The Game On litter had a very big week, and it started with the appointment we look forward to most before go-home: a top-to-tail wellness exam at our veterinarian. With the puppies now eight weeks old, we loaded up the crew and headed to Franklin County Animal Medical Center so Dr. Nicole Morhaus could look over every single puppy before they head to their new families. We are thrilled to report that all eight passed with flying colors. In between, the puppies have been busy little sponges — learning the leash, getting their first real grooming, meeting the whole neighborhood, and settling into the good habits that make a puppy a joy to live with. Here’s everything that’s been happening.
The go-home vet check
Every Three Doves puppy gets a thorough veterinary wellness exam before it goes home, and this one is the big one. Dr. Morhaus went over each puppy nose to tail — coat and skin, eyes, ears, mouth and bite, heart and lungs, abdomen, and the whole gastrointestinal system — and every puppy checked out completely normal. For the three boys — Tracker, Trap, and Hunter — she also confirmed that both testicles had properly descended, an important soundness check at this age. There is real peace of mind in handing a family a puppy that a veterinarian has just examined head to toe and pronounced healthy, and that’s exactly what each Game On family will get.
We also put everyone on the clinic scale for an official eight-week weight. Here is where the litter stands:
Purdey, our green-collar girl, leads the whole litter at a round 12 pounds, with yellow-collar Tracker right behind as the biggest boy at 11.9. At the other end, little Domino is the petite one at 9.3 pounds — and, as her chart badge says, absolutely perfect. Between the heaviest and the lightest is barely two and a half pounds, which is exactly the kind of even, healthy spread we love to see in a litter this age. Together the eight of them now tip the scales at more than 84 pounds.
A heartfelt thank-you, as always, to Dr. Nicole Morhaus and the entire team at Franklin County Animal Medical Center. Their combination of modern medicine and old-fashioned, in-the-room compassion is everything a breeder could ask for. You can learn more about them at fcamcvet.com.
Learning the leash — one treat at a time
One of the best things we can send home with a puppy is a head start on the leash, and this week the puppies have been learning that a collar and lead are nothing to worry about — in fact, they’re how the good stuff happens. We keep it light and entirely positive, luring the puppies along with a treat and rewarding every step in the right direction so the leash always means “come this way, something wonderful is about to happen.”
We’ve found the way to a Game On puppy’s heart runs straight through a mini Milk-Bone and a dab of peanut butter or spray cheese. A lick of cheese at nose height turns a nervous first step into an eager little trot, and within a few sessions the puppies are following along on a loose leash like they’ve been doing it for years. It’s all reward, no pressure — the goal at this age is simply for the leash to feel like a game.
Looking sharp: first real grooming
The puppies also had their first proper grooming session, which is as much about handling as it is about looks. We clippered their heads and ears, tidied up their feet, and trimmed everyone’s toenails. Getting puppies comfortable with clippers, with having their paws held, and with sitting still to be fussed over is a gift to every groomer and veterinarian they’ll ever see — and it’s so much easier to teach now, calmly, than to fix later. With the Missouri summer in full swing, we’ve also been keeping outdoor time short and shady; puppies overheat quickly, so play sessions in the yard are brief and always end with cool water and a rest indoors.
Meeting the world
This is the age when socialization matters most, and the puppies have been meeting a steady stream of visitors. Neighbors and friends have been stopping by, and the litter has now met people of just about every description — children, babies, teenagers, and adults of all ages. Each new person is a friendly face with a gentle hand and, often, a treat, so the puppies are learning that the wide world of humans is a welcoming place. They’ve also had careful, supervised introductions to the family cat — an important lesson in reading a very different kind of animal, and one that pays off for a lifetime in a home that has, or may someday have, a cat.
Good habits at home
Away from the excitement, the everyday routines are coming along beautifully too. Each puppy is now eating about a half-cup of food a day, and mealtimes are enthusiastic affairs. Crate time is going really well — the puppies are learning that the crate is a calm, safe place to settle, which will make those first nights in a new home far easier for everyone. We’ve been gently desensitizing them to everyday sounds, too, so that vacuum cleaners, doorbells, thunderstorms, and clattering pans become background noise rather than something to fear.
And our favorite habit of all: each evening, the puppies take turns coming out for individual cuddle time on the couch while we watch television. One-on-one lap time, away from the busy energy of seven littermates, teaches a puppy to relax against a person, to enjoy quiet affection, and to bond with people as individuals. It’s the part of the day we look forward to most — and, we suspect, so do they.
The home stretch
Vet-checked, leash-started, groomed, well-socialized, and full of good habits — these puppies are just about ready. Go-home days begin Tuesday, July 28th. Not every puppy leaves on that first day, though: each family schedules an appointment to collect their puppy in the days that follow, so every pickup gets our full, unhurried attention and a proper send-off. If your family is welcoming a Game On puppy, please contact us to schedule your go-home time for the 28th or the days just after. Each family will also receive an individual take-home report on their own puppy as part of the go-home packet.
And keep an eye out: we’ll have a post coming soon on exactly what to have ready at home for your new puppy before pickup day — the food, gear, and few key supplies that make those first days smooth for puppy and family alike.
It’s hard to believe how far this crew has come from the eight tiny newborns of late May, but here they are: healthy, confident, and ready for the best part of the whole story.
As always: when you collect your puppy, thank Etta first.
— Albert & Terra
Three Doves Performance Dogs — AKC Breeder of Merit, English Springer Spaniel
www.three-doves.com · info@three-doves.com
