How we raise puppies at
The Spotted Dog
Excitement of Birth
Once our poodle is bred, we spoil her rotten by augmenting her kibble with scrambled eggs, cooked hamburger and veggies. This augmentation gives her added calcium and healthy calories which translates to healthy babies.
At about seven weeks into her pregnancy, she is also allowed to sleep in our bedroom at night so she can let us know when the puppies are coming. We attend to the birth of each puppy to make sure the placenta is fully off and the baby is breathing gurgle free. We handle our puppies numerous times a day. We make sure the babies feel warm, have a strong “wiggle” and are getting their turn to nurse. The babies are tended to around the clock for the first 48 hours to make sure they are nursing well and are off to a good start.
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Sensory Training and Socializing
If you have researched poodle breeders and how they socialize their puppies you may have heard of bio-sensory training. The purpose of this training is to give early neurological stimulation that has important lasting positive effects and creates superior dogs.
Bio Sensory trained personnel hold puppies upside down, right side up and on their backs. They tickle their toes and put them on a cold rag. These five specific stimuli are repeated once a day.
Please visit the AKC website to read more about the importance of early bio sensory training.
"When you buy a puppy from a responsible breeder, the socialization process should start before you even bring them home. Gentle handling by the breeder in the first several weeks of your puppy’s life is helpful in the development of a friendly, confident dog. As early as 3 weeks of age, puppies may begin to approach a person who’s passively observing them, so having a knowledgeable breeder who encourages a positive experience with people will help shape the puppy’s adult behavior. As their puppies develop, good breeders allow them to experience safe inside and outside environments. They’ll also likely expose them to car rides and crates, as well as different sounds and smells."
-American Kennel Club
Our family-centered puppy socialization program...
We call our sensory training by a different name – it’s called the “17 Grandchildren Puppy Socializing Program”. Our trained personnel range in age from 18 months old to age 20. Our older grandkids start our training at 4 weeks.
They do the “holding, cuddling and nose kissing” exercise for our new pups. Some of the younger grandchildren take turns doing the “upside down hold” exercise by holding our puppies upside down for five seconds, and sometimes longer. Then an older trainer steps in to help them turn the pup right side up again. Then the older grandkids do the “hold puppy on its back” exercise sometimes wrapped in a blanket and sometimes directly on their knees.
For our grandchildren who live far away they do their training by telecommuting – also known as FaceTime. They provide the “not afraid of loud noises” exercise by FaceTiming us. They love squealing their love to our pups, with loud expressions of their desire to hold and squeeze them. Our trainers, like the professionals hired by some breeders, are available 24/7 when they come to visit Nana and Grandpa. When our grandkids are not available, we take over the training ourselves. Though, we have to admit that our specialists do the best job. Of course, all of this training is done with the help and supervision of our five daughters, their five husbands and oh yeah - Nana and Grandpa.
