Canine Partners

Welcome back to our blog series on a canine partner mum’s journey, where we are sharing updates on canine partner mum Faith and her litter of puppies!

Last time we shared with you the third and fourth weeks of puppyhood, as the puppies began to interact with each other and develop their own personalities.

This time, we are sharing an update on the fifth, sixth and seventh week as the puppies prepare to fly the nest and move on to the next stage of their journey to become an assistance dog.

The fifth week of puppyhood

This week Faith’s adorable puppies are much more active and will be awake for longer periods of time.

The pen size will increase slightly to give the pups more space and a variety of play objects will be rotated daily in the pen. These objects will be a variety of heights and textures so the pups can get accustomed to different items.

As a litter, group playtime will continue, with visitors of all shapes and sizes having the fun of playing dress up. This will include wearing glasses, a hat or a high viz jacket. This will help the pups get used to the world around them.

The litter will also spend more time playing out in the garden, as it’s a great way for them to get used to the great outdoors. It also means that there will be less puddles for Faith’s holder to clean up inside!

In addition to having lots of group play in various places in the house and garden, Faith’s puppies will also start to have individual play times, helping them to build their self-confidence.

Faith is spending less time with her puppies now and will only feed them a couple of times a day (usually standing up and just for a short period of time). She’s enjoying plenty of 1-2-1 time from her holders!

Faith’s pups will also be learning not to bite too hard, through play with siblings, being taught by Faith and by Faith’s holder and visitors during play.

The sixth week of puppyhood

By week 6 Faith’s pups are full of character and are up to mischief!

Her pups will have been used to plenty of play times (both individually and as a group) in various places around the house and in the garden, which will continue this week.

This week Faith’s Brood Stock Co-ordinator, Sian will do a short behavioural assessment with each puppy, in preparation for when they move on to the next stage of their journey’s to becoming life-changing canine partners. It is also the week that Faith’s Brood Bitch Holder gets to find out the puppies names!

The seventh week of puppyhood

It’s now time for Faith’s litter to fly the nest and move on to the next stage of their journey’s to becoming life-changing canine partners.

The puppies will soon be meeting their Puppy Parents who will be training and caring for them until they are around 12-14 months old when they then head off to Big School at one of our training centres.

Interested in fostering a canine partner mum?

We are on the lookout for more volunteers to care for a canine partner mum in their home. You will be responsible for looking after the new-born puppies until they are approximately 7 weeks old.

If this sounds like something you would like to do, or you wish to find out more, click here.​

We are also in need of volunteer Puppy Parents to help care for and train the next generation of assistance dogs. Click here to find out more​.