Skip to main content

Sierra and Hudson’s Litter – Week Six


Lets Play!


“The Mission”

She knew her window of opportunity was small. The breakfast rush was over and the rest period had begun. Even the guards were drowsy from their morning indulgence. She surveyed the wall for an apparent vulnerability and quietly thrust herself over it. Once on the other side, she paused and listened, her escape thus far undetected. She made her way around the walled enclosure and came upon some steps leading up to a large open area. This was the area the guards were lounging in but they appeared to be fast asleep. She climbed the stairs and made her way through. She was somewhat nervous, pausing for a brief bathroom break before pressing on and assessing the avenues available to her. It was at that moment when a large human appeared, stepped over Whitney, Heidi and Sierra, all fast asleep and oblivious to the goings on and apprehended Miss Kahlua in the foyer. Her freedom was short-lived, but she had to try. She’d heard of Miss Jade from Whitney’s litter, already a legend at eight weeks of age, for her unrivaled four escapes in a single day. Oh well, tomorrow is another day.

The week began with the puppies engaging in product testing spill-proof water bowls. They subjected them to tests under various conditions and determined that the bowls can actually be substituted for other toys and used for their amusement. The group concluded that when the bowls are inverted, they’re really not so spill-proof anymore. The puppies’ appetite for discovery and innovation is rivaled only by their appetite for food. They’re eating well, much to Sierra’s chagrin, since there are rarely any left-overs for her. Everyone is gaining well and they all have the waistlines to prove it. Their muzzles are lengthening and are beginning to look a bit more like the adults they will eventually become. Their emotions are becoming apparent too, so they whine to show fear, whimper if they’re hurt and bark when they are excited or want attention.

The gang was able to enjoy a great deal of playtime outside this week and outings with Whitney’s litter were now a regular occurrence. Since most of Whitney’s puppies have already left to go to their forever homes, Mr. Zinc and Mr. Raven are now bunking with Sierra’s mini-pack. With some of the windy conditions we experienced during the week, there was no shortage of little twigs for the pups to munch on or play tug of war with. Their play is becoming a bit more coordinated and adult-like, but they’re still just kids at heart. And that spinning around trying to chase your tail thing never gets old. Toward the end of a long, fun-filled day, the puppies like to get some good night cuddles before they drift off to sleep dreaming of tomorrow’s adventures and it’s as if their gazes are whispering “You’re all I need to get by”.

That’s it for now, but be sure to join us next week for another riveting 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...

Bronson and Tulip Litter – 7 weeks

We're 7 weeks old today! It has been an adventure-filled week! It was the puppies' first-time riding in a car! Introducing them to new experiences begins at this age. Rides in cars, sounds, meeting new people, etc. Our puppies are often taken to Home Depot, Winners, Homesense, Petsmart, and other pet-friendly stores after they receive their next set of vaccinations. While they still ride in the shopping cart, their horizons are broadening. We’ve expanded the puppies play area which is either in our kitchen, outside in the yard or on our porch depending on the weather. They enjoy playing together and are becoming more and more confident. Their play area includes toys an activity center, a crate, and tunnel.  Jolly Pets' Jolly Ball was a huge hit today. The puppies seemed to take turns carrying it! All of them weigh between 13 and 15 pounds. Their appetites are good, and momma Tulip occasionally stops by with a vanilla milkshake. Beef, turkey and chicken are among the protein...