Ask anyone who’s bought one - an Honor puppy is SPECIAL. No matter
how great the pedigree, no matter how wonderful the parents are - the environment during
the bitch’s pregnancy and the all important weeks following the birth has a lasting,
unalterable affect on how your puppy will behave upon arrival in his new home - including
his attitude, personality and intelligence as a grown up dog!
Our puppies are whelped beside the bed with their first week being
spent just sleeping and eating, with our family on 24 hour Watch! We bottle feed baby pups
even when mom has enough milk and the litter is small or average sized - this bonds the
puppy to the human scent and associates them with human handling, cuddling and nursing.
It is a bond that can never be broken.
As they grow older, we clip their toenails while they nurse on mom.
By 3 weeks of age, these pups have already begun their housebreaking! What we do from here
on will teach a puppy to be clean in your house. During the next 2 weeks, our puppies are
in the middle of a very busy household. People are coming and going (after spraying with
disinfectant to avoid outside disease,) pots and pans are being dropped, the vacuum
cleaner is being busily used, the sound of the washer and dryer are preparing clean, warm
blankets to sleep on , the television is blaring, etc., etc. The puppies are constantly
being picked up, cuddled and rocked, carried and held everywhere and anywhere.
By 5 weeks of age, we have found a puppy is much more pliable about
being separated from Mom and litter-mates while still at the breeders. They learn to be
self confident in familiar surroundings which helps when they are alone. One by one, they
are placed in a bathroom (on newspapers) for an hour or so, with food, water and a bone.
They adapt quickly and if they cry, it's only momentary. We repeat this off and on up to
7 weeks old – this prepares the puppy for his first night away at her/her new home. He/she
does not cry because he’s not unhappy and being alone hasn't been an unpleasant experience.
The new owners are very happy with a WELL-ADJUSTED, quiet puppy.
By the puppy’s 5th and 6th weeks we begin the leash training. At this age, they
have a natural following instinct which makes the beginning easy. "Come" when called?
That’s an easy one! From 3 weeks on every time they are fed, we call a loud, happy
"Puppies Come!", so at 6 weeks they ALL come running!
Around this same time, comes the bathing, blow drying, continued toenail clipping,
trips to the airport, playing show puppy, etc. Of course there is also the intelligence testing,
retrieving tests, etc. Full Time? Yes, but everyone benefits from all the love and care -
the puppy and the new owner!
HAPPY PUPPY RAISING!
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding,
but in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths."
Proverbs 3:5-6
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