Litter socialization process....

and I get to be involved!

We find out today if my aunts friends, who breed Samoyeds, are expecting a litter from one of their beautiful girls. If she IS, then I get to be involved and help with socialization, etc, right from the get go! I'm really excited.

Does anyone have any pointers or anything? I know I get to love on them and everything, but anything I should watch for or do? I know they will tell me more about it when the time comes, but I'm too excited right now!

Oh, and if this is in the wrong spot, please move it. Thanks.

Cool! Socialization is very important! You will have an important job.
Each person has thier own agenda as to what they want as far as socialization.
I like to give the pups the most realistic situations that they will encounter throughout thier lives. Such as dirt, water, steps, toys, birds (mine will hunt)
kids, other dogs, outside walks in the yard, car rides, vets office, loud noises ect..
The more stimuli to new things that they will encounter the better.
Watch the pups play and see which ones are more dominate than the other..there may be more than one in a litter. Watch to see which ones are more shy or stand offish. Watch to see which ones are submissive.
Taking daily notes helps. If the pups are introduced to enough stimuli the more well rounded they will be and it makes it harder to determine which ones are shy or submissive as they will grow in confidence from the stimuli and situations.
Have fun!

Thanks, Mom. I'm soo excited! This girl has been known to have litters of 9!! It also runs in the family, so to speak...no litters smaller than 8 I believe. I can't wait!

Fun time !!!! I THINK you mentioned getting the book " How To Raise ,,,,,,,etc etc " Week by week of what to dos . If preggie, get the book for your aunt. My garage was attached to the house and was really a huge kennel with grooming table. As pups grew old enough to explore from the whelping pen , it was a virtual playground. Boxes with doors, large tubes ( From carpet stores ) , two or 3 steps to platform, gal.water jugs with rope ties, short step stool, open cage for getting used to them, balls, stuffed toys, squeekies, 1 1/4 of floor was newspaper...they learned to use these. Don't forget that 8 pups mean 24 to 32 poos per day !! Thus, a box of kleenex and a trash container is a must...

Oh Grammy, you must have missed my thread, I read that book and LOVED it!!! My husband read it too, it's the best book for anyone to read about puppies!!

They did the ultrasound? sonogram? something to see how many puppies Mazy is having and they saw at least 4 (but expect a lot more).

It should be the end of the month! I'm too excited!!

OoOoOo Your SOOO lucky!! lol

I love Samys, they are beautiful! you BETTER be getting us all pictures for a puppy fix.. lol my puppy is all grown up now - well almost lol

I remember when Jada and Crosbie were still with their mom, it was Jeannies first litter and she didn't take to nursing very well so I got to bottle feed them when they were still VERY tiny!

OHMYGOSH, it will be pictures galore! I am SO excited. It was will such a learning experience!

I'll have everyone wanting sammys by the end of it, I'm sure!!

I thought you had gotten the book !! Grammy's proud of you !!! Has your Aunt read it ??? I wrote weekly notes as to the progress of each pup ( color coded ) through all their suggested tests.... I'm excited for you !!

Thanks, Grammy! If Grammy says it's good, I oughta try it. It really was very informational, even though we got it and read it when Buddy was already 7 months old, we still learned a lot and are a LOT more prepared for our purebred next year.

It's not my aunt's dog, but the breeders whom she got her two from... they are now very good friends of hers and they've been breeding for YEARS (I wanna say about 40 years).

When I go over, I'll suggest the book, but I imagine, they know a ton of stuff already!

Just lend them the book , if they don't have it. I had tons of books, but as a breeders it meant the most.... I bought them by the dozen and sold at my cost to all on my wating list. Was funny as both daughters " thought" they knew which puppy they wanted. At 7 weeks, I removed their colored collars, so they didn't know which pup they were testing ( the back pages of the book ) and BOTH changed their minds !!! Matches made in heaven !! I miss those days so !!!! I may have to go to the HS and foster a Mom 2 B ......Ten or 11 weeks out of my life, but so rewarding !!!

I will. I'm so excited, Grammy! I can't wait! It will be so neat.

One of the best things I've seen regarding socialization is the Puppy Rule of Sevens:http://www.katwala.com/sevens.html
We try to do these when we have a litter and it makes for happy puppies when they go to their new home.

That's a no brainer....add another 50 musts.