PUPPIES!
Each breeding decision is made with care and deliberation. We do appropriate DNA and other health testing before breedings. At Abbeyrose, welsh terrier puppies are bred with care, raised with love, and sprinkled with stardust! Scroll down to view a series of videos showing how a typical litter is raised and how they grow from newborns to energetic welsh terrier puppies learning good manners.
From the minute they are born, puppies begin nursing. This is important because the first milk produced contains substances that support the immune system. For the first several weeks of life, it seems all the puppies do is nurse!
Look how much the puppies have grown in just a few days! They are so big they need to take turns getting to a nipple. They use their sense of smell and touch to root around to find their mother. Mom keeps an eye on them to make sure everyone gets fed. We help by weighing puppies daily to make sure they are all gaining weight.
When born, the puppies eyes and ears are sealed shut. Eyes begin to open between days 10 and 16 and ears at about 2 weeks. Not only do eyes and ears open, but a whole new world opens too. They begin to test their legs, moving around like little drunks.
Soon after eyes and ears open, we start offering solid food. We begin with a mixture of goat milk and herbs and then gradually begin adding a balanced raw meat mix. Some puppies need a little encouragement at first, while others dig right in!
By 4 weeks of age, puppies have mastered walking. Someone is constantly yelping and they are learning to bark and how to play with each other.
Notice the difference in the interaction between 4 and 6 weeks. By 6 weeks puppies are engaging in purposeful play with toys and each other.
As the puppies grow, they spend more and more time outside, weather permitting. Their pen is always covered and they are constantly monitored to prevent birds from swooping down and to protect them from other wildlife. Puppies learn to problem solve and to work together – well, some of them work together. Others just want to have fun!
Puppies are taught good manners from an early age. At about 6 weeks of age we stop group feeding and begin providing meals individually in crates. This teaches puppies that their crate is a good and safe place, gives puppies alone time, and allows us to monitor how well each puppy is eating. Once they get used to the routine, puppies are let out of their play pen and allowed to run into the next room where they are fed. It doesn’t take long for them to learn they must sit before they can go into their crate to eat.
Puppies love to play outdoors and enjoy exploring large spaces. They are closely monitored to keep them safe, while given the freedom to see, hear, and touch new things.