eyes poll result & food

I guess you think you're clever getting it right that "someone else" would be the puppy who opened their eyes first. So, well done for getting it right!

However, I'm guessing that you all thought it was going to be Honey. I thought it was going to be Marilyn because she was the one who was making blinking motions even with her eyes closed. That's why I included her in the group listed on the poll. In the end we were all fooled, though, because it was Kicker. He was followed later that day by Kuusi and Vee and by the next day everyone had pretty much caught up.

While I've got 5 minutes, I'm also going to do a quick weight update, and try to load a little video. I'm struggling with the new camera, I don't mind telling ya. I took a few videos, but again they were high-def and taking about 4 days to upload. This one is lower quality and shorter, but pretty cute, in spite of the fact that it's slightly out of focus. Must try harder!

Nope, it would not upload. Urggghhh.

In the video I tried to post you would have had a hint of how much they have developed. Now that they can see and hear, they are making more noise and starting to play. And they are getting pretty mobile - and pretty clever too - they make straight for the newspaper to have a wee. However, as soon as at least one paw hits paper, away they go, so it's usually their front paws that make it to the paper while the back end wees onto the vet bed. It's the thought that counts, though, right? Especially at this time of year.

The next instalment will be a report on the first attempt at real food! That's always a hoot. Truly not to be missed. Since I was unable to provide the promised videos lately, here are a couple of quick photos to whet your appetite (and theirs).





The very 1st plate of puppy porridge is a surprisingly big hit with everyone











Marilyn & Vee keep going when everyone else has given up











It's hard work learning to eat real food - Junior & Honey falling asleep licking it off each other's faces

vandalism

Today the weather turned unexpectedly warmer than it has been since the puppies were born. Keksi wasted no time in rucking up the vet bed to leave the puppies stranded on the newspaper underneath.





One is hidden under the lump of vet bed.







Then she set about trashing the newspaper stack, ripping and digging it up, leaving destruction all around her. Satisfied with her handiwork, she stretched out next to the box where she could keep an eye on her babies from the relative coolness of the floor.













Seems I remember Taika doing a similar thing. And I'm pretty sure Neka did more than her fair share of paper ripping too. Something about the cervix contracting back to normal size & a bit of discomfort that goes with that. Fair enough.

Tomorrow the traditional one-week-old weight poll goes live just for a bit of fun. And if you're very lucky I'll get a video of the first little wagging tails as Keksi's milk comes down.

the 'persikka' litter

I like to give my puppies middle names to identify them as a litter and in the past I've chosen Finnish words that mean something to the litter in question. The 1st litter had no middle name because I just didn't think of it at the time. The 2nd litter were the 'Monta' puppies (Finnish for 'many') as there were 9 of them and it was the biggest litter ever born in the UK. The 3rd litter were the 'Tuisku' puppies (Finnish for 'snowstorm') because of the terrible and unaccustomed snowstorms Kate and I faced to get Taika to France and back for the mating.

This litter very nearly became the 'sateenkaari' litter (Finnish for 'rainbow') and if we had got one brown puppy, then rainbow it would have been. However, 2 different colours and an additional pattern do not a rainbow make, so I'm reverting to my original idea. Welcome to the 'Persikka' puppies (Finnish for 'peach'). These puppies are so named because if the amount of fruit that their sire ate from the garden tree during his dates with Keksi is anything to go by, then these puppies actually are half-peach!


Elias Jr - Puppy 1

Sex: male
Colour: domino
Time of birth: 20.44
Weight at birth: 383 g

Named because he is the tiny image of his sire, Lapinlumon Kuuraturkki even down to the white blaze on his forehead.



Budgie - Puppy 2

Sex: female
Colour: black, tan & white
Time of birth: 21.56 pm
Weight at birth: 400 g

Named for the almighty squawk she emitted before she had even fully emerged from her mother.




Kicker - Puppy 3

Sex: male
Colour: black, tan & white
Time of birth: 22.08
Weight at birth: 371 g

In every litter there seems to be one puppy who is born kicking. In this litter it was this boy.




Honey - Puppy 4

Sex: female
Colour: cream & white
Time of birth: 23.15
Weight at birth: 387 g

The two cream girls were originally going to be called Marilyn and Jayne after two famously glamorous blondes, but one puppy was distinctly platinum blonde and the other a warmer shade.




Marilyn - Puppy 5

Sex: female
Colour: cream & white
Time of birth: 23.43
Weight at birth: 338 g

The petite platinum blonde.









Kuusi - Puppy 6

Sex: male
Colour: black, tan & white
Time of birth: 00.52
Weight at birth: 365 g

'Kuusi' is Finnish for the number 6 and a nice name into the bargain.






Vee - Puppy 7

Sex: male
Colour: black, tan & white
Time of birth: 1.30
Weight at birth: 364 g

Named for the large white 'V' on his chest.