Week Five

Lots more changes as the pups hit 5 weeks old and officially start to look and act like real dogs! Last week they were still stumbling and falling over once in a while while walking, but this week they're starting to run and chase each other like a real pack of hounds. Before, they would mostly yip instead of barking, but they've definitely found their voices now.

From the front porch to the wild green yonder.

Their teeth are through but are still filling in, so every interaction with blankets, chew toys, and a sibling's leg or nose usually involves taking a quick chew to see how it holds up. They've also started to pick up what we call the "poodle pounce". Whenever two pups are getting ready to play with each other, or if a pup sees a chew toy and decides to play at being a fierce hunting dog, they will take the first two or three steps of their "charge" bouncing like Tigger from Winnie-the-Pooh. This is a habit they'll keep into adulthood, and it's just as cute then as it is now.

The pups are still teething, and love to find new things to chew.

The pups had their first real baths this week, and some of them still aren't too sure how they felt about it. Gwyn has been keeping them clean up to now, but their first shampoo in the sink had them all beautiful -- at least until they got hungry and showed how they love to dive into their food.

First bath time. We start the pups in the kitchen sink so they'll feel enclosed and safe, but they'll outgrow this mini tub soon.

Two interesting physical changes can be seen in the pups around this time. Their noses have continued to grow out, and are now looking more like poodle noses than the little pugs they were when they were born. As well, their hair has started to change from the smooth newborn coat to the curly, soft standard poodle puppy coat. Although the pups will have had their first grooming before they go to their new homes, we leave them nice and fuzzy for the most part.

This is also the stage at which the pups really start to develop their own personalities, and to define their personal space. Today I watched Dark Green sleeping peacefully in the crate while all the other pups frolicked in their play pen. He was rudely awakened by a sibling jumping on him and biting his tail. He woke up in a hurry, gave his brother the evil eye and found a different place to carry on with his nap.

While his brothers and sisters are with Colleen and Gwyn in the puppy run, this boy goes exploring in the tall grass with our younger daughter Caitlin (the photographer).

As the pups continue to make the change to solid food, their energy level improves and they begin to stay awake for long periods of play time. Most of their sleeping is now done at night and during big nap breaks in the morning and afternoon (a schedule they'll stay on from here on in). During their longer waking periods, we've switched their play time on the front porch to the back yard, and the big puppy pen we've staked out to let us keep an eye on them as we give them a safe place to run and romp.

At first, they looked out the door to the dog room and refused to budge. Red and Dark Green were the first to take some tentative steps outside, but even with coaxing, it was an initial struggle to get them to explore this big new outdoors. The first few times outside, we had to carry all the pups carefully out to the play area like we had previously when they first spent time with us in the exercise pen on the lawn, and had to use lots of cuddling and ear rubs to keep them happy. Now, the second we open up the playpen and the dog room door, a horde of ten puppies comes barreling out to go running and rolling across the lawn.

In their new run in the back yard, the pups are never far from mom.

The pups have had their first visitors this week, and have demonstrated the standard poodle's ability to take as much cuddling and attention as they can get. When we sit outside with the pups and Gwyn, there are usually as many climbing into our laps for snuggling and ear rubs as there are nuzzling with their mom. We have more visits in the works, and it's always nice to show the pups off.

Dogmatique's summer 2010 litter (from our dogs Danté and Gwyn) is here! Mama and babies (all ten of them) are doing great, and the pups will ready to go to their new homes starting in mid-August. Our family-raised puppies are vet checked, microchipped, and will have had their first vaccinations. They are registered with the Canadian Kennel Club and have a lifetime of support from Dogmatique.