultures that are hungry for odor-causing debris), it will effectively clean up any mess your pet might make.  It has no dyes, VOCs, phenols, glycol ethers, or phosphates, which means it gives off a pleasant smell rather than a noxious odor.  It is safe to use around puppies, and we feel it is the best way to deep-clean potty accidents (especially in carpet).

Before I share the snapshots from the week to close the post, two pictures warranted special note.  I caught MJ "reading" to Peanut this week.  It was adorable, and Peanut was just hanging out listening to her every word.

This blog post concludes my weekly updates for this litter.  Next week, we will be busy getting them ready to go home to their forever families.  Check back mid-September for going-home pictures from this litter (or subscribe here not to miss any updates).

​Thanks for following along on our 8-week journey with these puppies.  We feel very blessed to have the privilege to raise them at this crucial time in their young lives.  We hope they will bless many more lives as they move on from here.