Sheerah's 2020 Puppies ~ 7 Weeks Old

7 weeks old - are you ready for cuteness and curiosity with a dash of zest?  If you've never tried to photograph a 7 week old puppy, here's a summary:

Bella inspecting some noise

You can get them to sit for brief periods of time, but their little minds are so intent on seeing everything, they rarely look your way.  All my interesting noises behind the camera have been going on for 7 weeks and just aren't worth their time anymore :)  So, I worked to capture the cuteness in the update photos below.

Can't you just see the energy in their adorable faces?  Their lives here at Russell Homestead have been brimming full of love and new experiences.  Though their home going is a bittersweet experience, we are confident they are ready and prepared for what lies ahead.
​
Since my last blog post, these puppies have experienced so many new things as they journeyed through life with us.  The new experiences under their belts (or should I say, collars?) include a bath, a vet visit, a repairman visit (seeing him in uniform, hearing him talk), listening to some city desensitization clips (sirens, horns, traffic), watching and hearing tractor trailer trucks as we waited outdoors to go into the vet’s office, hearing several thunderstorms, going outside in a gentle drizzle, playing with balls, seeing orange traffic cones, inspecting an inflatable pool toy, hearing machines like a hair dryer and shop vacuum, playing with CJ while he wore a helmet, sniffing and watching bikes and a trike, more interaction with our cats, and lots more of daily life experiences!  This list may sound like lots of stimulation for a young puppy, but we keep the new experiences short and positive.  Our goal is not to introduce them to every thing in life, but rather to show them that new things are interesting and enjoyable.  Below are a few pictures of their new experiences.

In the food and weight department, these puppies are growing!  Their weights are as follows: Luna - 5lbs; Midnight - 4lbs, 13oz; Hiro - 4lbs, 5oz; and Bella - 3lbs, 10oz.  They are now eating dry dog food three times a day with constant access to water.  They are no longer nursing from Sheerah.  In addition to their food, I give them 1/4 of Life's Abundance Wellness Food Supplement.  My adults eat this vitamin like it's the best treat EVER.  The puppies are learning to like it, too.  I use this supplement when my puppies or dogs are going to experience some type of change or stress in their lives - going home, vaccinations, boarding, pregnancy, lactating, injury, new family member, etc.

Above are Midnight and Hiro at their vet visit.  The puppies were very well behaved!  We were thrilled to get a clean bill of health for the litter, and honored that our vet commented on how well socialized they are and how beautiful their coats are.

On the house training front, they are doing lots of potty business outside.  They show a clear preference for doing their business outside and away from the group.  Though I can’t catch every potty need, I take them out several time a day and they go nearly every time.  Other times, they use the potty box in their whelping area.  They sleep all night and use the potty box as necessary overnight.
 
I will wrap up with a few more frequently asked questions and then some photos.  Keep in mind, this is my last post for this litter as they prepare to go home next week.
 
Will my puppy be house trained when he/she comes home at 8 weeks?  No.  Your puppy will be ready for crate training when he/she comes home.  We do the Misty Method of house training for our puppies.  They have a basic understanding of a place to sleep, play, and potty at 8 weeks old.  They are ready to begin crate training at 8 weeks, but they are not house trained!  This litter has been doing well with the Misty Method.  They consistently keep their bedding area free of potty accidents.  Most of their potty needs go into the potty box.  We keep fresh newspaper in the potty box after they use it, preserving the scent while keeping it clean.

Is it hard for your children when the puppies go home?  Yes and no, and harder for some than for others.  My children understand the responsibility and the training an 8 week old puppy requires because we’ve had the privilege of raising all our adults from puppies.  They love playing with the puppies and are, of course, sad to see them go.  At the same time, they get to see the joy a puppy brings to someone else.  We try to encourage them as the puppies grow that we are helping get them ready for their new family.  When our children ask, “Why can’t we keep a puppy?” we gently name off our adults and say, “We did 'keep' a puppy.”  Another thing that softens the blow of seeing their puppies leave is that new life is part of a homestead - we are hoping for another litter of puppies this fall from Tachi.  So, our children may or may not seem sad when you pick up your puppy, but they say their goodbyes before your arrival to limit any teary last-minute goodbyes.

What should I bring when picking up my puppy?  Your puppy will go home with his/her collar, a blanket that smells like his/her littermates, and a bag of treats.  You should bring a leash and a crate for traveling.  Your puppy likely will not go potty on the way home.  Puppies do not like to go in unfamiliar environments.  However, it would be wise to stop every 2 hours to make sure the puppy does not need to eliminate.

What bathing and grooming products do you use?  My crew of mini schnauzers gets a weekly bath using Life's Abundance Revitalizing Shampoo and a mist of Life's Abundance Bath Fresh Mist. The mist is also helpful to freshen them up between baths.  For grooming, if I were told I could have only one grooming tool in my house, it would be a simple comb (as in the human kind).  When brushed weekly, mini schnauzers do not typically get mats and tangles.  I occasionally use a slicker brush.  Rarely, I pull out my dematting tool to get a stubborn tangle.
​
What is your one parting piece of advice for taking home a new puppy?  Take time to invest in training, training, training!  You won't regret the hours you invest in training your puppy - it will pay off over their lifetime.  I highly recommend taking your puppy to puppy kindergarten and obedience school.  And, of course, give them lots of love and patience!

Thanks for stopping by our blog!  We appreciate all our loyal readers, and we feel blessed.  To God be the glory!