The content below is the week summary of the update from our Vizsla breeder on the things she does with the puppies and where they are at in their development. The activities below are an example of what a reputable breeders does to help puppies prepare to live their best lives. This post is part of our How To Raise & Train A Vizsla section. Click here to see more weekly updates.

In this fourth week of life, pups are introduced to more toys and objects, meet a new dog (outside of the family dogs), get more time outside, and are beginning the process of weaning off mom's milk.

Notes from week 4:

• Puppies start the week nursing from Mom
  • then are offered RAW goat's milk
  • messy work in the beginning
  • get it all over themselves
  • lick more off of each other then from the bowl at first
  • then catch on
  • bowl empties quickly
  • split into two groups
  • nurse in shifts to give Mom a break from having to nurse them all at once
  • by end of week they will all be eating solid food!
• Another trip outside
• Met their first non-pack member, who is a not a Vizsla
• Settled into a routine
  • go outside early in the morning before it gets too hot, for breakfast and playtime
  • already learned to come to the puppy call for meals!
  • resident hawks spend a lot of time in the trees nearby or circling overhead, so someone has to stay outside with the puppies at all times
  • once the heat sets in, move back inside to the dog room for the day
  • go back outside in the early evening
• Continue to rotate in lots of toys
• Add in other enrichment items
• Play various music CD's
• Introduced a raised cot bed
  • learning how to climb on and off
  • play king of the hill
  • explore underneath it
• Expanded their indoor play area by day
  • resulted in less accuracy hitting the potty pads or potty box
  • which they apparently prefer to sleep in
• At night, area is downsized so they have more success reaching the potty pads