Thunder at six weeks. His parents are Gina and Fluffy.

Baby Clair from Katie and Eldon at seven weeks. Guard of the bowl.

Parti puppy from Chalimar and Toby.

Black miniature poodle puppy from Layla and Petey at 10 weeks of age. Layla and Petey have been placed in pet homes. Layla and Petey are Vesna's parents.

This is me with Shay, Angelina, Erika and Tia when they were puppies. Taking puppies outside and exposing them to new things is very important to their development as confident, curious dogs who will have a minimal adjustment period in a new home. Some people who should know better actually believe puppies are just naturally friendly, and that their early weeks are meaningless. This couldn't be further from the truth. Many puppies find initial human contact unpleasant and even frightening. Yorkshire terriers, in particular, are this way. I spend a great deal of time handling my young puppies and letting them grow accustomed to my scent and the sound of my voice. When they're older, I take them outside for walks, and in the summer, I let them investigate the pond.