Puppies are seven weeks old

The puppies are now seven weeks old. They went for their temperament testing today (January 5, 2005), and you could see the results of their head start experience in the results. All four walked or ran to the stranger who was the evaluator, climbed in her lap, and covered her face with kisses. All four demonstrated high prey drives (pouncing on a rag or other item that was dragged across the floor in front of them, and shaking it or tugging on it). All four were high on retrieving, running after the item, picking it up, playing with it, and bringing it back to the examiner. All four were very high on food drives, working diligently to get the food out of the examiners closed hand or out from under the upside down food dish. All four followed the examiner wherever she went. In short, they each demonstrated on their own without the presence and support of their littermates that they will be a joy to train and wonderful companions in their future homes.

It has been raining here in Dallas for the past four or five days. That means that the outdoor play yard is not available for them. So we have exercised all of our imagination to keep the indoor play yard a fun and challenging and continually changing environment for the puppies. Today, we put together a very complex arrangement of dog walks, tippy board and cardboard tunnel, and the puppies soon were putting every part of it to use. Enjoy the pictures.