Our puppies start their life next our bed. Mum moves into her whelping box about 10 days before they are due. They stay there is temperature of around 30 degrees for three weeks.

The puppies cannot control their body temperature and have weak immune systems we therfore limit visiting during this time.

The only sense that they have is smell and they scramble along blindly trying to find mum's nipples.

They move into the lounge just before the 3 week visits This is normally the first time that the potential new puppy owners get to meet the puppies.

By this stage they are waling, their eyes and ears have opened and they are begining to play.

We use this time to socialise them to sound with the aide of the TV. We start off gently with calm music but through the course of the next 2 weeks we turn up the volume and play them programmes suxch as East Enders, David Attenborough and Grime music. WE use You Tube to play them Firework Displays and record Last Night at the proms for a bit of culture.

Whilst they in the lounge they have their first experiences of being outside the whelping box. Which at first they don't like and they struggle to walk on the oak flooring.

It doesn't take long before they want to be out of the whelping box exploring and as soon as they start climbing out they are on the move again.

By 5 and a half weeks it's more fun outside the whelping box. They tire themselves out playing in the lounge.

Boxes play an important role in our socialisation of the puppies. They are great for playing Peek a Boo, Climbing out of or just to chill with your bro.

Once the puppies move into the kitchen they are exposed to ordinary household noises. Although they are kept safe in their playpen some of the time they are allowed to play in the kitchen when we can watch them.

They often like to sleep next to the washing machine.

At around 6 and a half weeks the puppies need more space to play so we move them to the purpose built puppy room where they have access to outside. 

They have beds to sleep in and puppy pads on the floor at night and this is part of their toilet training. We also feed them outside whenever possible and this gets them into the habit of going to the toilet outside before they come in to sleep.