Bringing up Puppies

While reading through the archives of the Clean Run mailing list at Yahoo Groups, I came across a message from a veterinarian who resides in North Carolina. She posted a link to her puppy log which I found quite interesting. Even more interesting is that this is a holistically-minded veterinarian.

The Clean Run Magazine ran a series written by Nancy Gyes on bringing up an agility puppy which began in January, 2007. Unfortunately, she didn't write much on the pre-seven-week period. She did mention early neurological stimulation. I need to start driving around on the weekends looking for yard sales that might have baby slides and other outdoor jungle-gym type apparatus for sale. I want to put them in the puppy play area. I suppose if I can't find anything at a yard sale, I can be creative and make something similar.

One suggestion contained in the puppy log I mentioned above is filing the puppies' nails with an emory board at an early age. I had planned to beginning cutting them with fingernail clippers, but I think filing is a better option as I think most people use a Dremel to grind nails down. Gel is horrible about having his feet handled and I expect that is because he did not have his feet handled at a young age. I haven't done anything with Midge yet, but I don't expect she's going to be any better about it.

The puppies' eyes are cracking open. Heard them growling last night while jockeying for nipples. Midge is eating almost half a cow a day. Life is good!