Tarot’s Tales No. 2 Life in the litter
I’m not in this picture.
Tarot’s Tale: 🐾
I am Mr Green, a four-week-old male black Labrador puppy. I have that name because of my collar colour. (I’m not in this picture, I was busy pottering in the pen when this was taken).
I have four brothers and three sisters. I am lucky enough to live with my Mum and Dad who are both very well-loved dogs. The lady in our lives was the first human I ever saw. Today she had a surprise for us. Two visitors. We were all very excited when they arrived, pushing and shoving each other out of the way to get their attention. There was lots of finger biting and licking going on. They stayed a while and smiled a lot. There was lots of chatter too. I didn’t know then that they were going to become my humans, so I didn’t really take too much notice of them at the time. Very quickly my brothers and sisters and I all became quite tired and piled up together in a heap for a nap. When I woke up the visitors had gone.
Puppy pile: Me (Mr Green bottom of picture) and my brothers and sisters, aged 4 weeks
Other people also came and went around this time. It was interesting to smell the different scents on their clothes, to see different faces, to hear lots of noise, to taste their fingers and to feel their tickles. Some of the visitors were really big, others very small. Throughout, my first human was super protective of us all. She supervised all of the new humans very carefully. She watched over us while asking and answering endless questions. It was as she knew us precious little ones would be moving on soon and she needed to be sure we were going to a good place.
Human interpretation:
For the first two weeks of life (the neonatal period), puppies are fully dependent on their mother. Their eyes and ear canals are closed they are relatively immobile. This is followed by a ‘transition period’ which lasts about one week. During this time puppies start to develop puppy / dog like behaviour including playing with the litter mates, showing interest in solid food and toileting away from the sleeping area. Fast forward to four weeks (when we first met Tarot) and puppies have entered the ‘socialisation period’ [1]. At this age it is thought that Tarot would already be developing preferences about his environment and the humans and other animals around him. Therefore, a good breeder will begin to expose their puppies very carefully and considerately to different experiences at this young age, while still protecting them from danger. Handing over a precious puppy life to a new family is a huge responsibility. As we interacted with Tarot and his brothers and sisters (we didn’t know which puppy would be taking home at this stage), his breeder quizzed us thoroughly. A good grilling should be re-assuring. Equally, a good breeder will be happy to answer all your questions too.
Behaviour / training tip:
Puppies have no idea if they will leave their litter. When it happens it’s a massive change and in providing them with a new home, we owe it to them to be prepared. Fully prepared. For everything. There is little in life that is cuter than a puppy pile. But before you jump in and commit to opening your home to a furry piranha, here are just a few of the many things to consider before deciding to get a puppy:
Do I really know how hard it is to raise a puppy?
Talk to friends and family who have recently raised a puppy. It is really easy to forget / not realise what is involved.
Do I have time to train a puppy?
Puppies are not pre-programmed to do as we would wish. It takes what feels almost like constant management to keep them safe and out of mischief. That’s before you think about putting in training time to help them to understand how to live in our human-centric world.
Am I clued up on the most up to date knowledge on modern puppy raising?
Can I cope with sleepless nights, regular trips outside in the night for wees and poos, stealing of my favourite shoes to name a few?
Can I make arrangements such that my working hours or any lifestyle changes will not negatively impact the welfare of my puppy now and in the future?
Would everyone else in my home appreciate having a puppy around (including any existing pets)?
I am not choosing a puppy based on his or her looks alone.
I know about, understand, can live with and provide constructive outlets for the likely behavioural characteristics of the type / breed of dog I’m interested in e.g. rounding up the family (herding), alerting you to changes in the environment (barking), stealing your things (retrieving), the list goes on…
Can I afford veterinary care and / or insurance?
If you’ve answered yes to all of the above then you are heading in the right direction but make no mistake, the road will present challenges, struggles and frustrations for you and your new pup. Thinking long and hard with your head, not your heart, before you commit to bringing a puppy home will help smooth the bumps in the road. Growing a puppy into a happy, well-behaved dog can be a wonderful and rewarding journey. But make no mistake, no matter how much you think raising a puppy should be easy. It isn’t.
About the ghost writer
Julie Daniels is a certified companion animal behaviourist and professional dog trainer. Julie’s specialist interest is in working with animal emotions, the critical and often misunderstood key to preventing and resolving problematic animal behaviours. Her knowledge and practical experience come from her COAPE Diploma in the Principles and Practical Application of Companion Animal Behaviour and Training, a Master’s degree in Clinical Animal Behaviour and extensive CPD. Julie’s MSc research dissertation 'An evaluation of the behaviour consultation and factors influencing advice compliance from the perspective of pet dog owners' won the prize for best dissertation thesis (University of Edinburgh) and has been published in the Journal of Veterinary Behaviour (2 papers) .
Credentials
Certified Animal Behaviourist and Trainer: COAPE Association of Applied Pet Behaviourists and Trainers
Pre-Certification (Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist): Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour
Candidate Member: Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians
Certified Animal Behaviourist and Trainer: International Companion Animal Network
Full Member: Association of Pet Dog Trainers
Registered Animal Training Instructor: Animal Behaviour and Training Council
Julie offers training and behaviour modification for dogs and cats in Bedfordshire, UK.
If you would like to learn more about how Julie could help you and your pet, click on the button below or please feel free to contact her on juliedaniels@thinkingpaws.co.uk.