Danish-Swedish Farm Dogs

Kikka and puppies, 4 weeks old

Kikka feeding in tight quarters
She has all of the house, and chooses to cram everybody into the small kennel!

4 weeks take no prisoners

Confidense is a key word this week. The puppies have incredible confidense for their age, and take on everything which seems more common for puppies to do when they are a week older.
In the living room the exploring quickly led to conquer and kill. In no time the toy pile was located, the area where the shoes are kept, and the electrical cords. That should set the stage, one week early, it was time to puppy proof!!!
When that was done, the puppies explorered into finding "no" things in the bathroom, the kitchen, and the bedroom!

On one hot day they were able to visit the great outdoors. That was a bit intimmidating for a brief moment, then the interesting smells of the grass took priority. As weather allows the puppies will get outside.

Please be adviced, that we might take a few days on responding to e-mails from friends and family.
We thank You for Your patience.
We do currently not respond to new puppy inquiries.

The friendlys
These puppies are not needing to learn to be friendly and sociable...they have had several visitors and enjoy meeting all people just the same. They jump up on any feet, play with any hand, and lick any face. All the while with a little tail trying to wag their butts off.
They are also already a very helpful bunch, in wanting to clean up their own mess! They voluntarily offer more or less useful assistance with switching piddle pads and newspapers, with soaking up the water from the water dish, when they have flipped it over, as well as washing the floor is a fashionable thing to do!

It is right on the border line to where they begin irritating Maddy, but so far they have been able to charm her into playing gently with them a bit, and allow them to crawl all over her. As they get older, that will soon turn into a "your space/my space" set of rules.

All 5 outside now
These puppies were ready for the great outdoors about a week earlier than any previous puppies we have had

Some personalities
Keep in mind that this is a snap shot into the puppies' behaviors at age 4 weeks, and as all snapshots, the image changes once the camera clicks. These observations are therefore only for fun and absolutely not to be considered as conclusive as to how each puppy is or will be as an adult dog. That can all change by the minute, and in a day, roles can be swapped around as they are in a fast development stage.

Daffy Outgoing is the word. Very people oriented and super charmer. Tries a bold approach, and then melts into wiggles, licks, and roll over for belly rubs. Plays rough with Donald, and feels Maddy is in this world for his entertainment. Sort of like the mouse walking across the bridge with the elephant saying "wow we can stomp can't we". He loves to be in hands and to be loved on, and to have Butch "play rough" with him, and he gives it right back to him.

Donald Outgoing too! A Daffy #2 one could say. Between the 2 it is hard to say which is more friendly and good at turning on the charm. This one has Maddy "wrapped" though, she enjoys him. I've seen her on purpose single him out and lead him away just to roll over and play with him. Donald has been in the entire house exploring, and can be hard to catch! He too loves to be held and cuddled with, and takes Butch's rough play in stride.

Daphne The wolf in sheep's clothing. Daphne has Kikka's sweet, innocent look to her little face, which wouldn't hold in court! She is not quite as bold as her Sister, but can certainly hold her own, when she "tears" into her Brothers. She prefers the rough play to be on the floor, and then to be cuddled and sweet talked, when she's held. She loves the toys, and to be allowed to sleep in Butch's arms, when the rest of her sibblings sleep in the kennel.

Dudley I need a new server with more space to describe this one! The runt here does not feel like a runt by any means, and is very outgoing and totally fearless, a little pistol! The first of everything! Also the first excape artist, he spent a night partying in the entire house all by himself (the evidense showed he was everywhere), and no-one heard him! He comes RUNNING when anything is going on, head and endlessly wagging little tail high, and jumps right into whatever is going on. Big people melter!

Dory I look at her and think "Birkita #2"...outgoing, bold, self confident, and plays rough with the boys and the toys! Full of spunk, loves people and cuddles, but has an agenda...there is a time and a place for everything, and cuddles are less waste of precious play time, when she's tired! She plays the rough "boy play" with Butch, she has potential as interior decorator, and everything is her business. A bundle of energy already, and reminds me a lot of Birkita at this age.

There is a distinct difference in the behaviors of the males and the females, and they group themselves in 2. The males have their rank spats within, and the females have theirs. The "games" (fights!) get very very rough throughout this stage, when they puppies' dog-to-dog social skills are being developed.

The potty training is entering it's challenging stage now, as the puppies run around as much as they do, they do not remember well at all to come back to the piddle pads to do their business. At this point the 2 we have caught actually making an effort have been Daffy and Daphne. As the puppies are less sensitive to weather, and as we have some good warmth in between, it will help to take them outside more and more.
The puppies still take long naps, but their play time, being awake, gets longer and longer. Kikka has moved into our bed for parts of the night, some of the night she still spends sleeping close to the puppy box or with the puppies. She is also "correcting" the puppies use of their little teeth, which are now coming in, when they nurse.