Finding the leader of the pack

Dogs are animal living in a pack. In a pack of dog, there will be one of them who is the leader. When my doberman puppies were 7 weeks old, I tried to identify who was the leader of the pack.  

The first two photographs below was taken when the doberman puppies were let to go into the garden for the very first time. All the puppies has never stepped onto grasses before. The first two photographs showed that all the puppies hesitated at the edge of the garden for a moment. 

The third photograph showed the leader of the pack going into the garden. The last photographs showed the next in command of the pack.  

(1) All puppies hesitated at the edge of the garden

(2) A second later, all still feeling out for themselves

(3) One of them with the yellow ribbon explored out

(4) Followed by the puppy with green ribbon 

After the puppy with the yellow ribbon followed by the puppy with the green ribbon, the rest of the puppies followed to go into the garden for the first time. 

The second time onward whenever it was play time in the garden, all the puppies are so impatient waiting at the fence. Once the fence was opened, all of them would rush in and have a good time.

When the puppies grew older, the leader was confirmed when they played together. The leader would be running in front of the pack and the rest would be following the leader. Or, the leader of be the one running away with the ball and the rest chasing after it.

Feeding Doberman Puppies

We have 9 doberman puppies from my last litter. I was concerned that the bitch's milk might not be sufficient for all the puppies. From day 1, the puppies were attracted to the dame's breast nipple by instinct. It was amazing seeing how the puppies with unopened eyes smelled and crawled their way towards the nipples of the dame.

Puppies feeding naturally

I had to supplement with goat milk. I had to use baby feeding bottle to feed the puppies one at a time. The puppies loved the goat milk and grew very strong and healthy. For your information, do not feed your puppies or dogs with cow milk. Cow milk will cause the puppies to have upset stomach and loose stool. Goat milk is perfect for the puppies. But, goat milk is less available and it is much more expensive than cow milk.

Caution: We have to lift the puppy's head up (side-way) to feed with the bottle so that the milk flow too fast. Otherwise, the milk can choke the puppy or flood its lungs. Go to how to bottle feed the puppy for more detail.

  Feeding 2 weeks old doberman puppy with a feeding bottle

                             
The first four weeks was lots of effort caring for the puppies and the bitch. After four weeks, it was fun feeding and seeing the puppies playing with each other.

4 weeks old puppies self-feeding

For more information about Dobermann, visit us at Dobermann.com.my