doppelgänger

Four of these five pups are named in honour of other, older Lapphunds who they bear a notable resemblance to.  Although as they grow they are looking more and more like individuals and less and less like their namesakes, here is the photographic evidence of where these names came from.

Tuuli - Fiia - Fiia

Tuuli - Tuulen - Tuulen

Taito (left) - Tito (right)

Maija (left) - Mini (right - photo @Mark Treasure)

As for Sox (hereby renamed from 'Socks' as the spelling with an 'X' makes it cooler and much more befitting a butch puppy), I originally considered him to be a combination of both his parents with his dad's legs and his mum's face markings.  However, these days I think he much more resembles Tuuli's side of the family.  There are lots of Black Blossom dogs with tan faces with white marks in the middle and tan legs with white feet.  

But his personality is pure Taito.  He is one of the smallest puppies at the moment and this is probably because he doesn't muscle his way to the good spots on the milk bar.  And when someone knocks him off, he can't even be bothered to return, he just rolls over and has a nap.  He's a very chilled boy who doesn't let anything bother him.  

Except being turned onto his back, that is.  None of these puppies are very keen on that, as you can see from the photos above. 

Here he is nibbling Jay's beard.

1 week update

One week old - we made it!

Actually, that's a bit unnecessarily dramatic (a circumstance that you know I can never   rarely   only occasionally   oh, ok, frequently be accused of).  In fact, this has been the most uneventful of weeks as far as a new litter of puppies goes.  There have been no traumas apart from the occasional indignant squawk of the squished or banished as referred to in yesterday's post. 

Tuuli has been a model mum.  She has performed so much better than we expected.  I thought there could possibly be a little over-protectiveness.  But on the contrary, Tuuli is so proud of her puppies and pleased to show them off.  She doesn't even panic or even worry when I pick one up for a cuddle or to be weighed.  She is attentive and wants to know what I'm doing, but she's not worried.

I also thought it could be possible that she might resent having to spend her time with the puppies and miss out on what is going on with the rest of the gang.  There are occasions when she runs downstairs and leaps onto the sofa hoping for a game with Maija, but she is more than happy to head back upstairs and she really seems to enjoy spending time with her puppies.

You can see from her photos how content she is with them and what lovely care she is giving them.  I couldn't ask for more from her.  She is absolutely perfect as a mum - what lucky puppies!

And so to the one-week-old portraits.

Tito

Socks

Fiia

Tuulen

Mini

the 'pippuri' litter

I've decided to give these puppies the name "pippuri" which is Finnish for "pepper".  For one thing, Pepper is Tuuli's nickname.  Also, it's strange for me to have a litter of nothing but black puppies.  I haven't had one of those since the Devon Nine all those years ago.  It's already MUCH easier to keep track of 5 black puppies who all look alike than it was to distinguish between 9.  So these are my 5 little black peppercorns.

The first one appeared 1 hour and 50 minutes after the start of contractions and then the rest arrived more or less 20 minutes apart with a little break before the last two.  Textbook stuff, and mercifully stress-free.  Apart from the screeching bit obviously.




Tito - Puppy 1

Sex:  male
Birth Time:  04:50
Birth Weight:  370g

This boy's markings are so much like his dad - bright white face, big white front paws, tan legs front and back.  So he is the Teeny Taito, shortened to Tito (pronounced tee-toe, Spanish fashion). 

Socks - Puppy 2

Sex:  male
Birth Time:  05:10
Birth Weight:  380g

This boy is a mixture of both his parents - white front socks like his dad, tan legs and face with a little white chin like his mum.  Although not the biggest puppy I've ever had, he was one of the biggest of this litter - no wonder poor Tuuli shrieked as he came out.

Fiia - Puppy 3

Sex:  female
Birth Time:  05:30
Birth Weight:  380g

When you're expecting only 4 puppies and the first two are boys, you start to worry for those people who are waiting for a bitch.  But then came the first girl - phew!  Named Fiia which is the Finnish variation of Tuuli's kennel name, Fia.  You guessed it - she has markings like her mum: tan face and legs with white tips on the toes.  Not forgetting the little white chin.

Tuulen - Puppy 4

Sex:  male
Birth Time:  06:17
Birth Weight:  355g

The smallest of the bunch, but still a very good size.  Tan face & legs - check; white toe tips - check; little white chin - check.  This boy is also named for his mum.  He's so much like Fiia except he has a little more white on his toes.  And, well, he's a boy.  Tuulen is Finnish for "the wind".  And before you ask, no he does not suffer from flatulence.

Mini - Puppy 5

Sex:  female
Birth Time:  06:55
Birth Weight:  363g


The bonus 5th puppy is a little mini-Maija, who is half-sister to dad Taito.  She has a tan face, white around her nose and chin, bright white front legs, and although you can't see it in this photo, her entire chest and belly are also white and she has a tiny white tip on her tail.  Just like Maija.



Welcome Pippuri puppies.

Can I have a nap now?