🐾 Six Weeks of Growth, Love, and Adventure – The Story of Jini and Her Puppies
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In the six weeks since the day the puppies were found in the mondi on Aruba and came into our care, so much has happened. Their mother, whom we named Jini, in honor of the Jinice Animal Friends Foundation, has done an incredible job caring for her little ones, protecting them from anything she saw as a possible threat.
Everyone who came to meet Jini and her pups, to cuddle them or help with their socialization, was greeted kindly. From the very beginning, Jini allowed gentle handling of her babies, even when their eyes and ears were still closed. She let people pick them up so they could get used to different scents and touches — a vital part of early socialization.
🏡Growing, Discovering, and Playing
The large crate where they first stayed quickly became too small. Jini and her pups were moved to a larger, safer part of the house where they could explore new sounds, voices, and smells. That’s where their first playful interactions began — an important step toward independence. Once the pups could walk, see, and hear, Jini continued to keep a close, calm eye on them — a true, patient mother. By around four weeks old, even this space wasn’t big enough for their endless curiosity. We often found little explorers wandering just beyond their play area — no problem, since the property is safe and enclosed. Their outdoor area was transformed into a puppy paradise: a spacious shelter for shade and rain protection, covered sleeping spots, a paddling pool with water, another filled with plastic bottles, tunnels, boxes, and a variety of obstacles to crawl under, over, and through. The 65 m² play area also includes objects of different materials and textures to build confidence. They regularly see and hear other dogs playing, barking, or walking by, and they’ve learned to stay relaxed. Even loud or unexpected noises no longer bother them — they simply look, listen, and carry on.
💪 Confidence and Character Building
It’s wonderful to see how each puppy is developing and showing its own personality. By carefully introducing new experiences, we help them recover quickly from surprise or stress. Their trust in us grows stronger every day — and that trust forms the foundation for everything they will learn later. Thanks to this positive start, their future training will be that much easier.
🏖️ First Beach Adventure
At five weeks old, it was time for their very first trip to the beach. We always plan such experiences carefully, knowing exactly where it’s safe to go and what to expect. At first, the pups were unsure — the open space, the sand, the sound of the waves, and the movement of the water were all new. But their trust in us helped them overcome that hesitation quickly. Within minutes, they were swimming! No fear of water — in fact, they went a little further than we planned! Our goal was achieved. Over the following week, they had time to process the experience and continued exploring confidently back at home.
🐕 Learning from the Grown-Ups
Our senior service dog Mr. ICE has been the perfect mentor. By observing and following him, the puppies learn to approach new situations calmly and confidently. Mr. RED, another service and detection dog with a very different personality, enjoys challenging and playfully guiding them on new adventures. It keeps us on our toes, since the pups now roam the entire property — but it’s all safe, and they’re learning fast.
💛 A New Chapter for Jini and Her Puppies
Jini is an amazing mother — gentle, quiet, social, and wonderful with people, dogs, and especially children. She rarely barks, never destroys anything, and is truly a sweetheart. She has now been spayed and moved to a temporary foster home, where she can rest, recover, and enjoy peace after giving her pups such a strong start. Meanwhile, we continue with the puppies’ socialization and early training to prepare them for their forever homes.