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“Hide and Go Seek”
This week, we relocated both Heidi and Surrey along with their new families to the living room. While everything was set up identically to the original venue in the bedroom, both moms had some difficulty in adjusting to their new surroundings. They simply weren’t sold on the idea. They sniffed around to make sure we had put each litter in the correct whelping box and made certain that no one was left behind. The moms also had to get adjusted to the presence of the rest of our pack, albeit from a distance. They regarded the other dogs suspiciously until everyone got settled in. On the bright side, Heidi now has the freedom to share one end of a sofa with Surrey whenever she’s in need of a well-deserved power nap. The living room is also a gateway to the puppy run outside where the group will eventually be introduced to the great outdoors. In the meantime, the moms use the space for a bit of exercise or just to hang out on a warm, sunny day.
The puppies are getting their own exercise right in the comfort of their own “home”, aka the whelping box. When they lay there sleeping, they are constantly twitching – a state known as “activated sleep”. These involuntary actions help strengthen their leg muscles and build muscle mass. The net result is that they are now able to walk on all fours; however “wobble” would be more apropos.
Mealtime is always entertaining and as the excitement builds when the pups notice that Heidi has brought the milk truck around. They scurry around to jockey for a good spot at the counter and nurse with a marked exuberance, their tiny fists pumping their mom’s reservoirs urging the vital nectar to flow. This has culminated in each puppy more than tripling their birth weight. Notwithstanding her new leisure arrangements, mom’s on call around the clock to tend to every whimper. Admittedly, Heidi administers some of the quicker meals sitting up like a mobile milk bar or meals on wheels, but she loves her little ones. She cares for all of their needs but one: we’re responsible for running the nail salon to keep them groomed.
That’s it for now, but be sure to join us next week for another captivating installment of “Puppy Tales”.
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