Hudson and Faith Litter – Week Three

Bow-wow!

“Hang Gliding”

He was one of the last puppies nursing before Faith decided to go on her break and he sure was hungry. Mr. Buttercup must have had greater suction than a Dyson vacuum cleaner because when Faith got up to exit the whelping box, he was still attached. As a result, he was subsequently deposited on the living room carpet. As bewildered as he appeared, we’re sure there was a part of him that said, “wow, what a ride!”

Now that their vision is established beyond simply being able to detect light, dark and movement, the puppies are becoming increasingly curious about their surroundings and each other. As they are beginning to get acquainted with their littermates, they can often be seen standing in a group gently colliding or rubbing their noses and heads against one another whether awake or asleep. This is the beginning of a key period for the puppies as they are developing rudimentary social skills. They are testing each other’s limits and learning the difference between hard and soft biting and they also take turns sleeping at the top and bottom of the sibling pile. To further enhance their experience, we’ve put stuffed animals in the whelping box as an obstacle course of sorts as well as fluffy playmates to cuddle with. 

In order to accommodate the puppies’ rapid growth, we’ve had to raise the pig rails in their box up a notch. These are rails around the inside of the whelping box that are there to help prevent mom from accidentally squishing one of her kids. At some point during the coming week, the rails can safely be removed altogether and the extension will be added which will give the gang lots more room to play in.

Miss Faith and her crew have now been relocated into the living room which is like a V.I.P. room for moms. She has both a sofa and a love seat to stretch out on for her ultimate relaxation while being able to keep a watchful eye and ear on her brood. What’s more, she has a private yard for a little walkabout which her puppies will eventually use as their playground. Sadly, since much of the snow has melted Faith has had to abandon her dream of building an igloo.

That’s it for now, but be sure to join us next week for another nail-biting instalment of