Mind Your Manners Please...

Socialization is extremely important to puppies--and not just socialization with the human world.  Learning canine good manners is critical to the safety the puppy when he is older and out-and-about meeting other dogs.  Puppies learn bite-inhibition from their littermates and from their moms.  They learn not to rush up to other dogs and get in-their-face, and they learn to interpret the body language and vocalizations of different dogs.

In this video the Browns have a morning run up-and-down the 45 ft. racetrack (i.e. the interconnected kitchen, laundry room, and bathroom), making a mess in the water dish, and encountering a number of members of the extended dog family, all of whom have a different approach to handling naughty little puppies.  Mom is extremely tolerant of their insistent demands to continue to nurse, even though she is mostly "done" in that area, and benevolently lets them pull on her ears and crowd around her. Topper (our stud dog) is very soft-natured and puts up with a lot of nonsense from them, and we encourage him to warn them appropriately when they are getting a little too "bold". Although, to be fair, Topper loves their toys more than they do and keeps running off with them! Bibi and Cosmo know that the puppies are not supposed to be out of the kitchen area, and issue pointed vocal warnings when they puppies venture out...

(Please click on the "YouTube" button to view the video in full-screen mode.)

Fergie's puppies ("The Brown Family") took advantage of a break in the weather for a little exercise in the garden with Mom.

Dogpile

The Browns have been outside enjoying the fine Springtime weather in their paddling pool and just romping in the grass. Being a puppy can be really tiring though...

The Browns--The Video!

Sleepyhead

 What is this little puppy dreaming of?

(Looks like something tasty, whatever it is!)

The "Browns" Waiting for Breakfast

Fergie's puppies have figured out that the meals we give them are actually pretty tasty and fill up their little round bellies quite nicely...much to their mom's enormous relief!  This is Fergie's first litter, and for a while there, she seemed to be in real distress figuring about how she could possibly eat enough to satisfy the eight starving monsters!  As soon as she saw that we were providing food and that these guys were backing off on the milk bar, the sense of relief on her part was palpable. (And she has stopped counter-surfing, stealing from her room-mate Tucker's dinner, and eating the puppies' kibble!)

We are learning to "sit" before we get our breakfasts.

The natives are getting restless...

Australian Labradoodles trying to get me to read their minds... 

...BREAKFAST!!!

"Generally the people respond well to this 'Intense Eye Contract' trick."

"I am just going to sit in the corner and make them feel sorry for me."

A Springtime Surprise in the Garden!

Fergie's ("Country High Fashion") four-week old puppies foray out into the garden and meet some new friends...

(Please click on the photos for large format views.)

The "Girls" have found some impressively large eggs!

"Sounds like this one is ready to hatch."

That's a big world out there...

"We liked the kitchen better."

"Are You My Mother?"

"No, I am NOT your mother, I am a hen!"

"Come on, let's go! What are you, Chicken?"

"Run Away! Run Away!"

"Happy Springtime to All!"