Ruly and Tulip Litter - Week 6

 

Six Weeks of Cuteness: Puppy Birthday Bash!

What a week it's been! The pups are exploring a much larger area now, and Tulip remains as attentive as ever, watching over and caring for her puppies. We've been letting them out into our kitchen or foyer to give them extra space to run around, where we can also engage with each one. The communal saucer they eat from is getting crowded, so we've separated them into two groups, with four pups per saucer.

Some moms may want to stop nursing at this stage, but Tulip keeps returning to her "built-in milk truck" multiple times a day. As a special treat, Tulip gets a dehydrated duck or chicken foot daily. She immediately takes it to the whelping box and leaves it for the puppies, but I have to remove it and assure her that it's her treat. Then she'll wander around with it in her mouth until she finds a quiet spot to enjoy munching on it.  

At this age, it's important to start exposing the puppies to stimulation, under Tulip's careful supervision, to help them grow into well-behaved dogs. Their curiosity is developing, as are their biting skills, as they practice this behavior with their mother and littermates. The pups will continue to socialize with their siblings during this time.      Stay tuned …