Care, Socialization & Training
We follow the Puppy Culture Protocol for raising, socializing, and
beginning training with our puppies. Below is just some of what we do!
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Neonatal Period (1-14 Days)​
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Development
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Miniature schnauzer weigh around 1/2 lbs. at birth.
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The puppies are born deaf and blind.
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They can smell, feel, taste, and cry at birth.
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The puppies have strong front feet to pull themselves toward their mother to nurse.
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They cannot regulate their body temperature.
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Puppies are unable to urinate or have bowel movements on their own at birth.
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Puppies will spend 90% their time sleeping and the remaining 10% eating. They eat about every 2 hours and grow rapidly. By day 10 they should be double their birth weight.
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Care & Socialization
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Mom and her puppies will be vet checked with first 3-5 days after the whelping. Vet will remove dew claws.
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Mom does a lot of the care for the puppies at this stage. She will nurse them, lick their bums to stimulate bowel and bladder movements and eat their waste.
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We provide a clean warm, dry bed for them in our living room with an infrared heat lamp to keep puppies warm and a humidifier so puppies don’t dry out.
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Puppies are weighed daily to make sure they are gaining weight properly. We make sure smaller puppies are nursing enough and the larger puppies aren't getting all the milk. If necessary, we will supplement with goat milk a puppy who is not growing properly.
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Starting at day 3, we do Early Neurological Stimulation and Early Scent Introduction once a day (tactical stimulation, head held erect, head pointed down, supine position, thermal stimulation) until day 16.
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We trim their nails with a nail grinder weekly. They are already getting used to being groomed.
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We hold and cuddle them several times a day so that they are used to the smell and feeling of people!
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Daily T-Touch and/or puppy massage
Transition Period (Day 15 - 21)
Development
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Puppies personalities begin to emerge. They begin wagging tails and playing with each other by the end of this period.
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Puppies eyes begin to open toward the beginning of the week and their ears open by the end of the week.
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Puppies continue to spend most of their time sleeping and eating.
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Puppies back legs are stronger now and they can stand and sit up by the end of the period.
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Puppies begin to regulate their own body temperature.
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The puppies will begin cutting their front teeth.
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The instinct to potty outside the sleeping area begins.
Care, Training & Socialization
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Puppies are weighed once weekly to monitor proper growth.
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Mom will gradually stop cleaning up after the pups. We begin the Misty Method of litter box training. A litter box is added outside the whelping box where they sleep.
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Grooming Socialization continues with nail trimming and brushing their hair.
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We hold and cuddle puppies daily.
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We welcome visitors into our home to begin socializing puppies to a variety of people.
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Daily T-Touch and/or puppy massage.
Socialization Period (Day 22-84)
Development
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This is the period when puppies become really active and strong on their legs, and play actively with one another.
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Tiny sharp puppy teeth are coming in and puppies will wean.
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Mom dog will gradually start to spend more time away from the puppies.
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Puppies start to show fear of new things and may jump back or hide.
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Puppies become more playful and are moving around a lot more.
Care
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Puppies are weighed weekly.
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Puppies are introduced to lapping raw goats milk to begin weaning. The weaning continues over a period of weeks until puppies are completely weaned and eating raw food as well as dry kibble.
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Puppies are are given puppy dewormer as necessary.
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Puppies receive first bath, blow dry and hair cut.
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Puppies will be microchipped and vet checked.
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Puppies will receive their first vaccinations.
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Daily T-Touch and/or puppy massage.
Training & Socialization
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The potty area is moved farther from the sleeping area following the Misty Method of litter box training. A play/eating area is added between the sleeping and potty area.
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Chew toys are added to the play area.
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Now that they can see and hear, they are becoming aware of the sights and sounds of a normal home. Since puppies are in our living room so they will be socialized to radio/tv, people's voices, the vacuum, etc. We also play sound effects like horns honking, sound of planes over head, sirens, whistles, etc.
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We hold, cuddle, and play with the puppies multiple times a day.
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Guests may be invited in to hold the puppies and to socialize to another type of person (old, young, tall, short, different ethnicities, etc..
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Crate training is introduced with two puppies napping together in a crate with door closed.
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IF the weather is nice we may take the puppies outside to potty on the grass as soon as they wake up from a nap in the crate. We may also have play time outside, depending on the weather.
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We begin clicker training so that the puppy associates the sound of a clicker with getting a treat. Then puppy learns to associate doing good behaviors with the click and treat that follows the click.
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On Day 49, Puppies are giving the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test to help us match puppies and families together. We pay for this test to be done by a local vet student.
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Puppies are able to spend time away from their mom and litter mates.
Puppies go to their new homes at Week 8.
Between the ages of 8 and 12 weeks is known as the "critical period" for socialization. That is because anything that happens to your puppy during this time will be forever imprinted on his brain. They need a lot of 1-on-1 attention that new owners can give them. Learned behaviors and personalities really come on in leaps and bounds during this time, which will help to provide the puppy with a firm foundation for the rest of their lives. ​