Week 4 - 6/23/2026

In Week 4 the puppies have truly exploded in both size and awareness this week, marking a major milestone in their development. While we have been playing various recorded sounds for them, they were also exposed to the authentic, rumbling noise of motorcycles all week due to Bike Week here in New Hampshire. Despite our normally quiet road being filled with the sounds of passing bikes, the puppies remained impressively calm and curious, even greeting a rider dressed in full black gear and a helmet. Their social confidence was further bolstered by a house full of visitors over the weekend, including our grandsons who spent the entire time cuddling them. The puppies also had the opportunity to meet people of diverse backgrounds and appearances, and they have become completely comfortable with household noises like the vacuum and the coffee maker.

Their physical play has become much more organized and expressive, featuring plenty of play bows, pouncing, and even beautiful backwards dancing, which they seem to have learned from watching their dad, Baker. We also took down the whelping box this week; while the puppies were initially surprised to find tile underneath their pads, by the next day, they were clearly loving their new freedom to run and explore. Furthermore, thanks to some quirky New England spring weather, they finally enjoyed their first outdoor adventures. They now have a fenced grass area equipped with a Little Tikes slide and a balance ball, which they are already eagerly investigating. Goldenrod attempted to climb the slide, but is still too small...this week anyway! Mayapple "escaped" with her momma and had an excellent adventure romping around the kitchen and living room without her littermates. She and Ghost play bowed - so cute!

Each puppy is showing a distinct and charming personality as they grow. Trillium is confident. She is a thinker and great problem solver when she encounters a new toy in her space. She seeks out Goldenrod for snuggles. Goldenrod is a chill boy who enjoys physical contact with his littermates and humans. He wrestles with the other pups in a gentle way. He was the first to find his barking voice. Dandelion loves affection. She’s a great kisser and tail wagger. Mayapple is small but mighty. She loves snuggling with humans and bossing her siblings equally. She is not afraid to voice her opinions especially when she wants picked up first. Bluebell is delighted with going outside into the cool and soft grass. She bounds across the pen but hasn’t quite mastered braking! She loves making eye contact.

Violet is the smallest of the pups. She’s a gymnast - she can spin in a circle with her front legs off the ground. She’s the party girl of the bunch, always looking for a playmate to wake up. Primrose was the first to sleep upside down in true Chinook form with one front leg fully extended. She nursed upside down and attempts to eat her mushy food upside down. She’s very affectionate and confident. It has been a joy to watch them navigate these new experiences, from Mayapple’s solo kitchen adventures to the simple delight of watching them interact with one another. One correction from a previous post - Rik actually coined the term a "snuggle of Chinooks," which certainly rings true to anyone who has loved more than one of these wonderful dogs. We are so proud of how they are coming along, and we continue to love that our "New Hampshire Natives Litter" name serves as a dual tribute to the Chinook breed's New Hampshire heritage and Jayne's own passion for gardening, with each little one named after a wildflower native to our beautiful state.

The New Hampshire Native litter (as always in order of appearance):