Skip to main content

Hugo and Heidi’s Litter – Week Five

We are enjoying all the time we are spending outdoors.


“Mirror, Mirror on the Wall”

Despite our need for rain, the weather was sufficiently agreeable to enable us to introduce the gang to the great outdoors. It took mere seconds for them to take it all in and make a quick decision as to which direction to take off in. The puppies were immediately curious about the crunchy yellowy/green substance they were walking on, formerly known as our lawn and discovered that not only did it make a good ground covering, but it also served as a vast salad bar. They also expressed a keen interest in sticks and twigs. Puppies apparently come out of the womb with a profound connection to nature’s debris. There were even some stuffed animals outside to add a little variety to the mix. When there was a break in the action, Heidi brought the milk truck around to provide everyone with a little snack. And there’s always water available to help keep the crew hydrated. When she’s not being the local milk dispenser, Heidi is always nearby to keep a watchful eye on her brood.

Playtime always ends in a good long nap which the group enjoys in the air-conditioned comfort of their whelping box. This is also where their three daily meals of mush are served until such time as they progress to al fresco dining. Everyone has grown very well and all have cracked the seven pound barrier and beyond at this time. It’s a good thing that there are regular exercise periods in the yard!

This is the beginning of the most influential socialization period for the puppies. They’re learning to communicate with each other and with us by wagging their tails. With the increased control over their facial muscles, they are making expressions and are beginning to reveal their personalities and communicate their opinions. They’re craving a lot of attention and affection and fortunately that’s something that’s not hard to provide. Did we mention that this bunch is just plain exceptionally cute?

That’s it for now, but be sure to join us next week for another entrancing installment of “Puppy Tales”.
Click to play this Smilebox slideshow
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

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...
2 comments
Read more

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...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ruly and Tulip Litter - 7 Weeks Old

Tulip’s Puppies Celebrate Their 7-Week Milestone! Another week has flown by, and it's hard to believe these puppies are already 7 weeks old. For the most part, they've been a very quiet litter. Don't get me wrong, they have their moments of boundless energy, running around in circles like little tornadoes. But compared to some of my more "vocal" litters at this age, these pups have been relatively calm. They love attention and cuddles, which is a delight for us humans. The big adventure this week was the trip to the vet for their health checkups. I'm happy to report they received a clean bill of health and were a big hit at the clinic. However, I'm always on guard at the veterinary hospital, as that's where sick dogs go. So we quickly wheeled the crates into the exam room on a trolley, making sure to keep all other dogs and people clear of my pups. This time of year, the threats of kennel cough and parvo are ever-present. The puppies weren't sure a...
Post a Comment
Read more