Borderflies Rearing Program: From birth to 12 weeks old
Developed with passion by Borderflies Performance Dogs
The Borderflies Rearing Timeline
At birth...
...the puppies are photographed, documented, and weighed, and given a safe newborn ID collar if necessary. Puppies are weighed twice daily for the first week, daily until week two, and weekly after that. This is to ensure that each puppy is growing adequately. Puppies will be photographed weekly so that their future families can watch their puppy grow. A live stream will be going during the daytime so that future puppy parents can check on the little ones any time they wish.
At one and two days old...
...the puppies will be supplemented with fresh frozen plasma. This is a natural immunity booster and has been shown to help prevent Puppy Fading Syndrome. For more information on the benefits of plasma, visit the Hemopet website.
At three days old...
...I begin "Early Neurological Stimulation", a bio-sensory rearing program developed by Dr. Carmen Battaglia. This program has been known to improve neurological development in puppies. Benefits include improved cardiovascular performance, adrenal function, and greater tolerance to stress and disease. I also incorporate "Early Scent Introduction", developed by Dr. Gayle Watkins, to each day's ENS time. We find that these programs are a great way to begin enrichment and socialization and it encourages puppies to be more courageous as they begin to explore. Each exercise is performed for no more than five seconds. ENS and ESI protocol ends just before 3 weeks old.
At one week old...
...each puppy has been getting individual loving interaction from us every day. Cuddles, kisses, and tiny scritches are just as important at this age as ENS is. They receive their first nail trim today as they are already nursing vigorously and we don't want mama's tummy to get scratched up! Puppies are now ready for their first close-ups! Potential owners will get to see the first professional photos of the litter.
At two weeks old...
...their eyes and inner ear canals are beginning to open. The puppies are introduced to a "texture blanket", which is a quilt of puppy-safe fabrics with various textures. The puppies are placed onto the blanket and encouraged to explore for an hour or so every day. This exposure to novel textures will continue until 10 weeks. We begin to play various types of classical music during the daytime to begin noise desensitizing. Puppies get their second nail trim!
At three weeks old...
...puppies get their third nail trim! They are starting to cut their milk teeth and are beginning to play and chew. This is when they receive their first toys! Puppies are also beginning to become more mobile and can lap up liquids. Their whelping area will be expanded and they are given a shallow dish of water, a potty area, a crate to sleep in, and a "play yard". This is when I begin the process of housebreaking my puppies. Yes, really! House breaking begins at three weeks! The puppies are now being introduced to the prey model raw diet. We use whole prey grinds such as rabbit, duck, quail, and chicken. Of course, while we have had puppies as young as two weeks readily devour a little bit of raw grind, nothing beats mama's milk bar for now! Puppies still continue to nurse from mom until she decides it's time to wean. This week is the beginning of weekly stacked-photos, during which time we monitor their structural development.
At four weeks old...
...puppies are now entering prime socialization and enrichment periods. From this point forward, my goal is to expose the puppies to as many different things as possible in a pleasant, positive manner. The texture blanket is a regular visitor, and pups are also being exposed to other surfaces, like wood, ceramic tile, marble, vinyl, lego grass, various types of carpet, plastic, rubber balance discs, astroturf, etc. Our close friends and neighbors are invited to come over to hold and snuggle and play with the puppies as often as they want. We begin to play sound desensitization audio tracks, and do loud things around the home more often like vacuuming, emphatically doing dishes by hand, me blow drying my hair, forgetting to turn the TV down while action movies are playing... You get the idea! The puppies take their first trip to the great outdoors to learn of all it's wonders! They get to experience grass, cement, wood, dirt, mulch, and sand this week. Puppies are beginning to learn how to eat whole food now, too. The puppies are given extra small whole prey like rats, juvenile rabbits, quail, small fish, and game hen and allowed to eat as much as they would like. Pups continue to nurse from mom if she allows it. A second crate is added to their environment. The puppies get to experience their first fear-free experience with bath time! And yes, they get another nail trim (this time with a fear-free twist)!
At five weeks old...
...introduction to formal clicker training begins! They begin to learn more than just good manners. Puppies are rewarded for making good choices like sitting, lying down, waiting their turn, and offering focus. We start to introduce hand signals for sit and down, we begin hand targeting, introducing collars and leashes, and starting recall. Puppies are given puzzle toys to play with and figure out. They also get to play in a shallow pool this week! We start scent exploration with puppy-safe essential oils and other scents. Balance and confidence building is beginning now as well by introducing the pups to a wobble board and other low to the ground, unstable surfaces. We simulate car rides by securing a crate safely on top of balance discs and allowing puppies to hang out or play inside the crate at their will . A third crate is added to their environment and we begin crate games so that when they go home with their new family, they already enjoy their crate. During nap times, the crate doors are closed. Puppies continue to get weekly nail trims. By now the puppies have also met my two friendly cats. This week, we begin a natural immunization protocol utilizing homeoprophylaxis. and the puppies are given their first weekly dose of an excellent herbal dewormer if needed (although we've never had a wormy puppy).
At six weeks old...
puppies are well on their way to being housebroken, crate trained, having good manners, and are happily eating their prey model raw meals three times a day. Puppies are now playing with and on all sorts of fun objects on a regular basis and have their own playground in the back yard which we visit many times daily. Puppies are encouraged to play on it freely to help build confidence, balance and strength! They are introduced to a flirt pole and/or spring pole, and continue to learn that tugging is really, really fun! A dirty puppy is a happy puppy, but we like our babies clean for snuggles, so they get another fear-free grooming experience, which will continue weekly until they go home! We continue to do loud things around the house like vacuuming, dropping loud objects, slamming doors, all while puppies are rewarded using a Pet Tutor for watching calmly. This week the puppies will experience their very first puppy party, in which we invite over a handful of dog-savvy friends to train, play, and interact with the puppies with all sorts of goodies and fun obstacles. The babies now have individual crates and have begun eating and taking naps in their own "bedrooms"!
At seven weeks old...
...If possible, we will visit a breeder friend and have a puppy party with another litter of a different breed. Puppies are given a bottle pit and a loud, jingly puppy adventure cube to explore. A baby pool is filled with water and toys and they are encouraged (but never forced) to enter the pool to explore the water. Puppies are continuing crate games and at this point are sleeping individually in their own crates at night. They go outside two times a night to go potty. They are learning about the heel position, and what a great place that is. Our dog savvy friends pay regular visits to socialize the puppies, go for puppy-length loose leash walks, and play fetch!
At four weeks old...
...puppies are now entering prime socialization and enrichment periods. From this point forward, my goal is to expose the puppies to as many different things as possible in a pleasant, positive manner. The texture blanket is a regular visitor, and pups are also being exposed to other surfaces, like wood, ceramic tile, marble, vinyl, lego grass, various types of carpet, plastic, rubber balance discs, astroturf, etc. Our close friends and neighbors are invited to come over to hold and snuggle and play with the puppies as often as they want. We begin to play sound desensitization audio tracks, and do loud things around the home more often like vacuuming, emphatically doing dishes by hand, me blow drying my hair, forgetting to turn the TV down while action movies are playing... You get the idea! The puppies take their first trip to the great outdoors to learn of all it's wonders! They get to experience grass, cement, wood, dirt, mulch, and sand this week. Puppies are beginning to learn how to eat whole food now, too. The puppies are given extra small whole prey like rats, juvenile rabbits, quail, small fish, and game hen and allowed to eat as much as they would like. Pups continue to nurse from mom if she allows it. A second crate is added to their environment. The puppies get to experience their first fear-free experience with bath time! And yes, they get another nail trim (this time with a fear-free twist)! This week, we begin a natural immunization protocol utilizing homeoprophylaxis to help prime their immune systems for the real world, and the puppies are given their first weekly dose of an excellent herbal dewormer if needed (although we've never had a wormy puppy).
At five weeks old...
...introduction to formal clicker training begins! They begin to learn more than just good manners. Puppies are rewarded for making good choices like sitting, lying down, waiting their turn, and offering focus. We start to introduce hand signals for sit and down, we begin hand targeting, introducing collars and leashes, and starting recall. Puppies are given puzzle toys to play with and figure out. They also get to play in a shallow pool this week! We start scent exploration with puppy-safe essential oils and other scents. Balance and confidence building is beginning now as well by introducing the pups to a wobble board and other low to the ground, unstable surfaces. We simulate car rides by securing a crate safely on top of balance discs and allowing puppies to hang out or play inside the crate at their will . A third crate is added to their environment and we begin crate games so that when they go home with their new family, they already enjoy their crate. During nap times, the crate doors are closed. Puppies continue to get weekly nail trims. By now the puppies have also met my two friendly cats.
At six weeks old...
...puppies are well on their way to being housebroken, crate trained, having good manners, and are happily eating their prey model raw meals three times a day. Puppies are now playing with and on all sorts of fun objects on a regular basis and have their own playground in the back yard which we visit many times daily. Puppies are encouraged to play on it freely to help build confidence, balance and strength! They are introduced to a flirt pole and/or spring pole, and continue to learn that tugging is really, really fun! A dirty puppy is a happy puppy, but we like our babies clean for snuggles, so they get another fear-free grooming experience, which will continue weekly until they go home! We continue to do loud things around the house like vacuuming, dropping loud objects, slamming doors, all while puppies are rewarded using a Pet Tutor for watching calmly. This week the puppies will experience their very first puppy party, in which we invite over a handful of dog-savvy friends to train, play, and interact with the puppies with all sorts of goodies and fun obstacles. The babies now have individual crates and have begun eating and taking naps in their own "bedrooms"!
At seven weeks old...
...If possible, we will visit a breeder friend and have a puppy party with another litter of a different breed. Puppies are given a bottle pit and a loud, jingly puppy adventure cube to explore. A baby pool is filled with water and toys and they are encouraged (but never forced) to enter the pool to explore the water. Puppies are continuing crate games and at this point are sleeping individually in their own crates at night. They go outside two times a night to go potty. They are learning about the heel position, and what a great place that is. Our dog savvy friends pay regular visits to socialize the puppies, go for puppy-length loose leash walks, and play fetch!
At eight weeks old...
...the puppies have a very big week ahead of them. At Borderflies, puppies do not leave before 10 weeks old, and as needed, some puppies may stay until 12 weeks old. There is so much more that they need to learn from their mama, siblings, and me. I put in long hours tirelessly socializing and providing enrichment to make absolutely sure that my pups get the best start possible. For the next couple weeks, the puppies will all be evaluated and matched with their new families. I invite over another local breeder as well as a fellow dog trainer to assist me in evaluations. First, we evaluate structural soundness and take photos of the puppies in a "show stack", which we have been practicing each week since three weeks old. It has been found that 8 weeks is the ideal age to evaluate structure, as puppies tend to stay true to their 8 week structure when they mature. Next, the puppies are temperament tested with a puppy aptitude test. A fellow trainer whom the pups have not yet met acts as the tester and gives unbiased scores. This helps us decide which type of family would best suit each puppy. And finally, when available, we all take a trip to a friend's farm where the puppies will see livestock for the very first time. They will be evaluated by a professional shepherd to assess herding instinct and style on lambs and/or ducks.
At this point, I am beginning to make my decisions about placements. While I will do my best to accommodate the preferences of my puppy buyers, ultimately I will have to match each family with the puppy that will best fit in their household and their lifestyle. Hopefully, this decision will last a lifetime. Once puppies are matched with their family, I can begin teaching puppies their new names and any behaviours that their new family wants me to get a head start on.
At nine weeks old...
...socializing gets serious! After having another fear-free grooming, puppies are taken two at a time to a local nursing, retirement, or group home for loves and pets from the elderly and the disabled. This helps get them accustomed to medical equipment and people who may not move "normally". We also bring them to a childrens hospital, daycare or elementary class, where they get to meet lots of children and learn what these small screaming humans are all about. During these visits, we are also practicing loose leash walking, heel position, sits, downs, and polite greetings. As time allows, we are working on various parts of Susan Garrett's program, "Recallers" and teaching foundational "cooperative care" behaviors.
This week, we have a party for the puppies to celebrate their family matches. There will be all sorts of things to climb and play on like a tarp, bottle pit, pools, adventure boxes and a small sprinkler to play in. We will invite our dog savvy friends (many of whom have loud cars) to come over and have very small and non-aerial fireworks that we light off from the street, safely away from the puppies. Meanwhile in the backyard, the puppies are being given delicious treats and lots of praise and loves! Please keep in mind that this is assuming that no puppies have entered a fear period. If a puppy is fearful, they would never be exposed to a situation like this, as it could scar them for life. Socializing is only successful if the puppies are enjoying themselves!
Final placements are being made this week and new families are asked to choose a registered name so registration can be completed.
At ten weeks old...
...the puppies will be brought to a police station and a fire station to meet people in uniform and learn that they are very fun! Time allowing, the puppies may make the long (four hour!) drive to see livestock again to see whether they will play or work. They are brought to a lake to play and splash in the water one at a time with mama, who loves to swim. This will be done under heavy supervision so curious puppies don't accidentally wander in too deep!
Registrations are now complete, placement announcements are being made, and some puppies may begin to go home this week!
At eleven weeks old...
...the remaining puppies continue to take fun outings to new places. They have almost certainly been to at least one flyball tournament already, and likely at least one other dog sport event like disc dog, where they can see and hear the commotion of a dog event in a fun and pressure-free situation. Time allowing, we would love to take the puppies to the local dock-diving facility to test out their propensity for water sports.
At twelve weeks old...
...we continue to socialize and provide enrichment, but the remaining puppies are now ready to go home with their new family. Prior to leaving our home, the puppies will visit our local homeopathic veterinarian for a wellness exam, they will be microchipped, and receive a Wellness Report Card. We leave dew claws intact on all puppies unless the dew claws are vestigial. Puppies will go home with a collar and leash, their favorite puppy toy and blanket, a clicker, important supplements, one gallon of the water they are used to, and their puppy folder.
Puppy folder will include:
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Contract and guarantee signed by breeder and buyer
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Registration and Pedigree (if available)
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Wellness Report Card
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Microchip information
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Copies of the health clearances of both parents
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Information on Natural Rearing and Prey Model Raw diet
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A list of suggested reading
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The border collie breed standard
A: When I first started developing my rearing program, I wanted to be sure I was giving my puppies the best start in life that I possibly could, naturally. I spent several months doing in depth research on the various stages that a puppy goes through from those precious and delicate moments at birth, until 12 weeks of age when they've all grown their feathers and left the nest. I took several months writing out my program and fine tuning the details. Eventually, I was introduced to the world of Puppy Culture, and thanks to that program I made a few helpful adjustments in my own program, here and there. But most of this, I came up with on my own. I'm incredibly proud of the hard work that goes into the puppies of Borderflies, and hope that my future puppy families will reap all the benefits of a well-rounded and confident puppy because of it.