8 weeks old

There are rarely any 8-week portraits of the puppies on my blog because there is just no time to set up one of those photoshoots where the puppies are notoriously wiggly and we are notoriously sweaty and stiff of back from struggling with the sit and the stand when all the puppies want to do is run and play.  And bite, of course.  And that's assuming the weather is cooperating and we don't have to resort to indoor photos with the flash and the nosey older dogs.

No, at 8 weeks we are all far too busy getting ready for each puppy to set off to his or her new home with the new family.  There are going-home toys and vet beds to "season".  Seasoning involves giving the toy and vet bed to the puppies in their pen or out in the kitchen or outdoor pen where they run and play.  Like any new item them are given, they immediately descend upon it in a pack, dragging it around with them, playing tug with it, trying to steal it from each other and, eventually, peeing on it and then snuggling up together for a snooze on it.  Perfect for sleeping on when they are in their new homes and still missing their siblings.  It gives them a great deal of comfort to have the smell of their littermates and, in this case, their granny too.  Tuuli has also joined in the seasoning fun and has been playing with the toys and lying on the vet bed.  But she didn't pee on it.  Hopefully.

Then there are the puppy packs to get ready - food, toys, chews, poo bags, other bits and pieces.  And then there is the binder full of just about all the canine contents of my head that someone once amusingly dubbed the "Puppy Manual" and the name has stuck.  The Puppy Manual takes some work to put together; it seems that with each litter I find new things to add.  I'm sure my puppy owners are thrilled by all the information I give them to read.  Yes, undoubtedly.

And then the busy-ness of each family arriving, sitting patiently while we go through a crash course in Lapphund puppy management, signing the puppy contract, and then they're off.

Inka off to West Sussex with Georgina & Dave

Anja off to the house boat in the West Midlands with Sheila & Pat

Oakki off to Berkshire with Sue & Ronnie

Kiito off to Nottingham with Amy & Tom

Logan off to Gloucestershire with Betty, Rich & son William

Kai off to Surrey with Jackie & her daughters Vicky & Ellie

Mäyrä off to Bedfordshire with Pamela, Colin, Michelle & Conal

These puppies are going to be living with cats, parrots, and other dogs in the form of Miniature Schnauzer, Norwegian Elkhound, Border Collie, Huskies, Malamutes and, of course, other Lappies.  I am hoping there will be photos to share of all that in the days to come.  That's a big, fat hint just in case any of the families have any time for checking into the blog...