Saturday, August 29, 2020 | Lower Mainland, Pupdates
Day 56 It’s eye exam day today! “Auntie” Nav, Elfin and the puppies all went in for their eye checks. There are some genetic eye conditions that are only apparent between 7-10 weeks, that if missed can lead to more severe cases if affected dogs are bred, where their...
Saturday, August 29, 2020 | Lower Mainland, Pupdates
Day 32 The puppies are definitely puppies now! They play intensely for short bursts, love attention, are learning to sit (without a cue) to ask for what they want (attention, out of the pen, access to Elfin), have sharp little teeth they love to use on fingers, feet...
Saturday, August 29, 2020 | Lower Mainland, Pupdates
Day 38 I’ve been sick this week and got behind with posting – it’s also the week things start to really take off with activities for the puppies. Here is a sampling of what they’ve been up to this...
Saturday, August 29, 2020 | Lower Mainland, Pupdates
Day 58 The puppies were on at PADS for their puppy assessment today. Usually, there would be set up inside with lots of volunteer helpers, but because of COVID the assessments were done in the breeding kennel yard with just Jess administering the assessment, Jackie...
Saturday, August 29, 2020 | Lower Mainland, Pupdates
Day 52 Layering different experiences the puppies have had separately together today. Different surfaces (wood, plastic, metal and water), the Skytrain, Lougheed Highway and the lawnmower. They’ve got this. Today we’ve also worked on kennel, getting used to stuff...
Wednesday, August 12, 2020 | Lower Mainland, Pupdates
Day 48 Six weeks is the beginning of the most intense phase of being a breeder-caretaker. It’s also a week where differences between pups may become apparent. In this litter, we’ve been watching Aretha for a couple of weeks, as she throws up at least once every day....
Wednesday, August 12, 2020 | Lower Mainland, Pupdates
Day 44 Today’s adventure – puppies’ first car ride! 6 weeks old is an important developmental phase as far as preventing car sickness, so the puppies get at least two rides this week. They needn’t be long – five minutes or so...
Wednesday, August 12, 2020 | Lower Mainland, Pupdates
Day 43 Since we can’t expose the puppies to as many people as we normally would, we’re breaking out the costumes. This one is inflatable, so it combines the sound of the fan along with movement. The puppies were unfazed (exactly what we’re hoping for). As we expand...
Wednesday, August 12, 2020 | Lower Mainland, Pupdates
Day 43 Splish splash with Freddie. After our dry tub practice the other day, today we advanced to being in the tub with running water and a little bit of splashing. In keeping with Classical Conditioning principles, we started the water before presenting the puppies...
Wednesday, August 12, 2020 | Lower Mainland, Pupdates
Day 42 This morning the puppies ate breakfast in the cold, pouring rain. Creating Positive Conditioned Emotional Responses (+CER =happy feelings) to rain and standing water is essential for assistance dogs who may be placed on the “Wet Coast”. Some of our dogs...
Wednesday, August 12, 2020 | Lower Mainland, Pupdates
Day 39 The puppies got new digs today. They now have the whole dining room (don’t ask what the rest of the house looks like with all of the furniture pushed out of the way). Lots of room for during the day, and we will section it off to just the near side, with the...
Wednesday, August 12, 2020 | Lower Mainland, Pupdates
Day 38 We’ve started short (2 minute) training sessions with the puppies this week. Sometimes puppies take what we expect from our short training sessions. Other times, they run with it and make the session their own, learning far more (and much different lessons)...
Wednesday, August 12, 2020 | Lower Mainland, Pupdates
Day 34 Breeder-caretakers work hard with puppies to develop problem solving and resilience. We want the puppies to struggle a bit, safely, to learn to use their brain when life throws them an obstacle, and that frustration isn’t cause to give up. One of the earliest...
Friday, August 7, 2020 | Lower Mainland, Pupdates
Day 33 As we expose the puppies to novelty, we strive to get them used to different surfaces, sights, sounds and handling. Sometimes the puppies interact with items as we expect, and other times they find a completely different way to interact. I’d kept these wine...
Thursday, August 6, 2020 | Lower Mainland, Pupdates
Day 32 New experience of the day – balls raining into the pen (they are the really light, ball pit ones). This is Classical (or Pavlovian) Conditioning in action – a stimulus (the balls dropping) – with food added after a pause, so the puppies...
Saturday, December 9, 2017
Help Fund My Training! #WOOF I'M SOCIALFacebook Elfin was being raised and trained to provide life-changing independence to someone with a physical disability other than blindness or to work with a professional such as a teacher, psychologist or victim services...
