Shadow Oak Bo and Dolly’s Pups

On June 7, 2013  Dolly gave birth to 2 females and 2 male puppies.  Bo’s litters are usually larger but we may have bred Dolly a few days too early.  Her heat cycles are hard to time.  The litter before this one, if I counted back from their birth day and they were conceived on the 18th day of her cycle.

From the day they were born everyone that came over had to pet the puppies.  I have 4 grandsons and they were glad to oblige.

When the pups were three days old I took them to the vet, Dr. Becker, to have them checked and their dew claws removed.

At three weeks of age I start  feeding the pups with a milk replacer that I mix consisting of;

• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 can water
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon Karo syrup or honey

Before the milk is placed in the whelping box  I start a cd of gun shots interspersed in music made by Masters Voice as a gun conditioning audio.  The pups hear this cd twice a day for up to 7 weeks, according to how long the buyers leave the pups.

At about five weeks I hold a pigeon and let the pups try to get it from my hand.  Then I turn it loose and let them chase it.

After they  get used to the pigeons I start putting a pigeon to sleep, by tucking its head under a wing and straightening its legs out, hide it under grass and let the pups find it, jump in and wake it up.  When the pups get too rough on the pigeons I put the birds in DT release traps and hide them in weeds.  When the pups show they are smelling the birds I release the birds.  Soon they start pointing.

Robin Barrows got pick of the litter, chose a female and named her Emma.  He took her home at 10 weeks after coming over almost every day to pet all of pups to help socialize them.

Occasionally we broke dog biscuits, dropped them in the grass so the pups had to use their nose to find them.

Now at 12 weeks old all four pups are pointing pigeons that are in release traps hidden on my training grounds.  These pups will hunt this fall.

 

Puppies at play

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