** Note: All pups from this litter are currently reserved.
The countdown has begun! With just 10 days left before these adorable Labrador puppies head to their forever homes, week six is filled with exciting developments, important milestones, and valuable preparation tips for new puppy parents.
Life at Six Weeks: A Perfect Balance of Play and Rest
At six weeks old, these Lab puppies have established a wonderful routine that showcases their growing personalities and developing independence. Their days are perfectly structured around the intense Colorado heat, with morning outdoor adventures followed by well-deserved nap sessions.
The early morning hours, from around 7:00 to 7:30 AM, have become prime time for outdoor exploration before Grand Junction’s temperatures soar well over 100 degrees. During these precious morning hours, the puppies engage in energetic play sessions that tire them out perfectly for their subsequent indoor rest periods.
Belly Rubs and Tickle Spots
One of the most endearing developments this week has been the puppies’ love for belly scratches. Each pup is discovering their own unique tickle spots, with some showing that classic puppy response where chest rubs make their little legs kick involuntarily. These moments of connection are not only adorable but also important for socialization and human bonding.
Water Adventures in the Heat
The extreme heat has introduced an unexpected benefit – all the puppies have now embraced water play! While some were initially hesitant about water activities, the scorching temperatures have motivated every single pup to enjoy cooling off in the pool. They’re now confidently going in and out of the water at will, and even playing enthusiastically with the hose and splashing around in their water bowls.
One particularly charming moment captured lime green collar pup chasing what appeared to be a small bug in the water bowl – a perfect example of their growing curiosity and hunting instincts beginning to emerge.
Physical Development: Growing Too Big for the Scale
The most obvious sign of the puppies’ thriving health is their impressive growth rate. These little ones have grown so substantially that they can no longer fit on the scale, and it’s become impossible to carry multiple pups at once when moving them between indoor and outdoor spaces.
Current weight projections suggest the male puppies will reach approximately 15 pounds by the time they go home, while the female should be slightly smaller at around 12 pounds. This healthy growth rate, combined with their active behavior and robust appetites, clearly indicates that their third dose of pyrantel (preventative worm treatment) has been well-tolerated with no adverse effects.
Training Milestones
Successful Potty Training Progress
One of the most encouraging developments this week has been the dramatic improvement in potty training. The puppies are now having minimal accidents during the day – sometimes just one or two incidents among all six pups. This remarkable progress bodes well for their transition to their new homes and demonstrates their growing understanding of appropriate bathroom habits.
Name Recognition Development
For families who have already chosen names for their puppies, there’s wonderful news: the pups are actively learning to respond to their individual names. This early name recognition training will provide a significant head start for new families when their puppies arrive home.
The Tunnel: A New Favorite Adventure
Week six introduced an exciting new enrichment activity – the crinkly tunnel. This simple but effective toy has become an instant favorite among all six puppies. The tunnel’s crunchy sounds captivate their attention, while the ability to run through, hide in, and play around it provides both physical exercise and mental stimulation.
Initially, like most new experiences, the tunnel caused some hesitation. However, within minutes, all six puppies were confidently racing in and out, with three typically playing inside while three more engage from the outside. This type of enrichment activity is crucial for developing confidence, problem-solving skills, and providing the kind of vigorous exercise that leads to better sleep patterns.
Getting Prepared: Essential Items for New Puppy Parents
As these puppies prepare for their transition to family life, there are several important considerations for creating a safe and enriching environment.
Managing Fast Eaters: The Puzzle Bowl Solution
Labrador Retrievers are notorious for being enthusiastic – sometimes overly enthusiastic – eaters. This breed characteristic can lead to rapid consumption that may cause digestive upset or even more serious health issues.
The solution? Puzzle bowls, also known as slow-feeder bowls. These specially designed feeding dishes feature raised patterns or obstacles that require dogs to work around them to access their food. This design naturally slows down eating pace while providing mental stimulation.
The effectiveness of puzzle bowls is evident in real-world application. Charlie, one of the adult dogs in the breeding program, has been an aggressive eater since puppyhood. While she may not love her puzzle bowl, she has adapted to eating from it, and most importantly, it has eliminated the digestive issues caused by eating too quickly.
It’s worth noting that not every dog requires this intervention. Ginger, another adult in the program, has always been a naturally thoughtful eater and has never needed eating assistance. However, for Labs who show signs of gulping their food, a puzzle bowl can be an invaluable investment in their health and wellbeing.
Choosing the Right Toys: Quality Over Quantity
Providing appropriate toys is crucial for channeling a puppy’s natural chewing and playing instincts away from your belongings. Without proper toys, puppies will inevitably find entertainment in shoes, carpets, furniture corners, and other household items you’d prefer to keep intact.
Recommended High-Quality Options
Kong Toys: These rubber toys have earned their reputation through decades of durability testing by countless dogs. The classic Kong toy can be stuffed with treats or cheese, providing both mental stimulation as dogs work to extract the contents and physical entertainment through its unpredictable bouncing pattern when thrown.
Kong offers various products including stuffed animals that serve as comfort objects for puppies transitioning to new homes. While more expensive than alternatives, Kong toys are virtually indestructible – with the exception of their frisbees, which may eventually succumb to persistent chewing after several months of use.
Tuffy Toys: Similar to Kong in durability, Tuffy toys offer another excellent option for long-lasting entertainment. These toys can often be found at discounted prices at stores like HomeGoods, making high-quality toys more accessible to budget-conscious families.
Toys to Avoid
Cheap Import Toy Sets: Those tempting packages offering 25 toys for $15 may seem like great value, but they represent a false economy and potential safety hazard. These toys typically:
- Break apart quickly under normal Lab chewing
- Contain stuffing or plastic parts that can be ingested
- Potentially cause digestive blockages or toxicity issues
- Create mess and require frequent replacement
Tennis Balls and Compressible Balls: This recommendation may surprise many dog owners, as tennis balls are ubiquitous dog toys. However, they pose serious safety risks:
- When wet with saliva, they become slippery and can slide down a dog’s throat
- Their compressible nature allows them to lodge in the throat, potentially causing fatal choking
- Numerous documented cases exist of dogs dying from tennis ball-related choking incidents
Safe Ball Alternatives
For families wanting to play fetch (and Labs do love retrieving!), consider these safer alternatives:
Softballs: Perfect for adult Labs, these balls are:
- Too large to swallow
- Non-compressible, eliminating choking risk
- Durable enough for extended outdoor play
- Available in bulk for year-round entertainment
Baseballs: A suitable stepping stone for growing puppies before graduating to softballs, offering the same safety benefits in a smaller size appropriate for younger dogs.
Looking Ahead: Final Preparations
As these puppies approach their seventh week milestone and prepare for the transition to family life, next week’s update will focus on an important topic that many new puppy families inquire about: pet insurance. This final video in the series will provide guidance on protecting your new family member’s health and managing the financial aspects of responsible pet ownership.
