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| Miss Snowflake wearing her "Milk Moustache". |
This first week has flown by
for us, but for the puppies it must seem like an eternity. At this stage, they
spend virtually all of their time eating and sleeping which allows them to
almost double their birth weight in the first week. It’s remarkable how within
minutes of being born, they are able to seek out their mother’s teat and begin
nursing. Puppies are born without sight or hearing and it will be a while
before their eyes open, so for now their senses of smell and touch are what guide
them to their mom’s nipples. As a matter of interest, most of our Goldens have
ten nipples, but it is not uncommon for a bitch to have an uneven number. For
that matter, Bella has eleven!
The puppies don’t stray too
far at the moment. They propel themselves around with their tiny forelimbs and
a great deal of determination. Occasionally, we’ll hear crying in the middle of
the night when one little soul has lost his way and ended up in a far corner of
the whelping box. Once the little one is “air-lifted” to safety, the crying
stops as he snuggles with the rest of the group.
One thing the puppies are
not shy about is using their newly-found vocal abilities to express their need
for food. Once they awaken from their golden slumbers, the chanting begins.
First one, then another and another, rising to a crescendo, almost like a
prison riot. After a time on the milk bar, they drift off to sleep, some right
at the “dinner table” wearing little milk moustaches.
Bella is recovering quite
nicely from her C-section and it certainly hasn’t hindered her ability to
perform her duties as a mom. Any whimper and she is immediately there to
investigate. Bella is such an attentive mom that we have to pretty much pull
her out of the whelping box for a quick bathroom break - a feat she’s able to
accomplish in less than sixty seconds.
Mom has her work cut out for
her as the little gang has huge appetites and the milk truck is in big demand.
Miss Holly, the smallest and most determined of the girls seems to be the first
and last at the milk bar. She is very spunky and is able to push any of the
boys out of her way to steal their spot! Occasionally, when mom is feeding from a sitting
position, the nursing puppies resemble quivering little ornaments on a white
Christmas tree; especially befitting this, our “Christmas Litter”.
That’s it for now, but be sure to join us next week for another
riveting installment of “Puppy Tales”.
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