Hallway Fun

Dennis had them out in the hallway and took photos. I think by tomorrow night they will be upstairs without mom but we will be able to watch them. Leti will be back with me. Here's the gallery.

This crew is teething like crazy. They already each have teeth poking through and funny they are all the same teeth. Wish we could get them outside but its simply too cold. Maybe if it warms up a bit. We shall see.

Here's the videos:

Pup Play

Shake That Toy

Hey There

Making Messy Fun

Looking

Comments

[Christine & Clarity]

I find it very interesting watching the dynamics of a small litter. It's easier to observe their individual personalities and the relationships and interactions between the siblings when it's a small litter. Do you find pairs or groupings develop among the pups when it is a very large litter?

[Darlah]

I think the larger the litter the more they are forced to deal with a variety of personalities. They learn quickly. I have never had a litter that wasn't social. With a smaller litter the bond seems to be very tight. I find if you have one that tends to irritate the others from a smaller litter, you tend to have more acceptance from the litter mates to allow as its the theory something is better than nothing. It is why I would intervene much like mom would to say no that is not acceptable. But that is a generalization as it depends on the personalities. They 'all' will push the envelope but its how they learn what is acceptable that is most important. If mom is a good mom and sets boundaries and their siblings cease the play, the human doesn't have to interfere with the learning process. It is why it is important to have that 8 to 10 week window with mom as that is a stage that mom stops feeding and concentrates on teaching.

So is a large litter better than a smaller litter? No. It all depends on the personalities. It's just easier to be exposed to many personalities with a larger litter quicker. With a litter of 1 or 2 the work would be great to make sure they get their development needs met properly. It's doable, just more work from the humans and canine mom. It takes making sure they have a lot of interactions with adults or older pups to learn dog communication and proper behavior with others.

[Christine]

Thanks, Darlah. Yes, I get it. While the size of the litter can create certain dynamics within the group, it is the complete picture that determines what areas you concentrate on more, with each litter and pup ... much like raising kids as you ready them for the next major change in life! :)
Thank you for the love and effort you put into your puppies before they go to their forever homes and for sharing your insight with us; you have such a wealth of knowledge and experience.