Twiglet arrived today, she is a tiny little sweetheart. Seven weeks old and weighing just 3Kg. She has had several energetic plays with Tatze, several sleeps, two meals and 80% of her wees and poos outside. She is 50% Lab and 50% Golden Retriever, but she looks all Lab to me! Her Dad is Called Eddie and her Mum Vicky. She was named by Text Santa vote - an ITV fundraising telethon. Two of her brothers, Barnaby and Rossi, are being puppy walked near me so they will be able to have lots of play dates and will meet at puppy class too. Tatze adores her already and never takes her eyes off her. Twiglet has chosen her favourite teddy and pulls it around to sleep on Gypsy is doing really well at Big School and here is her blog - http://gdpgypsy.blogspot.co.uk/) Here is Twiglet's blog http://twigletgdp.blogspot.co.uk/
Oh she is a real beauty. Tatze is such a good girl to have welcomed Twiglet into the family so quickly - I think that makes her pretty special as well.
She's gorgeous! Looking forward to hearing about her exploits with Tatze - and catching up with Gypsy's progress too.
So cute and gorgeous. Tatze is obviously a natural at being a surrogate, I was going to say auntie but I think big sister is better. Can I ask are all guide dog pups 7 weeks when they go to their first home. I only ask because a behaviourist I've consulted about Scott and Scout told me she wasn't surprised they were nervous due to a number of things which happened when they were very young but one of them being that they left mum at seven weeks which she feels is too young.
Twiglet had a good night, I went to bed at 10pm and left Mr Boogs to do the late shift (Tatze also went to bed at 10pm as usual.) Mr Boogs took Twiglet out for her final wee at 11:30 pm and tucked her up in bed with ticking clock, heat pad, night light and radio on quietly. She raised the ROOF! Cried, howled, whined - such a lot of noise from such a tiny bundle! We decided to wait it out and she went quiet after 15 minutes, phew! We heard no more until 5:30 am when she cried, so I went and sat on the stairs 'till she was quiet. Then we started the day. I have never, ever sen such a waggy tail as Twiglet's when I walked in! Breakfast isn't until 7am so it was a long wait for all of us, but Tatze kept Twiglet entertained, then both fell asleep for half an hour. She wolfed her breakfast and then looked for more. She also has 3 days of Oralade re-hydration fluid to be sure she drinks well after such a big change in her life. She loves it - it smells like chicken soup It's 8:30 now and both are fast asleep again. Mr Boogs is taking Tatze for her long walk this am - I bet I'll be glad when Tatze's back to resume puppy sitting duties! Soooo tired! Ahhh, that's better!
Ha ha, how quickly we forget those tiring first days with a new puppy. Twiglet is a beautiful little girl and now I want one
How gorgeous! I didn't realise that guide dogs could be anything other than pure Labrador (although I agree, Twiglet looks all lab to me)
They are six weeks when they leave - but they stay with their litter at the breeding centre for another week, then come up to puppy walkers at seven weeks, and guide dogs are anything but nervous! - so I think she may be barking up the wrong tree there
Lovely pics, Mags. What a sweetie. No doubt the guide dog association knows what works (on the whole) for the dogs they breed - but it's not going to be the same for all dogs. Guide dog puppies are from breeding programmes that are bound to be aligned with how then they are brought up (otherwise it wouldn't be a successful over all programme of breeding and raising) so I'd be wary of saying what is ok for guide dogs translates to other dogs. I bet that week with litter mates is critical though, one week in the life of a 6 week old pup is 17% of their whole life.
Yes - I agree. That week with litter mates is crucial, especially for learning bite inhibition and early socialisation. Also, GDs keep everything the same - routines, commands, everything - so the changes are not as huge for them as for other dogs. (And, of course, they are very much bred for steady and confident temperaments.
