The countdown has officially begun to Ami’s due date on Sunday.  Her pregnancy was confirmed via ultrasound and we had her radiographed yesterday so that we would have an idea of what to expect.  It looks like five sizable puppies are preparing to make their way into the world.  We are excited to meet them. Our F litter will be raised using Puppy Culture, the early stimulation, socialization and enrichment system developed by Jane Killion.  (We are big fans of Jane Killion.)  The Puppy Culture system is based on studies that demonstrate how critical the first 12 weeks of a puppy’s life to the future health, adaptability and trainability of the future adult dog.  Research shows that early stimulation can help produce a dog with a stronger heartbeat, lower blood pressure and better ability to respond to stress. In addition, Puppy Culture proposes a schedule of socialization and enrichment to help dogs learn how to communicate with people and to become curious and stable in novel situations, as opposed to stressed and frightened. You can learn more about Puppy Culture through the video link below. I recommend that anyone interested in raising a puppy, now or in the future, invest in Puppy Culture.