A Week in the Life at Thistle Hill: Raising Huskies with Heart

People think raising a litter of puppies is all fluffy cuddles and wagging tails—and don’t get us wrong, those moments are very real. But the day-to-day reality of raising a well-socialized, confident, healthy litter? It’s a labor of love, grounded in structure, intention, and a kind of joyful chaos that most people can’t imagine until they’ve lived it.

At Thistle Hill, every day revolves around the puppies—and no two weeks are ever quite the same. The rhythm shifts as they grow, but what remains constant is the deep commitment we bring to their care, development, and happiness.

The Early Days: Warmth, Whispers, and Mother’s Pudding

Those first two weeks are a sacred time. The whelping room is kept quiet and cozy, with soft lighting and steady warmth. New moms are pampered with everything they need—puppy food, special supplements, and our homemade “Mother’s Pudding,” a blend of rich nutrition to help them recover and feed their babies.

We begin Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) and Early Scent Introduction (ESI) on day three. These gentle exercises help puppies develop resilience to stress and prepare them for the world ahead. It’s intimate work—picking up each tiny body, holding them just so, exposing them to new textures and smells while they’re still blind and wobbly. These moments are slow and quiet, the kind you instinctively whisper through.

At this stage, cleaning is light. We swap pads, keep mom’s area fresh, and spend time simply observing—making sure everyone is nursing, gaining weight, and growing steadily. The clock ticks by in feedings, weigh-ins, and contented sighs.

The Middle Weeks: Movement, Mush, and Little Personalities

By week three, everything shifts. The room gets noisier. Eyes open. Puppies start to find their feet—first with clumsy tumbles, then with full-on romping. This is when we introduce a shallow water dish and start their transition to solid food. Their first taste of “puppy mush” is adorable and messy—picture paws in bowls and food-covered noses.

We begin defining potty zones inside the pen and gently guide them toward early housetraining habits. We also expand their environment—different textures underfoot, soft tunnels to crawl through, toys that squeak or crinkle. Everything is an opportunity for learning.

Week four is when it hits you: these aren’t just puppies anymore. They’re individuals. Some are bold and bounding; others sit back and think before they act. We spend hours just being with them—sitting on the floor, letting them crawl into our laps, watching their interactions, noting their personalities.

By weeks five and six, it’s full throttle. They’re into everything, outgrowing their whelping pen, and ready for real-world exposure. We rotate play groups, supervise adventures through the house, and start introducing more complex social experiences—loud sounds, new people, our adult dogs. It’s around-the-clock care, with feedings, playtime, pen cleaning, and training often overlapping. At this point, we’re getting up at 6 a.m. and sometimes not getting to bed until midnight. It’s nonstop—but deeply fulfilling.

Living With the Puppies

One thing people don’t always expect is that we don’t just care for the puppies—we live with them. If we’re cooking dinner, they’re playing underfoot. If we’re cleaning, they’re watching the vacuum, learning not to be afraid. We integrate them into our real lives, not just controlled puppy zones, so they grow up resilient, confident, and used to the rhythms of home life.

When we have two litters of different ages—as we do now—it becomes a complex dance. Revi’s older pups are rowdy and rough, while the younger litter still needs gentleness and quiet. We alternate their playtime, socialization, and care in carefully scheduled blocks throughout the day. It’s a puzzle we’ve learned to solve with a lot of planning, and a little flexibility.

The Magic of the In-Between

Ironically, one of my favorite parts of the process is after the first puppies begin going home. When the group is smaller, the energy shifts. There’s more time for one-on-one interaction. The remaining puppies move freely through more of the house, spend longer periods playing with our adult dogs, and start to feel like they’re part of our pack. It’s during this window that we often see their personalities deepen even more.

Of course, this also makes it harder when it’s their turn to go. The longer they stay, the more deeply we bond. But knowing they’re heading to homes that are a perfect match makes the goodbye a little sweeter.

Anchored by Routine, Enriched by Love

Each week, families receive a photo gallery with professionally styled portraits and a detailed update on what’s changed: new milestones, observations, funny stories, and care reminders. The transformation week over week is astonishing—and we want our families to feel like they’ve been there every step of the way.

Our adult dogs also play a big role, especially after the puppies are a little older. They help teach manners, boundaries, and pack dynamics. Dad, in particular, has a gift for puppy play—affectionately known here as “Daddy Day Care.” At night, our big dogs curl up in our room, getting their own special attention after a long day of playing educator and referee.

And while this lifestyle is deeply rewarding, it’s not something to take on lightly. Raising a litter isn’t just adorable—it’s physically demanding, emotionally taxing, and financially unpredictable. We don’t shy away from the hard parts. If a puppy is sick or injured, we’re at the emergency vet in minutes, ready to spend whatever it takes to give them the best chance. We've spent thousands to save just one tiny life, more than once. Because to us, it’s not about profit—it’s about purpose.

This is not a money-making venture. It’s a venture of love. And it’s one we pour our whole hearts into, week after week, one puppy at a time.