| At four weeks old the puppies are getting stronger on their feet and are starting to pounce at each other, and bite and shake toys. They now have a bigger puppy pen so that they can stretch their legs and exercise. Physical fitness also improves mental fitness. The larger pen also reduces conflict within the litter allowing them space to move away from each other if they want to. I've now created a toilet area with trays and puppy pads to teach the puppies to use the toilet area rather than the whole exercise area! (This has been added since the picture was taken). The addition of the toilet tray should make toilet training easier for the new owners when they take their puppies home.  |  At 4 weeks the puppies have virtually no fear response so now is the time to introduce other friendly dogs in the household too. Baxter loves the puppies and is happy to let them follow him around. A large pen with environmental enrichment has a huge impact on the puppies, however adding learning and problem solving activities can improve that enrichment affect even further Learning and enrichment activities produce puppies that are more stable, less prone to stress and less easily frightened. We have started adding new challenges to the puppies lives daily. |
The problem solving activities we have introduced are;
1. We have started to feed the puppies away from the play pen, requiring them to navigate the slightly raised lip of the lip of the door to obtain their food. We are obviously aware that Labrador puppies have joints that are very underdeveloped so small raised platforms have also been introduced - I'll have to take some photos to upload on here!
2. We are also going to introduce simple barrier activities, placing a bowl of food one side of a barrier and the puppy on the other. The puppies can get to the food easily by navigating around the barrier - but the puppies need to work this out for themselves.
Puppies NEED to learn how to cope with frustration, and be able to think and work things out for themselves in order to cope with everyday life. These activities teach the puppies how to cope with frustration. Frustration is a huge factor in aggressive behaviour. If all puppies were taught how to cope with frustration from a young age, the incidences of aggression would probably be a lot lower.
My behavioural work through my business 'Puppy Plus' brings me into contact with lots of dogs who do not cope with being frustrated - dogs that bark and lunge when they cannot get to other dogs, dogs that turn and bite their owner when they see something that they want to get to. It's very sad and can cost those dogs their lives.
Elsie has a fantastic temperament, partly due to her breeding and partly due to the fantastic start in life that she had from her breeder Hayley Brambles of Shaymiloney Labradors.
I am determined that Elsie's puppies will have that same fantastic start! x
1. We have started to feed the puppies away from the play pen, requiring them to navigate the slightly raised lip of the lip of the door to obtain their food. We are obviously aware that Labrador puppies have joints that are very underdeveloped so small raised platforms have also been introduced - I'll have to take some photos to upload on here!
2. We are also going to introduce simple barrier activities, placing a bowl of food one side of a barrier and the puppy on the other. The puppies can get to the food easily by navigating around the barrier - but the puppies need to work this out for themselves.
Puppies NEED to learn how to cope with frustration, and be able to think and work things out for themselves in order to cope with everyday life. These activities teach the puppies how to cope with frustration. Frustration is a huge factor in aggressive behaviour. If all puppies were taught how to cope with frustration from a young age, the incidences of aggression would probably be a lot lower.
My behavioural work through my business 'Puppy Plus' brings me into contact with lots of dogs who do not cope with being frustrated - dogs that bark and lunge when they cannot get to other dogs, dogs that turn and bite their owner when they see something that they want to get to. It's very sad and can cost those dogs their lives.
Elsie has a fantastic temperament, partly due to her breeding and partly due to the fantastic start in life that she had from her breeder Hayley Brambles of Shaymiloney Labradors.
I am determined that Elsie's puppies will have that same fantastic start! x
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