Skip to main content

Sierra and Hudson’s Litter – Week Five

Drinks are on me!

“The Block Party”


It was a beautiful fall day and there was electricity in the air. The preparatory work in the kitchen was now complete and the persistent thud of a bass drum resonated through the speakers. There was a buzz among the some of the guests as they milled around in anticipation of the big event that was moments away. The two chaperones were already in the garden waiting to welcome everyone. The stage was set and we were ready. All the puppies from both Sierra and Whitney’s litters were led into the yard to have their first playdate together. The scene resembled a dance floor on prom night. Some of the participants were initially a little shy as they scoped out the new group. Ever the playboy, Mr. Raven from Whitney’s litter wasted no time in getting to know Miss Cosmopolitan and there was little question that Mr. Sapphire fancied Miss Kahlua.


Playtime took on a whole new dynamic and everyone was having lots of fun, ourselves included. This enhanced socialization was a big benefit to the puppies in helping to establish the foundation for their current and future relationships with both animals and humans. Before long and despite the age difference, all the puppies became fast friends as they frolicked in the yard. Everyone settled into a variety of activities. Some chose to try their hand at rock climbing while others settled in with a nice little twig, either alone or with a friend. There were a few groups who favoured wrestling, jousting or playing rugby without a ball. Even the moms didn’t discern between who was who. During one break in the action when the drinks were flowing, Miss Kahlua, Miss Cosmopolitan and Miss Limoncello enjoyed a serving of the beverage that their “Aunt Whitney” had on tap. It was quite a Utopian environment without conflict or prejudice – just good, clean fun.


The puppies are learning to communicate as they wag their tails to us and to each other. With the increased control over their facial muscles, they are making expressions, beginning to reveal their personalities and voice their opinions. They bark, growl, squeak, yelp, chirp and howl – whatever it takes to get someone’s attention, including each other’s. And while their play is becoming a bit more coordinated and adult-like, they’re still just kids at heart. Mind you, the puppies were so spent from their big playdate, that in the ensuing naptime some of them sounded like grandpa snoring on the sofa after a huge Thanksgiving dinner.


That’s it for now, but be sure to join us next week for another enthralling installment of “Puppy Tales”.
Click to play this Smilebox slideshow

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Ruly and Tulip Litter - Week 1

Ruly and Tulip Litter - 1 Week Old What a week it's been! The Tulip puppies continue to thrive, gaining weight steadily and remaining fairly quiet. Tulip dotes on her family, rarely straying far from the whelping box. As you can see on the 24/7 camera, she is starting to spend a bit more time outside the box, but she consistently checks on her babies. Tulip currently eats around 4 pounds of food per day, along with calcium and pre-probiotics supplements. As her pups grow, her daily food intake will be gradually increased, reaching 5 - 6 pounds per day by the time the pups are about 7 weeks old. This increased caloric intake is necessary to meet the energy demands of milk production and to maintain Tulip's own body condition. Tulip still believes an outdoor den would be best for her pups, so we are monitoring her closely when she ventures out. The whelping box is lined with padded bedding and clean, white bleached towels on the bottom. The white towels allow us to quickly spot a...

Ruly & Tulip Litter - Week 2

Many viewers of the 24/7 puppy camera have raised questions, such as what are the pipes running alongside the whelping box. These are called "pig rails" and they are designed to protect the puppies from their mother accidentally lying on them, ensuring the puppies' safety.  Since the puppies are unable to regulate their own body temperature, we use a heat lamp over the whelping box to keep them warm when Tulip is outside the box. However, we turn the heat lamp off when she is nursing the puppies. By 3 to 4 weeks of age, the puppies can regulate their temperature, which should then be in the normal range of 100.5°F to 102.5°F (38°C to 39.3°C). The most significant event this week is that the puppies' eyes have opened. Mr. Devil's eyes (the one with the red collar) were the first to open. Each puppy followed and within 48 hours they had all opened.  The puppies are now weighing almost 3 lbs, and Tulip provides them nourishment at least every 2 hours, often throughou...

Ruly and Tulip Litter - 7 Weeks Old

Tulip’s Puppies Celebrate Their 7-Week Milestone! Another week has flown by, and it's hard to believe these puppies are already 7 weeks old. For the most part, they've been a very quiet litter. Don't get me wrong, they have their moments of boundless energy, running around in circles like little tornadoes. But compared to some of my more "vocal" litters at this age, these pups have been relatively calm. They love attention and cuddles, which is a delight for us humans. The big adventure this week was the trip to the vet for their health checkups. I'm happy to report they received a clean bill of health and were a big hit at the clinic. However, I'm always on guard at the veterinary hospital, as that's where sick dogs go. So we quickly wheeled the crates into the exam room on a trolley, making sure to keep all other dogs and people clear of my pups. This time of year, the threats of kennel cough and parvo are ever-present. The puppies weren't sure a...