Beginning with the third week, the puppy is busy learning to use his
rapidly developing senses. We know from behavioral and physiological
studies how rapidly the pup’s nervous system is growing, and if the senses
aren’t stimulated, they won’t develop into the pathways that give the pup
his best learning potential.
You don’t need to dazzle the puppies with a clutter of items. Do your
pups play in the backyard? Lawn furniture is an example of environmental
stimulation. Moving the wheelbarrow around for cleanup is another
example. This is what we mean when we say that a litter raised in a family
home environment is automatically socialized and stimulated. However,
when pups are raised in a pen or kennel, specific items need to be added.
Use whatever is available to you. For example, set a couple of old wood
stumps in the pen area. Cardboard boxes are marvelous and fall in the easycome,
easy-go category. These can be dens for a pup to go into or tunnels to
walk through. An item that’s very popular with one breeder’s pups is a
wood box about four feet long and two feet wide, open on the ends, with
carpet. The pup can go in one door and out the other or lie inside and look
out, or run through, or whatever seems right at the time. Another idea is
short lengths of plastic or ceramic pipe—whichever size your pups can
easily walk through. (Never take a chance with a pipe that might become
too narrow as the puppies grow.)
Toys
The first concern in selecting toys is safety; obviously, toys should not be
breakable or sharp. A wide range of chewing and play toys is available in
pet-supply stores, but a puppy isn’t interested in how much money you
spend. For a young pup, a good toy is something he can pick up in his
mouth or push and roll with his nose. A small plastic bottle with a pebble in
it for noise is great fun for a puppy. For safe chew toys, a pet supply store is
the best source. (All puppies need chew toys for their human’s sake!)
Puppies have preferences, and what attracts one may not interest another.
A toy has no value if it’s too large, and it’s dangerous if it is too small. A
sturdy glove is a good toy. A worn-out leather glove is ideal; think of the
wealth of odors it has! A couple of knotted socks of different textures can
be a lot of fun for pups who like to shake a toy. Rotate the toys so that a
different selection can be available every few days.
