Skip to main content

Mango and Storm’s Litter – Week Four

Doggy den for sale or rent.

“The Cavern”

They suspected nothing. She had spent several days earning their trust so she could finally move around the compound without scrutiny. She had to work quickly, but there were no tools at her disposal other than her own limbs and sheer determination. Bit by bit, the ground gave way. She worked tirelessly for what seemed like an eternity. Smiling, she stood back and assessed the fruits of her labour. Just a little bit more she thought. Just another day or two and it would be complete. Unfortunately for Mango, the cavern she created to house her babies was eventually discovered and her plan to move them was thwarted.

Meanwhile in the living room, the extension was added to the whelping box and the puppies now have an elaborate playstation at their disposal (no batteries required). They are developing their strength, co-ordination and cognitive skills as well as learning to engage in activities with their littermates. They scramble around at top speed and pounce on each other or play “pretend jousting” where they stand  apart from their opponent, take a couple of steps forward and gently bounce off their sibling. They test each other’s limits and are learning the difference between hard and soft biting.

The gang is also honing their vocal skills. One evening there was such a racket coming from the whelping box that it sounded like there was an all out brawl taking place. We raced to investigate and discovered all five of the puppies standing around in a circle, barking at each other for no apparent reason which left us wondering what that conversation was all about!

 
Clean up is just as enjoyable as mealtime.

This week saw the introduction of the puppies to gruel or mush: a healthy concoction of oatmeal, honey, goat’s milk and vitamins to supplement the feedings they get from their mom. It’s always interesting to see how things take shape during the inaugural feeding. Mr. Twister was the first one in line for a taste test. One by one, his brothers followed suit as they bellied up to the buffet. Curiously, Mr. Sandstorm was very intent on getting the bulk of his nourishment off the face of Mr. Purple Rain. All of a sudden, Mr. Lightning Bolt decided he would enter the bowl and since he was unable to keep his footing, he laid down in it. Fortunately, everyone chipped in to help clean him up. While this canine buffet has been a big hit, the milk bar is of course still open 24/7 and remains a popular venue. Not that she minds, this is a bit of a reprieve for Mango from each of her puppies’ twenty-eight razor sharp teeth that are coming in. Whoever said that motherhood was easy?

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
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Fiona & Dutch’s Autumn Litter 2025!

Dutch and Fiona's puppies arrived! Introducing Fiona & Dutch’s Autumn Litter 2025 We are thrilled to share that Dutch and Fiona has welcomed her first litter on Wednesday October 22nd!  She was expecting 12 puppies, and although we sadly lost three little angels after a long 14-hour labour, we are overjoyed to have  nine healthy, robust pups — three girls and six boys . Fiona has been an exceptional first-time mom, instinctively knowing what to do and bonding with her puppies immediately.  Meet our Autumn Litter, in birth order: 🍂  Miss Kale  – Purple collar 🍂  Miss Spice  – Orange collar 🍂  Mr. Acorn  – Brown collar 🍂  Mr. Apple Pie  – Red collar 🍂  Mr. Gourd  – Green collar 🍂  Mr. Twilight  – Black collar 🍂  Mr. Frost  – Light Blue collar 🍂  Mr. Sunrise  – Yellow collar 🍂  Miss Mushroom  – White collar We can’t wait to share more updates as these little ones grow! Stay...
3 comments
Read more

A Big Week for Dutch and Fiona's Puppies!

Two weeks old today! Fiona's puppies are now two weeks old, and what an exciting stage this is! Every day brings new changes as the puppies grow stronger, more aware, and even more adorable (if that’s possible). At this age, the biggest milestone is that their eyes are now open! Though their vision is still a bit blurry, they’re beginning to see the world for the first time — mostly shapes, light, and movement. Over the next week, their eyesight will continue to sharpen, and they’ll start recognizing their littermates, their mom, and of course, us humans. The puppies are also becoming more mobile. Their wobbly little legs are gaining strength as they start to scoot, crawl, and even attempt to stand. It’s amazing to watch how quickly they go from tiny, sleepy newborns to curious explorers. Fiona is doing a wonderful job keeping everyone clean, warm, and fed. Although she doesn't have the milk supply we hoped for, we are supplementing by bottle feeding at least once daily.  The p...
1 comment
Read more

Dutch and Fiona’s Puppies – One Week Old Today!

Happy One Week Birthday!   Fiona’s journey into motherhood has been nothing short of remarkable. After a long and exhausting  14-hour labour , she safely delivered  12 beautiful puppies . As the final hours stretched on, both Fiona and I were completely spent. Sadly, the last few pups became our little angels due to the extended delivery time. Despite every effort — providing oxygen and stimulation — we were unable to revive them. As heartbreaking as that was, we are deeply grateful to have  nine strong, healthy puppies  now thriving under Fiona’s care. This first week has brought its share of challenges. Fiona developed  metritis , a uterine infection likely caused by the strain of her prolonged labour. She has been on antibiotics and is recovering well, but the infection initially impacted her milk production. To ensure the pups received the nutrition they needed, we began  bottle feeding every 2–3 hours around the clock . Thankfully, the puppies ada...
Post a Comment
Read more