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| Mr. Twister not amused by me waking him up for a pedicure! |
“The Eviction Notice”
It was inevitable. If not for their loud banter then it was certainly the all-night “drinking” parties that led to this action. Since this lot of puppies was very robust at eight days of age, we broke with tradition and moved the whelping box out of our bedroom earlier than usual, down the hall to the living room. Fortunately, the little ones didn’t even notice and Mango herself appeared unfazed as she was enamoured enough with this new private dormitory that she has even abandoned her search for alternative real estate. The living room boasts a doggie bed and a couple of sofas for her to have some well-deserved power naps on and an area for private dining.
Within their first two weeks, these plump little princes crushed not only the 2 lb. barrier, but the 3 lb. barrier and are caressing the 4 lb. mark. We have a suspicion that someone’s been sneaking them donuts. Such is their desire for libation that in one instance Mr. Sandstorm was even mistakenly trying to latch on to Mr. Lightning Bolt’s ear. Despite their girth and zero stress lifestyle, the puppies are getting their share of exercise. Since we’ve added numerous stuffed animals to the whelping box, it forces the little ones to climb over the obstacles to reach their target (usually the milk bar or a sibling to sleep on) thereby building muscle mass. As well, when they lie sleeping, they are constantly twitching – a state known as “activated sleep”. These involuntary actions help strengthen their leg muscles. The net result is that they are now able to stagger around on all fours like the last guests at a sorority party.
Puppies are born with their eyes closed to help protect them in the in the womb, during birth and beyond. Almost like clockwork as it was in this litter too, their eyes opened around day twelve allowing the puppies initially to only differentiate between light and dark. The haze clears over a week or so and they begin to experience normal sight. No doubt they will be spending some time trying to understand the tenancy of their whelping box and to distinguish between the toys and their siblings. Of course, there’s never any question as to who mom is. The pups are able to hear quite well as soon as their ears have opened but it will take some time before they can figure out what it is they’re hearing and which of their siblings is making the biggest racket.
That’s it for now, but be sure to join us next week for another captivating installment of “Puppy Tales”.
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