4 weeks old

It's quite surprising how quickly the time with the puppies goes.  Perhaps in part because while they are here we are so busy.  There is the walking of the adult dogs.  Then there are all the meals for puppies and for mum, including soaking the kibble and mashing it to the correct, gradually chewier consistency, the (endless) washing up, the (even more endless) washing of vet bed.  Never mind trying to find time to wash the humans' clothes.  The twice-daily cleaning out of the puppy pen.  Oh yes, and then there is trying to do a day's work too. 

All in all, it comes as a great surprise when they hit the 4-week mark, move downstairs and start to experience some of the world.  The second 4 weeks go even more quickly.

Woody

Robin

Raven

Rook

Buzz

Puffin

Merlin

3 weeks old

The 3-week photos are always the same - the puppies are a bit crunchy around the edges from their first few attempts at eating and they are a bit damp from being cleaned by mum.  They're also active and learning to play and noisy from learning to growl and bark.  These puppies are a bit noisier than the norm and we're thinking it's because they're feeling too warm.  They now have a cool mat in the box with them, and Emmi has another one to lie on at night outside the box.

In other news, Maija & Tuuli had a vomiting and diarrhea bug a week ago so we were desperately careful about keeping Emmi away from them so that she didn't pick it up and pass it to the puppies in turn.  24 hours of starvation, and the bug was gone; Maija & Tuuli bounced right back to normal, so after a couple of days Emmi reintegrated.  And shortly thereafter she apparently went outside to the park next door for a wee and picked it up.  She has chosen to starve herself, so I'm hoping she will be back to normal tomorrow.  And I'm pleased to report there is no sign of sickness with the puppies.  Yet.  Not sure I want to think about what it might be like to have 7 puppies vomiting and spewing liquid poo every 5 minutes.

But in the meantime...

Woody

Robin

Raven

 

Rook

Buzz

Puffin

Merlin

first solid meal

This morning the puppies had their first meal without Emmi - a little bit of raw meat on a plate warmed up with hot water.  The first meal is usually not much of a success - the puppies don't get it right away, or they're not particularly hungry so they can't be bothered.  I think these puppies will take after their mother.  Let's just say they were absolute naturals.

Clockwise from bottom:  Raven, Rook, Merlin, Puffin, Buzz

Clockwise from bottom: Rook, Merlin, Puffin, Buzz

Rook, Merlin, Puffin

Raven & Rook; Woody at the top

Raven & Rook

It's a messy business, to be sure.  And cleanup time is when the bitey-face game really comes into its own.

 

2 weeks old

The puppies are 2 weeks old today and most of them have opened their eyes now - just Robin and Buzz are lagging behind but I have no doubt they will be open in a day or two.  They are all good weights and had their first worming experience today, poor little mites!

Emmi is thinking it's high time they all moved downstairs so that she doesn't have to keep running up and down, but she doesn't really mind as long as the food keeps coming.  She's on 4 large meals a day and is enjoying a variety of things.

Woody

Robin

Raven

Rook

Buzz

Puffin

Merlin