Dam: IntCH CH Scarlet’s In The Midst of Hollyhock “Misty”
[View Pedigree] [View OFA Health Certifications] [View Misty’s Photo Gallery]Sire: IntCH GCH CH Karmel’s Come And Get It “Getty”
[View Pedigree] [View OFA Health Certifications]
At home — Gus, Savannah, Chip & Putt
The puppies are now all in their new homes — Gus, Savannah, Chip & Putt
As their new owners share photos with us we will post them here periodically so you can continue to watch them grow up.
12 weeks old – Gus travels home, Savannah, Chip and Putt send photos from their new homes
The last puppy to leave was Gus…fondly called “Gus-a-mundo”. Read the captions under the photos to learn about his journey home to Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was a great traveler and met lots of people at the airport. He slept well on the plane and greeted his new family as if he had known they were coming for him. Both Gus and Savannah have other dogs at their new homes and both humans and dogs seem to be enjoying the new pups. Savannah sent a few photos and we should have more of her next week. Chip and Putt got their first “home grooming” from daddy Jim who reports that they were good boys during that exercise. Those two are getting so much attention they seem to be pooped in every photo Jim sends! LOL!
11 weeks old – Savannah goes home, Gus gets spoiled, Chip and Putt take up golf
The next puppy to leave was Savannah. Read the captions under the photos to learn about her journey home to West Bloomfield, Michigan. She was a great traveler and fell in love with her new mommy at first sight. Chip and Putt are sending photos and video clips and are adjusting to life on the golf course in Arizona. Gus is having a ball being the “only puppy” at the house. We have one more week to spoil him before he takes his journey to Tulsa, Oklahoma. We look forward to posting photos periodically as we hear from these wonderful families and learn how our puppies are adjusting to their new homes.
Almost 11 Weeks Old, Gus and Savannah (7:22)
10 weeks old – Starting to head to new homes
Chip and Putt made the journey home to Scottsdale this week and Gus and Savannah didn’t seem to notice. They seem to enjoy hanging out on the couches and with the grown ups. They have a visitor this week as Teddy, from our last litter, is here for a little vacation. They are having fun playing with a bigger puppy. Meanwhile, Chip and Putt are settling into their new world and helping daddy with his putting practice. The puppies got more pool training this week. Gus likes the water the most.
9 weeks old – First puppy shots, microchips, toddler socialization and a new ball pit
The puppies got more car rides this week as they went for their microchips and first puppy shots. They are excellent travelers and seem to look forward to car rides. All of them were great for their shots…not a peep or complaint from any of them. We added plastic balls to their castle (sandbox) this week and it was extremely well received. They fly in and out of it and love to wrestle in the balls. Savannah seemed to take the lead when we introduced it. Initially we only put in a few balls, but once we saw how much they loved it, we added more and they liked it even more. We also spent more time around the pool this week as the weather was nice. Gus and Savannah are curious about the water. Chip and Putt would rather play in the plants or climb the rocks. Those two seem to be joined at the hip.
8 weeks old – Playtime with fewer boundaries
The puppies were given lots of freedom this week. It was a bit rainy so most of their time was spent inside. Their puppy pen doors were left open most of the time so they could roam freely in the house. They were all given their new names and we stopped using their color names. So, Gold became GUS, Purple became PUTT, Orange became CHIP and Pink became SAVANNAH. Deb and Linda traveled to Atlanta for the annual Bichon Frise Club of America Specialty Shows and meetings so pappa Tom held down the fort. He taught them to use the doggie door and safely navigate around the yard.
7 weeks old – First haircuts and more freedom
The puppies went from looking like little hamsters to looking like little dogs after they had their first haircuts. They were pretty good for bath time, but each one did complain about the blow dryer. They will get better with more practice. During playtime we introduced some new items including a treat ball and toothbrushes. They were also allowed to explore the yard and to run with the adult bichons. No one ventured into the pool, but we will introduce that next week.
6 weeks old – Playtime and Noise Desensitization
This week’s focus was noise desensitization and playtime. The weather varied between 75 and 90 degrees and we had winds some days. The pups are not allowed to wander in the yard yet, but they did enjoy being outside. It is helping with the potty training too. We take them out after each meal and each nap. Sometimes they even eat outside. They were desensitized to a variety of new noises, some deliberate (pots and pans dropped on the floor, vacuum cleaner, doorbell) and some natural (garbage truck, fire truck, roosters, barking). They seem to take it all in stride. Next week we will give them their first haircuts and playtime will include roaming the yard and integrating with the bigger bichons.
5 weeks old – Real food and more space to play
The pups moved to Deb’s house this week where they started on real food and were moved to their larger play area. They will start going outside now and have had their first steps on grass. The potty training will continue with both indoor and outside options. Misty is nursing them less as they eat on their own more. They also got their first baths this week and they were excellent during that entire process…even the blow drying!
4 weeks old – Sights and Sounds and Walking Around
This week the puppies all started finding their legs and began to roam around more in their playpen. We will be moving them into bigger quarters. They are also playing with each other a bit and Misty is giving them more and more time to themselves. Linda is introducing all kinds of new sounds, both routine and then some startling ones. Next week we will probably start transitioning them to real food. Note: Purple and Pink are mixed up in this video. They took off their own scarfs and we put them back on the wrong pups just before we let them out to play…good thing one is a girl and we noticed our error!
3 weeks old – Eyes and Ears are open and puppies fatten up
The puppies are getting plump. We call this the “baked potato” stage. They are fattening up because they spend all their time nursing and sleeping. They are all about a pound and a half…except the gold boy we call a Hunk Of Burnin’ Love. He is almost 2 pounds. They are just starting to figure out how to get up on all 4 legs. Next week they will get a larger play pen and will start roaming around more. Misty is being a great mommy and has started giving them more time alone…but is always within sight of them.
2 weeks old – Eyes and Ears begin to open
This week the puppies continued their Early Stimulation Exercises. Their eyes and ears began to open up and they are crawling around and exploring more of their pen, away from mommy. Next week they should be able to get up on all four legs and will also be hearing more so we will start exposing them to a variety of noises. The birds and other dogs at Linda’s house will assist with that!
1 week old – Early Stimulation Exercises
The puppies continue to nurse and sleep most of the time. Their eyes and ears won’t open for another week, but this week we begin their “puppy exercises” and they will start “feeling” the world beyond mommy’s furry belly. View the slideshow and read the captions to learn more. Watch the video to learn how we introduce Early Neurological Stimulation to give our pups an advantage that should benefit them for life.
The Birth Day and First Vet Visit
Misty’s first litter arrived a few days early and her little belly was FULL with 4 big babies. After a breach birth of the first boy, the others arrived without incident and mommy and babies are doing fine.
Questions? Send email to: info@hollyhockbichons.com or Call Deb Gibb: 858-531-2890