I socialise my pups soooo much. On our property we are blessed with so much variety regarding our ground cover.
As I stay home with my dogs so apart from training my older dogs every other minute besides being in this forum, I spend with the pups. Often to the great expense of housework and even feeding long suffering Andrew.
We have many visitors as well who are encouraged to play with our puppies.
Besides exploring every inch of our property, I enjoy the puppies to chase a rag on a length of rope. From about 5 weeks with pups are wading and splashing through water and retrieving down the hallway. At about six weeks I encourage the pups to return to me in the hallway with a piece of cheese or chicken while I am sitting down on the floor acting like a complete dork. When the pups have returned with their toy I do not take the pidgeon or toy off them for about a minute. I praise them again like a complete dork and give them a small treat. At about 7 weeks they are chewing my hands big time as I pick them up and they know it is retrieving down the hall way time and swimming (remember my last litter was born in summer here). Often pup will drop the toy in their excitement for a treat but that is OK as long as their returns to me are fast.
With staying at home I suppose I have the added pleasure of seeing how long puppies sleep. I love the ones that do not seem to sleep as much as their litter mates during the day.
Our pups leave us in Australia at 8 weeks. I woud expect every pup to be retrieving by that time. How funny pups look when they pounce on the article and fall over themselves trying to stop and following the quieter big dogs into the water.
Recently with my last litter I took the opportunity to deliver two of mine to their new owners. They were fantastic. No hesitation at all in their new homes. I has a bit horrifed when one new owner threw a ball so far away, but damm it that pup flew out, picked it up and returned to them. I was so proud. No fear at all.