Week #2 - Winter 2022 Litter
Updated: Dec 17, 2022
Weekly Litter Update - December 11, 2022
This has been a busy week for us here at O&M. Puppies have started to walk some and have begun opening their eyes. All are doing well, and it has been super fun to see some of their personalities peeking through. We expect that the puppies will begin to gain their sense of hearing this week as well.
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Puppy Weight Tracker
During the first two weeks we weigh the puppies twice a day. After that we transition to a weekly weigh in. In the chart below we only display the average of the two weights for that day.
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Early Scent Introduction (ESI)
What is ESI?
Early Scent Introduction (ESI) is a program that helps puppies by introducing them to different scents at an early age. By introducing certain scents this early we find that puppies have boosted awareness and confidence. Similar to ENS, ESI is conducted from days 3-16 and is very beneficial for their development.
During this program, we expose the puppies to a different scent each day. As we are allowing the puppy to smell the item for that day, we are also observing and making note of their reaction on our neonatal care charts. If a puppy shows interest in the scent we mark the reaction as positive (i.e. moving nose towards the scent). A negative reaction is recorded when the puppies tries to move away from the scent. A neutral response is recorded when the puppy is interested in the scent.
What are the benefits?
Studies have shown that stimulating puppies scent ability early on dramatically increases their scent ability later in life. In fact, most therapy and early services dog training, requires that a dog have specific scent ability, and ESI is critical to jumpstarting and increasing this ability.
By doing this training and recording their reactions we are helping each of our puppies to be better prepared for their forever homes and continued training and development.
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Puppy Health and Nutrition
If your puppy comes in contact with poison, a timely trip to the vet can be the difference between life and death. It is important to be aware of common household toxins and to put preventative measures in place to avoid the likelihood that your puppy will come in contact with these toxins. Some common toxins to be aware of are listed below, but note this list isn't comprehensive and we encourage you to evaluate and inspect your environment to see if there are toxins not listed here that are present around your puppy.
Batteries. Access to batteries are seemingly everywhere. Batteries that are ingested can cause obstructions, burns, or poisoning. Some items in the house that are often overlooked, but can provide access to batteries, are things like musical greeting cards or button style batteries that are often found in remotes or small toys and are particularly dangerous.
Flea and Tick Products. At Oak and Magnolia, we recommend using flea and tick products especially if you live in a high risk area. However, overuse of these products can be dangerous. Only use products intended for dogs, and be very careful to only use the proper dosage for their size.
Medications. Never give human medications (e.g., acetaminophen, phenylephrine, ibuprofen, sleeping aids, diabetes drugs, etc.) to your puppy.
Rodent Poison. Rodenticides are the most common and most lethal pet hazard. If you suspect that your pet has consumed any type of rodenticide, seek medical attention immediately.
Toxic Food. There are many human foods that are toxic to dogs. It's important to know what these foods are and to be careful to ensure your puppy doesn't have access to them. Even small doses of these foods can lead to serious illness.
Toxic Plants. Some common plants and flowers are dangerous to animals. These include autumn crocus, azaleas, cyclamen, daffodils, dieffenbachia, dracaena, hyacinths, kalachoe, lilies, lily of the valley, oleander, philodendron, sago palm, and tulips.
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