This week we intensify the operant conditioning with the clicker and treats. These puppies are all really smart, and are quickly responding to the training.

The families for this litter all came to visit this week, and we all got to know each other!

My puppy helpers also came to help with a few concrete exposures: Up and down more than one step, their first trip outdoors, falling asleep in the arms of a child, loud noises, and another person using the clicker and treating. The puppies played and snuggled with a bearded friend. They also love to hang out with their big sister Kiley, who is very kind and very interested in them. The cats almost always perch on a sofa arm nearby to watch all the puppy play and training times.

This coming week is a very full week for the puppies. They will meet a lot of new people, be temperament tested, and be vaccinated for the first time. They’ll be exposed to their crates for the first time, and by the end of the week, be spending chunks of time in them. They’ll have a number of sessions with a collar and a leash (all fun and friendly so its a good experience), and the week will culminate with their joining their new forever families next weekend. It’s all flown by so fast, and I will truly miss them!

They are a very affectionate litter of puppies!