Storm and Pepper Litter

Storm and Pepper Litter – Week Five

We are a happy bunch!

“The Christmas Ornament”

This was a week of adjustment as Pepper and her mini pack 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 use as their playground. In the meantime, that’s where she and her two partners-in-crime, seven-month-old Dutch and Tulip consummate their digging projects. Pepper is so good-natured that she doesn’t mind that her two furry friends use her space as a thoroughfare en route to the backyard.

Since Pepper has been enticed by the comfort of the sofa and no longer sleeps in the whelping box, we’ve removed the pig rails altogether. We also added an extension which expands the space from 4x4 ft. to 4x8 ft. Despite the plethora of real estate, the pups still choose to bunk in one side of it, all sandwiched together.

The dynamic in the whelping box is evolving. 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 spend longer periods of time awake and they use it to engage in some manner of play with their siblings whether head butting or wrestling, awake or asleep.

We get our share of “prison breaks” in this household. Last week, Mr. Rice Pudding was firmly latched onto his mom’s milk dispenser when she decided to abruptly exit the whelping box. She transported the lad who was dangling like a Christmas ornament to the far reaches of the room where she laid down. All he wanted was a snack, but he got much more than he bargained for.

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

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