Skip to main content

Haydain and Misty’s Litter – Week Four


Our first time outside!

“Bulking Up is (Not) Hard to Do”


Misty and her brood have been relocated into the living room which is a pretty regal deal for mom. She’s got both a sofa and a love seat to stretch out on, not to mention some carpeting and some sections of cool wood flooring for lounging. There’s also a walkout to the backyard for those peaceful Zen moments, washroom breaks or for monitoring the activities of our resident wild turkeys. Unlike many other moms in this situation, Misty didn’t bat an eye. She knew a good deal when she saw one.

To aid in the puppies’ campaign to bulk up, they were introduced to gruel:  a healthy concoction of large flake oatmeal, yoghurt, honey, goat’s milk, vitamins, raw meat and vegetables (all organic) to supplement the feedings they get from their mom. With their inaugural bowl, no one needed a second invitation. Despite being semi-retired, Misty continues to keep the milk bar open 24/7 for top-ups but we’re certain that she relishes the break she gets from each puppy’s twenty-eight razor sharp teeth!

This week we removed the pig rails and added an extension to the whelping box which has doubled its size. Now that the puppies are growing, they need a bit more space to allow them to pick up speed to scramble from end to end. One end now features sleeping quarters and the other end which has been filled with paper shredding serves as their lavatory. In addition, the puppies now have gym memberships, an elaborate play station and numerous plush toys at their disposal. The little ones are developing their strength, co-ordination and cognitive skills as well as learning how to engage in an activity with a littermate, even if it’s just bumping heads. Since their hunting and chasing instincts are emerging, they practice with their plush toys but the most fun they’re having is the increased interaction with their littermates. And nobody cares if their sibling is awake or asleep. In this playground, anything goes.

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

Click to play this Smilebox slideshow

Comments

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...

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...

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...