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 presented 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!
HOW TO RESERVE A
PUPPY
"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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