This is how the PPPP went: I picked up a puppy out of the sleeping pile, walk over to the clean garage where the puppies have never been before, and place the puppy on the floor, the pup would look around dazed as if still sleeping. Rosanne, the tester, would coax them over but sometimes the pups wouldn’t move. It went down hill from there. Some of the tests, the pups were just lumps and showed no reaction which is totally not these puppies.

So, this time the test did not reflect the real personality these puppies. I still believe in the Volhard test but in this case it was poor execution and timing on our part. Next time, I’ll have a plan B.

I thought about re-testing them but that woudln’t be quite the same as now they had a practice round. Plus, it’d be real hard for me to find someone the puppies haven’t met by now. We’ll do some other testing, a subset of the Volhard tests, when the puppies new owners are here to help pick the right puppy for them.

This is the third time we’ve done the Volhard test. Once before on a friends litter, and on our first (and only other) litter. So, I’m suprised to not have noticed this before but there are overlapping categories on the touch sensitivity test. How does one select between catagories like 2-3 and 3-4 if the seconds were three? It could be scored either a 1 or a 2. That can lead to mis-leading scores depending on how consistent the evaluator is.

Another thing I thought should change on the touch sensitivity test is using the webbing of the feet to ‘pinch’. Our Poodles have been getting their nails clipped every other day or so since they were three days old. And, the Bio-Sensor training we do includes touching between there toes everyday until they’re 18 days old. Just about every Poodle handles as hard of a pinch the tester can deliver. Poodles are not that insensitive. Maybe using a different body part for the pinch test would be more represntative of the touch sensitivity.

Next litter, I’m going to teach the Pups how to tell time so they know when we humans have something scheduled.

This coming Wednesday, the 49th day for the puppies, we’re going to administer the Volhard test to the litter. Friends Rosanne Aman and Elaine Gauthier are coming over to be the tester and evaluator. The puppies have never met Rosanne or Elaine. The garage will have to be cleaned up a bit. That space was purposely avoided when bringing the puppies out to the car. So, it’ll be a new and unfamilar place for them. So that’s the set-up for the test. It’s kind of interesting to see the puppies reaction to the different parts of the test. You can read more about it at the link above.

I’m betting that all the puppies score very similar to our last litter - Klara’s litter that produced Orchid. All those puppies scored either 3’s or 4’s. Here’s how Volhard scoring describes puppies with 3’s or 4’s:

“Mostly 3’s -
Can be a high-energy dog and may need lots of exercise
Good with people and other animals
Can be a bit of a handful to live with
Needs training, does very well at it and learns quickly
Great dog for second time owner.

Mostly 4’s -
The kind of dog that makes the perfect pet Best choice for the first time owner.
Rarely will buck for a promotion in the family
Easy to train, and rather quiet.
Good with elderly people, children, although may need protection from the children
Choose this pup, take it to obedience classes, and you’ll be the star, without having to do too much work!

Getting those perfect Poodle personalities is hard work but very satisfying, especially when Gladystar Puppy owners remark “he’s a perfect Poodle”.

Our goal is for the puppies to turn out to be happy, confident, and calm. That’s why we put in so much effort to their socialization. And, the puppies just soak it all up and its entertaining for us.

Cuddly Puppy

While valuing the energetic and active characteristics of Poodles, its just as important to have that calmness that comes with confidence.

House training started last night. Everytime the puppies wake up from a nap which is always right after their tasty bowl of gruel, they go outside immediately. I have to rush because the puppies are getting fast. They get herded to the door with much encouragement and then I quickly close it before anyone tries sneaking back in. Only a couple of little messes in the play area and no messes in the whelping box.

The Puppies are exploring the Poodle Play Pen for the first time and what do you know, there’s an Agility Teeter Totter on the floor. The plank moves about two inches which is almost imperceptible. It does make a little noise but not very noticeable now. The most important thing in this lesson is the unusual surface. It has sandy grit painted on. Next time the puppies see it - ho hum - “another day in the park”. Check out the youtube video.

The all pups got their first bath and blow dry today also. They’re so fluffy now. To help keep them clean and sanitary, the tail area was clippered. I was surprised at how much hair four week old puppies can have. In a week or so, the Puppies will have another bath and a more thorough grooming.

Patty enjoys taking a break with the puppies. They really like snuggling and will purr when they’re nestled in your arms. Although, teeth are emerging the puppies haven’t quite figured out what to do with them yet. Wait ’til next week.

I left Orchid’s food bowl on the floor and the puppies found it. They were very interested and licked away at it. Pretty good indication that they’re ready for their first meal of gruel. A blender ground up some regular dog food real fine which was then mixed with some warm puppy formula to make a watery gruel. As the picture shows, all the pups just dove in with no extra encouragement needed.

All the puppies went for a little adventure - one at a time out to sniff the living room rug this morning. Their little heads were bobbing like a bobble-head toy with their nose kind of bouncing to the ground taking in the new scent. I only have them out there about 10 seconds or so just enough for them to exercise the ol’ olfactory organ.

Part of the morning routine is to weigh and chart each Standard Poodle Puppy. If a Puppy doesn’t gain any weight or loses weight, those puppies will get supplemental tube fed formula. Vanilla puppy boy is over one pound already which is more than five ounces more than Merlot and Forest. So, the light-weights were supplemented even though they gained weight from the previous day. We don’t want them to get too far behind or they’ll always get out-muscled for the best feeding position.

Here’s a video of the puppies demanding to know where Mom went. I think I’d hide if I were Orchid.

Late breaking news! Another female pup arrived - 2 1/2 hours after the “last” one. That makes seven females and four males.