The puppies are really starting to look a bit like fluffy little bears. They are especially cute when they get sleepy an can hardly hold their heads up and right after they eat and their stomachs are so full it looks like they swolled a softball.
These pictures were taken this afternoon in my livingroom. The first four pictures are the three boys and the second four pictures are the five girls.
Boys in a basket
They just can't sit still
So cozy
And the girls
They just didn't want to stay in the basket
As the puppies' teeth continue to come through their gums Maddie has less of an interest in nursing them and they have started to eat more of the milk and puppy food from their dish.
These three puppies ate so much today that they fell asleep in the dish.
This video was shot after they had finished eating their dinner.
The puppies are doing wonderful! They becoming more playful and cuddly and have started licking hands and faces when they are being held. They had numerous guests over the weekend and would usually crawl toward whoever was sitting closest to them on the floor. They are just too cute!
They continue to drink milk from a dish twice a day and several of them have also started eating puppy food. They are more eager to eat when they are put up to the dish and still make quite a milky mess crawling through the dish as they eat.
Eating breakfast
sporting the milk mustache
Miley continues to LOVE the puppies
and checks up on them every chance she gets.
Today I visited Baxter and his family. Baxer is the father of Maddie's current litter of puppies who lives about fifteen minutes away from us. When I arrived he was running loose in the yard and came and greeted me. He barked a few times but quickly stopped when David came around the corner of the house. He is a friendly dog and wanted to check things out but wasn't aggressive towards me in any way. While we talked I was also able to take a few more photos of Baxter. I plan to mail the AKC papers on Monday and needed a signature from Baxter's owner, so now the papers are complete and the envelop is stamped and ready to go.
The puppies are doing great! They are walking more and are getting much better at it. They are also starting to sometimes get up and walk away from the group when they need to relieve themselves, so we are on the road to housebreaking! The puppies are also getting much more cuddly now that they are able to walk. When I sit on the floor they will walk onto my lap or snuggle up against my legs, it is too cute!
So snuggly!
They are eating from the dish really well, which is great because they are starting to get their teeth and it won't be long until Maddie will not want feed them anymore. Maddie is being an all-star mom, she is nursing the puppies very faithfully and keeps a watchful eye on them whenever we have visitors. She is also really starting to enjoy running after balls again and has started running more on our morning walks, it is nice to see her act more like herself again!
She may be the smallest puppy but she has a HUGE appetite!
The video was taken as they were finishing their evening dish of milk.
Sleeping before they had their milk - notice how clean and dry they are
Again today the puppies got two extra meals of milk and puppy food. They are quickly learning that they really like the milk and quickly drink it all, most of them have not yet started eating the puppy food, which Maddie quickly eats up when they are finished with the milk.
I am still trying to teach manners,
but it appears milk tastes better with feet
milk-induced nap
completely COVERED in milk
The puppies received their first dose of wormer. I usually give the wormer at two, four and six weeks to help prevent the puppies from getting any parasites. They did really well and seemed to like the taste of the yellow liquid.
Thanks to Jenna for helping take pictures of the puppies today. The puppies haven't yet learned how to smile for the camera and the lighting is a bit funny in some of the pictures but they are still pretty cute.
Female - spot on the head
Female - spot on the shoulder
Female - spot on the back
Female - spot on the rump
Female - spot on the tail
Male - spot on the head
Male - spot on the shoulder
Male - spot on the back
*I marked the puppies with nail polish at birth and have reapplied a few times. This makes it possible to me to know who is who and track their growth. You will see it in some pictures, the girls are marked in pink and the boys in green.
And a big YAWN,
this is the male with a shoulder spot,
we took a second, better picture
The puppies are two weeks old today! They have grown and changed so much in the past fourteen days. They are much bigger, fluffier, more mobile and all the puppies have started opening their eyes. Some of their eyes are completely open while others are still waiting for the corners to unseal.
I took a bunch of pictures of the puppies in the wheel barrow again today.
Today was also a big day for the puppies as they had their first taste of milk from a dish. I had noticed over the past few days that the puppies had started gaining weight at a slower pace, indicating to me that it was time to help Maddie and start supplimenting the puppies. I usually start giving puppies extra milk between ten days and three weeks depending on the size of litter and their growth rates.
I put each puppy up to the dish of warm milk and puppy food. I gently placed the puppies' mouths down to the milk so they could taste it, some of them instantly decided that they liked the milk and quickly figured out how to lap at the milk. However, some of them were less sure about this new way to eat but after a few minutes they were all slowly drinking from the dish.
Female spot on the shoulder REALLY liked the milk!
It is a much different way of drinking than they are accustomed and most of them put their entire faces (mouth, nose and chin) in the dish. They did blow a few bubbles before they figured out how the keep their noses out and just use their tongues. Many of the puppies also put their feet in the dish so until they were done drinking they were all covered in milk!
They were sticky and covered in milk but still so cute!
Maddie waited patiently to help lick off the puppies
and drink the milk and food that was left behind.
After the puppies had enough to drink they would stagger away, find a friend to snuggle with and fall asleep.
The girls enjoying a beautiful fall afternoon walk in the woods.
