Week 3-4 of life for a puppy is the first time a puppy has all of it's senses. We are adding a variety of noises for the puppies to experience this week as a part of their daily life. Sudden loud noises are important to happen during this stage since fear has not yet developed. As breeder's of dalmatians, we take a keen interest in the puppies reactivity to noise, since as a breed dalmatians are known to have issue with deafness. It is believed the genes which are responsible for hearing are linked to the gene which makes a dog white. Some dalmatians can hear in both ears (bilateral), some can hear in one ear (unilateral and often called "uni"), and some are deaf. A responsible breeder will test their dalmatians prior to placement in forever homes. The formal hearing test usually takes place at about 6 weeks of age.
The role and influence of a stable dam is also needed during this period. Puppies are now learning they are dogs. The mother will begin teaching them what is acceptable and not acceptable, and most importantly she will begin to give discipline. Through this process the puppies will learn the importance of submission in a dog's world.
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| Ruth gently playing with Liberty |
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| Ruth insists on needed comforts - she knocked the body pillow off the bed into the whelping box, prior to jumping in to nurse the puppies. |
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