Border Collies of Ruidoso

⸻ At 7 Weeks Old Our puppies are full of energy, coordination, and personality! They run, play, and explore with confidence, while continuing to learn manners and bite control from their littermates. They are fully on puppy food (no longer nursing) and eat 3–4 small meals a day. At this stage, they can start short, positive training sessions for simple commands like “come” or “sit.” This is a key socialization time, so we gently introduce them to new people, sounds, and safe environments to help them grow into happy, well-adjusted companions.

We’re getting bigger!!!!

Eating, sleeping,and playing!! Getting bigger every day:)

The Ruidoso Ln crew just had their first taste of combo puppy chow soaked in Stage 2 formula! It’s a big step for these little ones as they begin their transition to solid food. Watching them explore new tastes and textures is just the beginning of their next phase of growth. Go, babies, go!

At 3 weeks old, your Border Collie puppies are transitioning out of the neonatal stage and starting to explore their world. This week is part of what’s called the transitional period, which spans roughly from 2 to 4 weeks of age. Here’s what you can expect during week 3: ⸻ 🧠 Developmental Milestones • Eyes are fully open: Vision is improving, but still blurry. • Ears begin to function: Puppies begin to respond to sounds, turning toward voices or noises. • Teeth begin erupting: Tiny milk teeth (baby teeth) start pushing through the gums. • Increased mobility: They go from wobbly crawling to more coordinated walking. • Start to sit and stand: Though still unsteady, they may briefly sit or stand. • Tail wagging begins: First signs of social behavior like tail wagging and interaction. ⸻ 🐶 Behavior Changes • Exploration starts: They will begin to move around more and explore their surroundings. • Interaction with littermates increases: Gentle pawing, mouthing, and play-fighting start. • First bark or vocal sounds: You may hear grunts, yips, or even a tiny bark. • Recognize their mother and siblings more distinctly. ⸻ 🍼 Feeding • Still nursing: Mom’s milk is still their primary food. • Start of weaning preparation: Some breeders introduce a shallow dish of water or a puppy mush mix (goat milk + puppy kibble blended) around week 3.5 to 4, depending on development. ⸻ 🧼 Care Needs • Stimulation for elimination may start to taper off: Puppies begin to eliminate on their own, but mom may still clean them. • Keep the whelping box clean: They are starting to eliminate more regularly. • Safe environment: Puppies are more mobile, so ensure no hazards are in their space. ⸻ 🧍‍♀️ Human Interaction • Begin handling more frequently: Gentle, short interactions help with early socialization. • Start short, positive experiences with being touched, hearing new sounds, and gentle movements. ⸻ 🔜 Coming Soon (Week 4 Preview) • Introduction to solid food. • Rapid social development. • First attempts at playing with toys. • Recognition of humans and more curiosity. ⸻ Would you like a printable weekly development guide for your litter, or tips on setting up their area

All but three babies at Ruidoso ln have left, sad but I am happy for their new families to shower them with love ❤️ we have two babies left that need forever homes, with these last three babies we have started basic command training such as sit and fetch. They are being well engaged with all the members of our family and other pets! They are also used to all household activities, vacuums, tv, cooking, and other loud noise! We have had our first well check and the babiopassed with flying colors!