Sierra and Storm’s Litter – Week Six

We are so well behaved.

“The Sortation”

This one goes in here. This one goes in there. This other one goes in here. Like letter carriers arranging the mail for their morning route, we were tasked with sorting each of these precious little packages back into their respective whelping boxes after a large backyard outing with Sierra and Whitney’s litters together. They were a bit reserved to start, but after a swig of liquid courage from their mom, the little ones raced off to join the rest of the group in activities ranging from scavenger hunts to rock climbing. It was one big, happy outing with neither judgment nor discrimination – just a whole lot of fun. The puppies’ 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.

Even Sierra’s role has evolved to that of a pack leader as her brood matures. Her pups are weaned now since they are eating three meals a day of solid food….with a few milkshakes throughout the day. She is affectionate and playful with them, teasing them with toys and showing them when to bite and when not to. She lets them know she’s the dominant dog and would correct them if they were to misbehave, but this group is so laid back that it’s not likely to be necessary.

The puppies are certainly eating well, much to Sierra’s chagrin, since there are rarely any left-overs for her. Everyone is gaining weight 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. And they do want lots of attention. It’s virtually impossible to walk anywhere near the whelping box without several furry little heads popping up to see what’s going on. We’ve learned that once you make eye contact; it’s game over. From that moment on, you have to make a detour and pick a puppy to cuddle and then another and another.

That’s it for now, but be sure to join us next week for another riveting installment of “Puppy Tales”.