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| Mr. Grasshopper howling just like his mom. |
“All Hail Brittania”
The members of Sierra’s litter are decidedly British high society –
perhaps even royalty. They never seem to want to rush anything, even the dawn
of a new day. They prefer to be gently roused and summoned to the breakfast
table. Their breakfast now consists of mush: a canine smoothie comprised of
moistened puppy food, oatmeal, goat’s milk, supplements, probiotics and honey -
all blended to perfection. We were surprised that the little ones even formed a
queue as they took turns to get their first taste of this delicacy. But again,
they didn’t want to rush into that either. After a bit of coaxing, the group
gradually got the hang of it and even licked some of the sticky residue off the
faces of their littermates, in a very reserved manner of course. (For the
record, subsequent meals were consumed in their entirety and conducted in a
very orderly fashion.) Mind you, Sierra has spoiled the lot with the continued attendance
of her milk carriage. Either way, the puppies get their fill and always enjoy a
leisurely post-breakfast nap. In fact, they’re so laid back you’d almost expect
each of them to have their own TV remotes in the whelping box.
As much as this lot enjoys their leisure time, they are also getting
their fair share of exercise. This is the beginning of a key socialization
period for the puppies. When they’re not sleeping or eating, they spend more
time playing with one another. Now that they’re gaining strength and
coordination, they scurry around at top speed. They pounce or head butt each
other resembling furry little bumper cars (Jaguars no doubt). They test each
other’s limits and learn the difference between hard and soft biting. They also take turns sleeping at the top and
bottom of the sibling pile. Since their hunting and chasing instincts are
kicking in, we ensure that they have plush toys to play and cuddle with, that
is until either Sierra or Whitney steals them to play with themselves.
The group’s introduction to the great outdoors has also been a very
reserved event. They initially stood there frozen like statues, but eventually
managed to loosen up and explore some of the treasures awaiting them in the
yard. Not only do these puppies sleep on their backs just like their mom, but
they’ve also inherited Sierra’s “happy howl” which they often perform in
unison. Paradoxically, Sierra is such a dedicated mom that when Whitney’s
litter, located right next door, is occasionally chirping away in the midst of
their playtime, Sierra barks at them to keep the noise down. After all, we’re
British!
That’s
it for now, but be sure to join us next week for another regal installment of
“Puppy Tales”.
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