Stoneyford Heritage Meats

It’s hard to believe we’re already at the 6-week mark with the puppies! They’re thriving – full of beans, noisy, messy, and completely hilarious. Five of them now have homes lined up and will be heading off in just two weeks. We’re planning to keep two here for now – one indefinitely, and the other may stay on for training and eventually go to a working home if the right one comes along.

They’re currently eating four meals of raw food a day and absolutely loving it. You can see the difference in their condition – shiny coats, strong builds, and boundless energy. And yes, they poop and pee a lot. My day mostly revolves around feeding, cleaning, and repeating. The puppy pen is a full-time job in itself!

They’ve all had a course of wormer at 4 weeks and are due another round now, with one final dose before they leave for their new homes. They’re also booked in for their first vaccinations and microchips just before they go.

Lately, I’ve noticed they’re becoming quite reliant on each other for confidence, which is totally natural at this age. To help prepare them for life in their new homes, I’ve started giving each pup a bit of individual time every day. Even just 10–15 minutes alone without their littermates helps them build independence, and I’m hopeful this will make their transitions smoother.

Ru, their mum, is winding down her involvement now. She only pops in for the occasional feed – which are much shorter these days. The pups are so big now they can push her off her feet when feeding! She’s definitely getting a bit fed up with their antics. That said, when they’re all outside, she’ll still play fight with them and teach them a few key doggy manners – like who’s boss.

We’re getting them out into the yard for playtime every day, rain or shine. Since they’re destined to be working dogs (and we live in Northern Ireland where it rains 90% of the time), they need to get used to the weather! I also pop them outside after every feed to encourage toileting and cut down on mess indoors. They’re doing really well with their house training – rarely any accidents on the vet bedding now, and they’re mostly using the puppy pads when they’re inside.

My washing machine, however, is having a rough time – it’s running at least once a day with all the vet bedding and the toys they’ve flung across the room or buried in pee pads. But that’s life with pups!

Ru has just started doing a little bit of work again to get her fitness back, but I’m keeping sessions short, so she’s not away from the puppies for too long.

All in all, it’s chaos – but the best kind. I’m so pleased with how they’re coming on, and I can’t wait to see them grow into clever, confident little dogs in their new homes.