October 30, 2012 Cable and Power back

               The power is out.  We have the generator running so we have some lights but the cable keeps going out, too.  No cable means no phone or internet access.  The cell phone access is tied to the M-cell which requires the cable, too.  So right now, all we have is the alarm phone which doesn’t have long distance service.

               What I find really frustrating is that I wasted the time that I had with access on trying to report the outage to the power company – it took 3 tries and they made me listen to their long spiel every time before I could try to enter our info from the automated system.  And then when I finally got it to accept the information, I was interrupted by a political call.  This afternoon, I finally called the cable company and there is allegedly a crew en route to restore service.  I’m not holding my breath.

               The dogs and puppies take it all in stride.  I do not like not having internet access but I am ok with the things we can run with the generator.

               After they had their lunch, I took them outside in the snow in pairs.  I carried them out into the snow and then slowly walked a few steps away.  They all held still for a moment and then started eating snow.  If they didn’t come with me fairly quickly, I called and then they came.  A couple of the puppies were careful at first but then they got their snow legs and were generally rambunctious.  They’d play with my feet (apparently the snow on my shoes was very tasty); with each other; the snow and the occasional leaf.  One puppy put his head under the snow and tunneled.  It was really cute.  Panda Paws was ready to come inside before his sister was so I held him while she continued to play a little more.  Bruce had come outside and she was very interested in him.  She always goes flying to meet him.

               As they came back inside, (they were supposed to be tired and ready for a nap but apparently they didn’t all get the memo) I put them into the crate.  When they were all in, I cleaned their floor, potty pan etc. and put paper all over the floor.  They didn’t all go to sleep at once but there wasn’t quite the volume there is when they are all awake and want out.  Since we are limiting the outings outside, I brought in a few more things to enrich their lives.  They have the puppy pool and the raised bed again but they have already pulled the water bucket down.  I need to get Bruce to hang one of Jack’s bottles for them.   They’ve been awake and enjoying all of those additions, especially the pool – they’ve been in it and under it, crazy puppies.

               I finally got pink paper so I can get started on the puppy books when there is enough power to run the printer and computer.  

               The puppies definitely recognize my voice and the “pup, pup” or “puppy, puppy, puppy” call.  I keep making the mistake of using it when I want to call one puppy and I get 10 of them flying to greet me.  Even when they seem to be in a dead sleep.  I reward them all because how were they supposed to know the difference but I kick myself.  I did it once this morning when I had 2 puppies out of the pen but in the same room and again when the third one was getting up from a nap. I had taken the first 2 outside to let them pee and he was heading over to the potty pan.  I was on the other side of the pen so I called him and the rest of them woke up and came running as well.  Obviously, I did not get them outside for that set of pees. ;-)

               I think they are probably catching on to the emergency word and whistle, too but we are still very much in the imprinting phase of that.

               They just had a big dinner and all acted like they were still starving so I stood there and fed them more off of a spoon.  Spoiled much?  I’ll think of it as training since we worked on sitting, taking turns, and eating nicely off a spoon.  The puppies are now having a bug play session.

               The power just came back on and so did the cable (phone, internet, etc.)  Dog Cindi’s cable is still out.  I’m going to post this now just in case something goes out again. 

October 30, 2012

Our power is out.  Primary phone is cable so we can’t call out.  No cell service without M-cell (which requires the cable modem to work.)  Depending on what is going on with the cable, we might get the wi-fi going with the generator.

There is snow on the ground so I guess the puppies will get to experience that today but probably just a few at a time so I can make sure nobody gets too cold.

Puppies are playing and generally having big fun.

 

October 29, 2012 Pupdate

               Good morning, good morning the pupsters say.  Fortunately, they don’t start saying that until I am downstairs.  I suspect that will change once I start reducing their nighttime space to the crate and potty pan but for now, they are very polite.  Maybe, since it doesn’t get light until later, they won’t get up as early as springtime puppies.  I’m not really counting on that but it’s a nice thought.

               The puppies have decided that the Lazy Susan is great fun to spin.  At least 3 different puppies at different times sat beside it and spun it around and around.  Big O did that while he was on it, maybe he’s not all mellow.

               This morning, I gave them some different chewy things: a lamb ear and 2 pieces of windpipe (like Moo tubes.)  They chewed and played with them and generally drove the big dogs crazy by not just eating them.  I think it is more a function of being puppies than being a hoarder like their GrandDam Jill (she will carry hers around until the other dogs are finished and then start chewing.  As a result, Jill usually gets a much smaller chewy than the other dogs because that’s annoying.)

               I left the stool in the pen again and it is quite the popular item.  Lemony is often lounging with her front half draped across it but it is common for another puppy to try to dethrone her.  Turtle was the first one I noticed completely on it but Lemony has been up there too (within 4 minutes of Turtle) so I suspect they’ll be playing a lot of monarch of the stool.

               As of 11 am, we still have power.  It’s a lot cooler and drizzly/rainy outside today so I don’t know if the puppies will get to go out in a group.  I haven’t finished puppy proofing the fencing so they may only go on the deck if we do go out.

               Doodlebug’s ears seem a lot more clear but she has a hematoma on the end of one so I’ve been putting a snood on her to keep her from making it worse when she shakes her head.  Plus this way, none of the little needle teeth rip it open.  She likes wearing the snood just fine but it reminds me of a peasant woman with a kerchief on her head surrounded by her large brood of  children.  I consider myself lucky that except for one day, I’ve managed only to have to put one on Doodlebug.  (Jill and Doodlebug are both VERY into anything that they can wear.  When one is in season, it’s easier to put bitch britches on both of them than to fight the other one off while I do it.  I leave Doodlebug’s snood alone if Jill is around so she doesn’t demand one as well.)

               Today, I added the most favored PWD item to the pen.  Paper for the potty pan area.  I did have smaller pieces under the pad but this afternoon, I put down newspaper end roll pieces.  BIG BIG fun!  More proof that they are indeed PWDs.

               Doodlebug is mostly limiting her visits into the pen to cleanup times unless she is still going in during the night and feeding them.  She feeds them while she cleans up and she stands there for a while until they are done.  She is being a VERY good mother.  I’m glad she’s still cleaning up after them even though they are eating other food.  10 poops a few times a day will be a lot of cleanup duty.  There is already lot of pee (she only cleans that up if they go on the bare floor.)

               We didn’t go outside as a group today.  I barely went outside at all as a matter of fact.  It’s cold and wet and windy.  So NOT my kind of weather.  If we get any snow tomorrow, I’ll take the babies out to see that but otherwise, I don’t foresee a lot of outside time.

               Nighty, nighty, nighty to all.  Have a good night for a pleasant tomorrow.

10/29/12 Just in case

If the power goes out, I will not have access to the internet so I won’t be able to post to the blog.  I’ll try to keep it updated and then post them when it comes back.  Hopefully, we won’t lose power and it will be a moot point ;-)

 

October 28, 2012 Pupdate

I have no idea why yesterday’s post posted so early but it was easier to just add anything new to today’s than try to fix it.  Nothing big happened last night after it posted so I guess it was all ok.

               Things I have forgotten to mention in the past:  The day after Doodlebug threw up for the puppies, Jill threw up for the puppies so now they BOTH have to see them eat in order to forestall that.  Both will go in to clean up any food that they have left but thank goodness Jill isn’t nursing them.  Had she not been spayed, I suspect things would have been different in that regard. Jack hasn’t thrown up for anybody since the night Jill had Sammie’s litter and I hope to keep it that way.

               The puppies all love their uncle Jack.  He consistently drops his monkey paw into the pen hoping that one of us will throw it.  The puppies see him and know that a FUN thing is about to be given to them and rush over.  Some of them continue to try to reach him as he stands over the door, waiting and hoping to get it back.  Much of the time, he has to wait for the puppies to finish with it or get a new one.

               Thank goodness the proposed APHIS rule didn’t come about.  The AWA standards are how commercial breeders do things.  We wouldn’t have been allowed to let the puppies be in the same house as their grandma Jill or Jack (not to mention visits from Uncle Indy and Aunt Bela.)  That was just one of the MANY ways that those rules were not good for people who want dogs to be a part of their family.  I hope if they trot that out again, anyone who understands what goes into planning, whelping and raising a litter of puppies will oppose it and explain to all of their friends and family why it is so bad.  I’ll get back off of my soap box now.

               Since the babies have really started eating, I’ve been giving them water in their pen.  Like the little Water Dogs they are, they immediately play in it whether it’s in the bucket, dish or puppy feeding saucers so they don’t manage to keep it in there all of the time.  Since their food is still pretty moist and the MamaBug is still feeding them, I’m not too worried but we’ll have to work up to keeping water in the buckets for them to drink.  I may hang one of Jack’s bottles on the pen to help them get water but lessen the messes while they learn.  Jack always played in his bowl, digging every bit of water out onto the floor so he drinks out of big Lixit bottles. (He can drink out of a bucket too, there just isn’t one in his crate.)

               Since we were expecting visitors this morning, I didn’t wait for the puppies to go to sleep before I closed them in the crate before they were asleep.  They.  Were. NOT. Pleased.  And they made that quite clear.  For a long time.  Eventually most of them went to sleep but 3 of them did not and as soon as the crate door opened, they came out.  Within a couple of minutes, they were asleep.  I made a point not to know which ones they were.  We’ll try again tomorrow with a little better incentive to go in the crate awake and let me close the door for a moment.

               While they ate their lunch, the heard gunfire.  Nobody noticed at all while the screen door was closed so I opened it for a couple more shots.  They looked but more in an ‘that was an interesting noise’ way.  Then they went back to eating.  Good little pupsters.

               They and their mother have been wallering the ex pen all over the place so I reinforced the straight sides with some PVC.  In several spots, I tied it on with long strips of flannel and left the ends hanging for them.  Bruce said this evening that we had caught a lot of puppies on those trot lines.  Not only do they pull on them, they sleep on the ends they ‘catch’.

               Since you can’t start them too early and we did go swimming yesterday, I gave them a gear bag to play with today.  I put a toy in it and one of the monkey paws on it and they’ve pulled it all over the place.  A couple of them have been sleeping on it as well.

               I set the yellow stool that I use to give the dogs showers in the pen today.  It gives us a place to sit and they are fascinated with it.  I am smart enough not to put it close to the edge because they are very close to being able to climb up on it and from there they could easily go over the side.

               Bruce was supposed to watch football with the puppies today but he got sidetracked.  We did watch one of those fights where the people kick and whatever they want Thursday night.  It even had airhorns.  The puppies were unimpressed as was I.

               I’m not sure what fun adventures we may have tomorrow.  If we get the snow, I’ll have to take the puppies out to experience that.  It’s another form of water so they’ll probably think it’s pretty cool.  They may be annoyed that it covers their favorite prey – leaves.

               But for now, I think we will call it another day.      We will all yawn big so the puppy breath gets maximum velocity and say Good Night Moon!  Hope the Frankenstorm doesn’t cause big problems for anyone.  Nighty, Nighty, Nighty.

October 27. 2012 Pupdate

Good morning, good morning, the little dogs said.  They had a good night for a pleasant tomorrow and were ready for their next adventure.

               And an adventure it was.  They met 4 more new people today 2 men and 2 children.  The little boy was on marginally interested but did get in the pen with them a couple of times but the little girl was definitely into puppy love.  She was even a trouper when they were grabbing her long hair (I put it up after that to minimize hair grabbing.)

               The pool was in the high 80s so even though the water wasn’t perfectly clear (it had been low so we added some pond water), we took the puppies swimming.  Once again, nobody moved their legs until after their chins got wet but all but 2 swam really well right away.  Those two weren’t really swimming toward the step so much at first so their rears sank.  I put the itty bitty lifejacket on them and they did much better.  LeAnne noticed some of them using their tails as rudders to turn.  Bobby took video with the flip (some underwater) so I will try to get them onto Youtube before too long.

               TJ was the last puppy so we put the lifejacket on him and did some swim with handler playing with him.

               We also finished shaving baby lion butts again.  The puppies were much better and we used some cuddles and some cream cheese to accomplish the goal.  Dog Cindi did part of them and Colleen practiced her grooming on others.  Then she shaved half of Indy’s muzzle (Dog Cindi did the other half.)

               Bluehemoth demonstrated his preference to be with me many times today so he was passed around a lot and taken outside to play with other people as well.  That helped some.  I’ll have to make sure everyone gets plenty of other people interaction.  They all recognize and prefer me so I try to be away when they are playing with some people.

               The weather was ugly today so we didn’t go outside as a group.  A couple of puppies went here and there though.

               They ate well and didn’t potty on the sleeping fleece in the crate - they did potty in the crate but at the other corner.  The crate is at least 48 inches so that’s not a big deal, yet.

               And that was their big day today.  They are expecting more company tomorrow so we will get ready for nighty, nighty, nighty.  Puppy breath dreams to you all.

 

October 26 Six weeks old!

               Happy birthday to Uncle B.B.! 

               The puppies are 6 weeks old today.  I can breathe a huge sigh of relief that they are now old enough to get their distemper vaccine.  Since SammieDoodlebug’s titer was so low, chances are that they did not get any maternal antibodies for that in the colostrum.  They are good on parvo and adenovirus for a while yet but we got the distemper vaccinations today.  Yay, for one less worry.  The vet came to the house (I LOVE that they do house calls) examined each puppy (good hearts, healthy puppies) and gave the injections.  She found both testicles in the sack for all of the boys except Bluehemoth, he was trying to hide one but she found it.  I have found both of them down for all of the boys for a while now but they can suck them back up in for a while yet.  As long as they eventually come down, we’ll be good.

               Bluehemoth and Brain were playing tug of war with a metal food bowl.  That’s a good sign that they’ll pick up metal.  I’ll have to remember to start leaving spoons in their dishes, too.

               Lemony was pitching a hissy fit last night so I figured out she was doing her potty dance.  I took her outside and she immediately pooped.  What a good puppy!

               We enjoyed what appears to be the last of the good weather this afternoon.  I waited until after their post vaccination nap to take them out just in case anybody had a reaction at all (nobody seems to have) and we waited for Dog Cindi to come.  (We missed LeAnne, she had to stay at work. Poor LeAnne) Cindi hung out on the deck with the babies while I rearranged their pen for the umpteenth time.  I needed to do it while they were outside and the weather probably will not cooperate next week for that.  Now they have the big crate in there.  I took the two doors on the inside off so we don’t have to secure them, later I’ll put them on at night.  They’ll eventually start sleeping in small individual crates (not everybody at once, I don’t have 10 crates or space for them).

               When we brought them inside, we let them come in by themselves instead of carrying them.  Cindi helped them get in the door and I called them into the pen through the crate.  Once they got inside, they were quite good at coming to me.  I was sitting in the crate (I told you it was the big crate) and they came scrambling right to me.      Good puppies!

We also did the big dog’s toenails and reshaved Peppy’s lion butt.  He was awake last and hanging out with the people.  He stood so well on the table to be brushed that we decided to try it.  He was remarkably good and it was kind of amazing that we got so much hair off after 2 weeks.  We may work on the other ones tomorrow since it is not looking good for swimming in the pond and I don’t know if the pool is warm enough yet.  (Hey, if it’s not going to be in the pond – why should I go in the cold?)

They didn’t meet any new people today but they have already met 21 so we are well on our way to the goal.  I need to re check the surfaces list to see how we are coming on that.  But for now, we are going to call it a day and say Nighty, nighty, nighty to all.

October 25, 2012 Pupdate

               This morning, Bruce fed the puppies (I fixed their dishes last night so he didn’t have to touch it) so I got to sort of sleep late.  It was lovely outside again so we spent several hours outside this afternoon. They had a picnic lunch and dinner and met 3 new people outside.  We even stayed outside until after it got dark so they’d get exposed to that.  (I didn’t have the last puppies out in the dark as much because it stayed daylight so long.)

               They played with a lot of toys and a lot of leaves outside.  The ball, one of the orange dummies (don’t tell Indy that the puppies played with his orange bumper), and the hose were big hits.  I made it rain on them a couple of times when it was nice and warm and they didn’t seem fazed by that.  They drank out of the bucket but mostly turned it over so I kept some water in the pool (where they spent the first weeks of their lives, it’s a multi tasker) and they’d climb in to get a drink/play.

               They are climbing onto things and going around obstacles that they can’t get over like smart little puppies.  They run through/over their own little obstacle courses that includes the little picnic table set and the slide (still on its side) and they move the things that are in their way if they possibly can (and they can move a lot of things – the ex pen and the big totes for soiled puppy linens for example.)  Smart, busy puppies – just the way I like them.

               All of the puppies have been looking up at things: the gates into the ex pen; the baby gate; the windows to the playhouse; whatever they encounter -  they look up.  It’s pretty cute but what do they do that is not?  I hung some things above their heads in the pen with the rope I use to make monkey paws and I tied the braided fleece tug with the bear bell on it to the side of the pen.

               They had another photo shoot this evening, the pictures wouldn’t fit on the Picasa site with the others so I put them on the one with another address.  The link is with the other one; the pictures 10/25/12 and after.  (https://picasaweb.google.com/100322780237163553881)

               You’d think with so much activity, I’d have more to write but I was outside with the puppies so much I didn’t write it throughout the day. 

               I had an impromptu weight watcher meeting (unrecorded, I was weighing them to get the dosages for the wormer): Bluehemoth is still the biggest at 7.8lbs closely followed by Pink at 7.6lbs.  Dyson weighed either 4.8 or 5 and everyone else was spread throughout.  I had to loosen a lot of collars today, too.

               Tomorrow, they will be 6 weeks old!  It’ll be another big day for them. Until then, we are going to say Nighty, nighty, nighty.

October 24, 2012 Pupdate

These puppies are certainly giving the vetch toy a workout.  How they can sleep on it while it constantly sings and moves and lights up is beyond me but I am v. v. glad that it has an off switch for when I want to sleep.

               We lost our 10 day streak of no pottying on the fleecy bedding yesterday.  But only sort of, the puppy had backed up to the ex pen and mostly pooped through it.  I don’t know if he/she (I didn’t check to see who it was, I was trying to get it cleaned up) knew that they MamaBug was behind the baby gate (Frances was just coming in) and couldn’t get in to clean it up or if it was just some fluke but I’m still happy with their progress for 5 week old puppies.

               While they were outside today, I planned to put up the barrier to keep them from going through the fencing but it was raining this morning so we didn’t get to go outside until their lunchtime.  They had a picnic; everybody pottied on the deck (I didn’t let them off the deck); then they had a big time play session with the little tykes playhouse, table and slide (I turned it over because they kept trying to climb on it but couldn’t get anywhere); then had a nap.  I cleaned their inside pen while Doodlebug stood guard over them and then I sat out there with them while they slept.  (The hawks were screaming while the puppies were playing and I’m not taking any chances because I think they are about the size of a rabbit right now.)  After they woke up, they played with the cardboard tunnel.  It was very free play, I just let them do whatever they wanted with it and didn’t keep track of who went through it but it was apparently an interesting object.

               They seemed a little disappointed to be back inside but I put out some different toys and hung some things on the side of the pen which amused them.  They are very quick at getting them down or pulling them the rest of the way through.  Another set of cage matches after dinner then a nap and it’s time to eat again and call it a day.  Time for me to sniff some more puppy breath and say Nighty, nighty, nighty.  Hopefully, it will be pretty enough to spend more time outside tomorrow.

 

October 23, 2012 Pupdate

               Good morning,  good morning the little dogs said.  They were quite active this morning and ate their breakfast very well.  They ate every bit of it and licked the bowls clean so I gave them a little weak goat milk for dessert and they disposed of that as well.  After I changed out their linens, I went back to bed.  I didn’t think I’d be able to go to sleep at 9 in the morning but I did, and slept until the phone woke me up at 10:20ish.

               It was a gorgeous day and I spent part of it getting the ex pens ready for outside containment.  Frances came by to see the pupsters (and brought toys for them and cookies for me.)  It’ll be exciting when her Aerie (one of the sweetest Bullmastiffs I’ve ever had swimming in the pond) has puppies next spring.  Frances held each puppy and got to smell some puppy breath.  She was here when Camo did his impression of Indy.  He was the last one awake and kept fussing about it so I had him out with me and as he got tired, he wanted to lie down but couldn’t quite get comfortable with me on the ottoman.  I turned and put him in the chair and he acted like that’s what he had been waiting for his whole life.  I took some pictures with my phone after I was certain he wasn’t going to fall out if I moved away. Here’s one of the good ones:

 

They had a big time playing tonight.  Lots of wrestling with each other and toys.  Some growlies and lot so f smacking with paws.  Pink! and PandaPaws have been playing fort with the fleecy bed.  Apparently that game requires lots of barking, play bowing and stealing of the mouse toy.  I wasn’t close enough to see how they got the big ridge in the bed to be the dividing line but they worked on it quite a while (at least in puppytime.)

               I am going to take them outside onto the deck tomorrow afternoon to enjoy the warm weather while it lasts.  If they are like the rest of our dogs, they’ll love the cold but I worry about puppies outside for very long.  Of course, I worry about them when it’s hot too so I suspect worrying is the common denominator for me.

I really HOPE that the weather hangs on long enough to take them for a short swimming lesson in the pond Saturday.  If we have enough helpers to help keep the wet puppies warm, we can probably do it.  If the weather doesn’t cooperate, we’ll have to wait and do it in the pool.  The pool is certainly ok but it isn’t as easy for them to enter and exit on their own as the pond.

               All of the puppies know where the gates in and out of the pen are and stand up on their hind legs with their front feet and head in the opening.  I don’t think it will be very long before I will have to keep the gates closed so puppies don’t climb out.  I know I say (and type) it a lot but I cannot believe how fast they grow.  8 weeks isn’t nearly long enough.  I’m going to need lots and lots of Fudgesicles when they start leaving.  I don’t like to even think about it.  So I’ll stop thinking about it and go play with the puppies.

               Until tomorrow, Nighty, nighty, nighty to all, and puppy breath dreams to all.

 

 

Cristi Fogus Wetherholt

Allyn Portuguese Water Dogs – Structure, Temperament, Drive.ALL IN!

AKC Breeder of Merit

Barboursville, WV

www.AllynPWDs.com

Read the blog here: http://www.allynpwds.blogspot.com/

See the pictures here: https://picasaweb.google.com/111692502274643589419

 

 

October 22, 2012 Pupdate

               The puppies had a good weekend and enjoyed meeting more family and friends this weekend.  Turtle was full of herself and several of the puppies tug with me and at least Pink! tugged with Gale.

               They received a whole bunch of new toys which continue to be a big hit with the pupsters.  There is a big orange critter that they like to use as a pillow and a cat with an empty plastic bottle in it that they like to carry around and waller.

               This evening, we poured a little water in one of the feeding bowls to see if they were thirsty and somebody drank some and then Peppy picked the dish up and carried/dragged it 8 inches.  They did some playing in it as well but then he moved it around some more.  I’m not sure what that was about but I am surprised that they can already do that.

               The weather was nice and warm today and is supposed to be even better tomorrow so we may play outside on the deck a little.  We brought up 5 more ex pens so I can make puppy corrals.

               I finally figured out what’s up with the daily puppy who wants to be carried/played with while everyone else sleeps.  It’s not the same puppy each day but it is usually the same puppy throughout the day.  It seems to be the one who wakes up last in the wave, somehow they get a little out of sync with the other puppies so when every body else has gone back to sleep, they are lonely.  Sunday it was Bluehemoth so I carried him part of the time and then let him follow me as I did laundry, etc.  He got distracted by his Granddam once or twice but was good to find me and follow me.  Once, I called him from about 8 feet away and he came running to me but then within about 6 inches got sidetracked by a leaf that had blown in the back door with the big dogs or people coming in and out.

               This evening, I had the Big Brown boy out alone and he stayed with me nicely until his mother decided to go in to check on the other puppies so I put him back to get a quick drink.  Doodlebug is still cleaning up after them, gross but nice.  Go SammieDoodlebug.   They still have puppy breath but their poop now has a definite odor and it is not a pleasant one.  (Not bad like I need to worry about a disease, bad like poop.)  But the Bug usually gets in there an cleans it up quickly if we give her a chance.  She does often appear at the entrance of the pen right before one of them poops.  Jill did that with her puppies even after we’d have to keep the gate closed to prevent escapes.

               Tonight’s music selection was classical.  I am trying to make them well rounded but I’m not sure I’ll be able to stand playing some of that rap for them.  Maybe I’ll turn that on before I go outside to clean up dog poop and set up ex pens one day ;-)

               I have been emailing the posts because it is easier than trying to post them online.  If it has been formatting strangely, let me know and I’ll try to adjust it or go back to pasting it into the website.

               I think I forgot to post the results of the 5 week old weight watchers meeting.  We had 49.6 pounds of puppies. 6 puppies are over 5 lbs (2 were closing in on 6) and 4 were 4 lbs or more.  Bluehemoth was largest but Pink! was within 2/10ths of a pound of him so he may not hold the title forever.  They are nice strong little puppies, SammieDoodlebug and I must be doing a decent job giving them exercise, not to mention the workouts they give to each other.  They still sleep like little rag doll puppies, I suspect that will continue for quite some time but I do like to hold them when they do.

               Sorry I missed posting yesterday.  Hopefully, I’ll stay on schedule again now.  Nighty, nighty, nighty the puppy dogs say.

October 20, 2012 Pupdate

               Hmm, five weeks old and they can go over the little ex pen.  I tried putting the sleeping puppies in the pool surrounded by the ex pen this am when it was time to clean out the puppy pen.  That went well until Granddam Jill and Mama SammieDoodelbug decided to sound the alarm at the back door and woke all of the sleeping monsters.

               There was no containing them in the pool after that.  And they kept knocking the ex pen away from the gate and escaping if they didn’t just climb over it.  Eventually, I gathered them all up and put them in Doodlebug’s crate and they SCREAMED and screamed and screamed.  Then they finally went to sleep.  Already, there are too many/too big to fit in that crate for long.  I took a few pictures with my cell phone.

               Dog Cindi got here around 11:15 and they were sleeping while I tried to get their area back together after waiting for the floor to dry.  I put some of the alfalfa pellets in the potty pan under the pad so they might start getting used to the scent of grass as a substrate.  (I am not above brainwashing puppies.)  As we carried them back, we put them in the potty pan and good little puppies all peed.  Some went back to sleep and some played after that but round one was in the right spot.  Later, with a little intervention, we got all but 1 poop in the pan also.

               Today I added oats to their meal.  I will start phasing out the formula and giving them water soon but not until they eat this with no problem.

               While Cindi was here, I gave 6 of them baths and introduced them to the force dryer.  I did the curlies first because I figured it would make the most difference in their hair.  Everyone had a decent experience with the possible exception of me because I was holding the wet puppies while I did it.  I still don’t like wet clothes touching me.  Since I wasn’t actually getting them dry, just introducing the concept, we had to sit around with puppies wrapped in towels (rough job, huh?)  There were only 3 of us here and 2 puppies is all you can really hold so that’s why the other 4 will had to wait.

               Triton, his sister, and his dad brought Rhonda and Gale to see the babies.  They arrived this afternoon after the feeding frenzy and during a pretty serious naptime.  Turtle was more awake and interacting than most of the other puppies but everybody got a few cuddles awake or not.  Their big dogs got to take a walk around the hill with Bruce and Gale but they kept them out of the pond.

               Bobby and Colleen came and did the photo shoot and got to meet the “in laws.”  55 new pictures are up on Picasa.  I am very close to my limit so I think I will have to link to one with one of my other email addresses for new pictures.  If I do, I’ll post that link.

               Nighty, nighty, nighty.  I’ll get back up to do last meal/last call but I’m going to lie down for a while since only a few puppies are still awake.

Five Weeks Old!

               Happy five week birthday baby dogs!  We celebrated with rabbit soaked goat formula today. They seemed to find that worthy of celebration.  They ate it pretty well but did wear a little, mostly on their feet.

               We got all kinds of bad news today.  Triton and his family aren’t coming until tomorrow and Aunt Tamara can’t come at all this weekend.  We are looking forward to seeing everybody tomorrow though.

               It was a rainy icky day which messed with my sinuses but didn’t seem to affect the puppies.

               For now nighty, nighty, nighty

October 18 Pupdate

This morning, they are being more cautious and methodical about getting down from the bed at least part of the time.  Camo fussed because his mother was in there cleaning up and he was on the bed and then he somewhat carefully climbed off.  I think I might put an intermediate step in there.  I considered removing the legs but they are so short that if I did that, the puppies couldn’t get under it.  They really seem to like UNDER it.

               Camo is streaking again today.  Their new collars came yesterday so if they keep taking these pupcollars off, they may get big dog collars earlier than I had anticipated.

               We have started fussing when another puppy is too rough wrestling/biting/playing and so far, that works.  I am glad to know they are starting to work on bite inhibition already ;-)

               There was a little bit of a storm this evening and someone sighting in their rifle in the distance but they didn’t pay any attention.  That’s good, the more things like that they can experience while they are still here, the better from our perspective.  Each evening they listen to a different radio station so they will have all around exposure – even to things I don’t care to hear ;-)

               For anyone who has a PWD and didn’t receive the email blast from the PWDCA last night, if you haven’t had your dog’s CERF exam, please do so.  If you need more information, I assume the information is on the PWDCA.org but if it’s not, email me and I will forward it to you.  Clear CERFs can help with finding the mode of inheritance as well. 

               The baby daddy is coming this weekend and is bringing his people with him.  He has an agility trial tomorrow so we are hoping they have decent weather (it’s outside) and he runs clean and fast.  Go team Triton!  The puppies honorary Aunt Tamara (she is Aunt to SammieDoodlebug because she owns her actual uncle, Clooney) is coming to visit too.  And she is bringing her camera.  Hopefully that will make up for us not getting their photo shoot tonight from Colleen (JoAnn was cleaning so it didn’t work out tonight.) 

               Tomorrow they will be 5 weeks old!  I can hardly believe it.  I think we may have to hold a real weight watchers meeting in honor of that.  Nighty, nighty, nighty for now.

October 17, Pupdate

I don’t know how they do it but they manage to get cuter every day.  Their days continue to consist of “play and play and take a nap” as my nephew used to say when you asked him what he did that day.  They also eat and ask for cuddles which I am happy to supply.

It was a pretty day today so I carried them outside for a little walk.  I didn’t put them down but I let them smell the outside and see the sunshine.  They seemed to enjoy it but they seem to enjoy pretty much everything ;-)

Today they got to listen to the pressure washer on the back of the house and the deck.  They couldn’t see it but they didn’t seem concerned either.

There are lots of teeth now and they use them on each other, toys and occasionally me.  At this point, they don’t hurt unless they happen to get a really sensitive spot like toes or certain parts of my feet.

I put the dog bed in there this evening.  I wasn’t sure they’d be able to climb up on it but they certainly can.  They aren’t very careful about getting down from, or they just don’t have any idea how to do it but they are quick to climb up.  I went upstairs and came back down to fine one puppy lying on it and 5 puppies lying under it.  They have since changed positions and 5 were on it.  I think they are considering whether it will help them breach the ex pen.  I don’t think it will right now but eventually, I’ll have to take it out or use the taller ex pen.

I just did last call for the big dogs and bites for the puppies.  As usual, that coincided with a flurry of activity.  At this point, with that many puppies, it might be a squall instead of just a flurry.  They are winding down so I am going to go nighty, nighty, nighty, too.

October 16, 2012 Pupdate

               Greetings from the puppy pen! 

               I think one of the puppies got Doodlebug’s tongue when she was washing his face but I am not certain.  I know they often lick back when she is licking their faces and I think her tongue got stretched beyond its normal range but I’m not certain.  We’ll have to see if it continues to happen.

               Behemoth had a needy morning yesterday.  He and Pink both wanted to be held so I traded them off with Bruce.  Pink went to sleep and let me put her back but Behemoth wanted to be held while he slept.  He kept waking up if I tried to put him down.  I eventually wrapped him in one of the blanky fleeces and then when he went to sleep, I kept him in it in the pen and eventually took my hand off and left.  That worked.

               This morning, the bucket is the favored toy, maybe because it is one of the ones that I take out overnight.  I also remove the crinkle tunnel (so I can sleep) and Movie (one of the courting presents from Triton.  It is a little brown furry wubba that scared me to death one night when it was with the puppies and it was stiff and not warm.  I’m not doing that to myself anymore) every night. Other toys get rotated in and out.

               I made them a little monkey paw out of some small rope since they seem so interested in Jack’s.  I am certain Jack’s is more valuable to them but they have played with this one, too.  It is so cute when they run around the pen with a toy in their mouth, tails up and wagging.  Sometimes they get grabbed by another puppy, sometimes they run into another puppy (or pile of puppies) but that seems to just add to the fun.

               I rearranged their area today and put in the future potty spot.  I remembered that it is better in the other corner so I will have to do some work getting them used to going there but at this point, every day they don’t potty on the sleeping spot is a good day.  Today is another day on their streak.  Smart puppies! 

Now it is time for the smart puppies and the big dogs and the humans to say nighty, nighty, nighty.  Right after I get another sniff of puppy breath…

October 15, 2012 Pupdate

               Good morning,  good morning the little dogs said.  Then they gobbled down the food and had a milk chaser at the bar.  They are eating and nursing well and I think they are growing.  Some of them are hefty at least after you hold them for a while.

               Camo keeps streaking and I thought it was just something wrong with how I put his pupcollar on until I heard the Velcro noise and Turtle’s red collar was off.  I may have to spend a lot of time putting collars back.  Their hair is getting too long to see their collars part of the time anyway so I may just put them back on when people are coming to see them.

               Bruce got back home last night so I didn’t have to do all of the getting up to feed Doodlebug and let her out.  He’s not quite brave enough to try to feed the puppies yet though.  I don’t think he’s up for doing the puppy slop feedings, too messy.  Fortunately, Doodlebug is still a significant source of food for them so I don’t have to feed them in the night.

               There are lots of teeth coming through and a whole lot more just about to come in, too.  I think Big Brown (Orange collar) is very close to getting incisors.

               We are on day 4 of no pottying on the sleeping fleece.  Smart little puppies!

               They are getting much better at eating the puppy gruel even as I make it thicker.  That doesn’t mean that feet don’t go in the dishes but they come and start eating with less intervention from me.  They will still get distracted and head for the bar if SammieDoodlebug is in the pen but some of them keep eating at least part of the time.

               I played the stereo for them this evening (they were unimpressed) and they are really getting into playing with toys in the time they are awake.  With ten of them, it is sort of a wave of waking up and going back to sleep but the whole thing lasted about an hour this afternoon. 

In spite of all of my warnings to Jack, he put his monkey paw in the pen and puppies have started taking it.  He isn’t thrilled with that turn of events, he never is, but he doesn’t try to take it back.  A couple of times, I switched it for another one, a couple of times I gave it back, and another couple of times we waited until the puppies were done before I returned it to him.

Jill goes into the pen to check on them a little more often but moves along when they try to nurse.  Part of the time I think she is just coming in to get in on the attention but she’s careful with the puppies.  She will give a little growl to back them away from her feet before she starts to move/jump back out of the pen.

My computer has been contrary the last couple of days so I am going to save this and try to post it before it gets lost.  We’ll wish you puppy breath dreams and say nighty, nighty, nighty for now.

October 13, 2012 Pupdate

               My goodness we’ve had a big, big day here today.  The puppies continue to enjoy eating puppy slop.  Today’s was made with formula and puppy food.  I want to introduce each new food separately to make sure I know what is going on with them.  It gives me something else to obsess about you know.  So far, I have managed to forestall any more offerings from the Doodlebug.  On the up side, this means I will be able to start reducing her calories before long.  That should make life a little easier but I’ll have to be feeding ten puppies so maybe not…  So far, she is still cleaning up after them.  I’ve heard some dams stop when they start eating but Jill didn’t and I’m hoping Doodlebug doesn’t either.

               The puppies got a good start towards meeting their 40 new people after 4 weeks.  6 new people came today including 2 little girls and a very tall man with a beard and mustache.  If only he’d worn a hat ;-)  We have more visits planned soon as well.

               The puppies wallowed in their slop so they had baths while we had people to help hold them wrapped in towels.  It takes a long time to cuddle 10 puppies to dry.  It’s another rough job but someone has to do it ;-)  We also changed their collars.

               After they were all dry we had a photo shoot and then another photo shoot while they were lionized (just their behinds, not their muzzles.)  There can’t be much cuter than puppies in little lion trims.  It was amazing how much hair there was to shave off of each one.  Puppy after puppy, everyone said either they didn’t think there would be much hair to take off of this one or we wouldn’t see much difference afterward and then a huge pile of hair was shaved off and they had little lion butts.  It wasn’t a careful job but it was a start.  A couple of them may be a little far forward but its hair and it’ll grow back.  They should dry faster after their baths now.

               They had some more puppy gruel and then watched the football game.  It was fairly loud but nobody yelled at either team.  I guess we’ll have to watch it again sometime ;-(

               We keep saying that we think these brown puppies are darker than Carrera and Bela were so I got the hair from their first haircuts and we compared it.  These puppies are indeed a lot darker. (And my tendency to compulsively save everything  has come in handy.  Not only did I have it but I could quickly get my hands on it, too so I’m not ready for an episode of hoarders yet.)

               Colleen and Bobby took a LOT of pictures so I put almost 180 on Picasa.  That had us almost to our limit so I also had to take delete the pictures of the JillyBoo babies.  I hope that leaves us enough room for more pictures of the babies.  If not, I might be able to add another link with one of our other addresses.

               I can’t remember what else I was going to type and I want to make sure I post this since yesterday’s didn’t get posted until tonight.   If it was important, I’ll add it to the next post.  For now, we are going to do last call, have some bites and go nighty, nighty, nighty.  Puppy breath dreams to all.

4 Weeks Old!

               Happy 4 week birthday little pupsters.  I sang Happy Birthday to them (multiple names) and they greet that with tail wags and face kissing and mouthing on my clothes, etc.  Pretty much the same greeting I always get, it’s a wonderful greeting.

               The crinkly cat tunnel continues to be a favorite item.  At least one puppy was on it all night, I know because I could clearly hear it in the monitor.  I’ll have to take it out tonight.  This morning, Dyson went through it as a tunnel. Then he turned around, grabbed it and wrestled it into a bed ;-)

               Bruce’s mom cleaned the rubber room and the puppies were somewhat interested in her but not concerned with what she was doing. 

               SammieDoodlebug has decreed that it is time for them to start eating additional foods and if I don’t supply them, she will.  I gave them ground meat in goat milk formula and they seemed to enjoy it.  I don’t know how much she is going to be like her mother but I intend to implement the lessons I learned from Jill to hopefully minimize the hurling.

               We have a big day planned for them tomorrow, lots of new people to start meeting.  So for tonight, we’ll send you puppy breath and say Nighty, nighty, nighty.

October 11, 2012

               CERFs have been scheduled and I am working on setting up the evaluations as well.  I think we’ll need to divide the puppies up into groups so they don’t get too tired waiting their turn.

               The magic whistles came so I think we have most of the things we will need for the puppies.  I still need to get some pink paper for the dam’s certificates, etc. in the puppy books but I could probably get started printing and assembling if I weren’t so busy playing with or listening to the puppies.  And feeding their mother 8 million times a day.  Her right ear is somewhat icky, no doubt from all of the carbs but I can’t use much in it while she is nursing.

               Apparently, since the mama eats at 4am, that is a good time to wake up and play.  She also goes out to walk the plank and then feeds them.  I go back to sleep to the sound of nursing puppies.  It rather makes getting up at 4 in the morning worthwhile.  (I am so NOT a morning person.) 

               I can’t believe they are almost 4 weeks old.  Their eyes are darkening, still sort of blue but many are going more blueish gray. And their little ears are real ears now.  Here’s hoping that they got Triton’s ears instead of Doodlebug’s.  (Her ear leather is a little heavy and they are slightly longer than perfect.)

               Their hair is really starting to grow so I hope we can do their little lion rears this weekend.  We’ll be sure to get pictures if we do.  We probably won’t do muzzles on such little puppies but we may need to trim the hair from the corners of their eyes a few times.

               They have played several times today: with me, with each other, with the stuff in the pen.  I gave them the crackly cat tunnel and while they are all very interested in it, none of them have gone through it.  They lunge on it, bite and it and end up lying on it after they get it folded down.  It is apparently a coveted place to sleep because someone is always on it.  I find it very cute but so far everything they do is cute.  Just for fun, I help them climb up on my lap by putting my hand behind their neck like we load the dogs onto the boat.  It worked more than half of the time so maybe we have little water dogs in the making.

               Pupsters are becoming more active, more often.  They still sleep a lot but they are awake and playing more, too.  I need to feed everybody and take the big dogs out for last call and call it a day.  Tomorrow they will be 4 weeks old.  Such big puppies.  For now, nighty, nighty, nighty to all.              

October 10, 2012 Pupdate

It’s been a busy day here today.  The cutest little pupsters are officially hooligans. I can no longer put the sleeping puppies in the pool to clean their pen as they wake up when they smell their mother and climb out. Quickly.  In groups.   On the one hand, it is very cute, on the other hand it makes things more difficult again.  Jill stayed near the pool as well and several times she gave an about to escape puppy a little nudge back in but with 10 of them, she couldn’t keep up.  At one point, I was fanning the floor furiously while there were 7 puppies out of the pool and investigating.  Pretty much all they were investigating was someone with some food but they were out and about nonetheless.  They were so very cute.

               The smaller puppies are better or at least more interested in eating the formula from the dish.  I usually start them first to make sure they get enough in case the big ones are monopolizing Doodlebug (they don’t seem to be but that’s my system anyway.)  A couple of times today, I put their food in the pool (they stayed in much better for that) and let them get going before I put the other dish in for the big puppies.  When they little ones are done, I move them back in general population and they can share with the big puppies if they want and if they can.  Dyson is always the last one to stop licking the dishes clean.  Good boy, he knows his job.

               Dog Cindi and LeAnne came by after work today and Colleen and Bobby came by on their way to see a comedian in Huntington.  The puppies seemed happy to see everyone and did some of their signature moves (climbing into laps, cuddling, and giving kisses.)  I tried to stay a little distance away because they do recognize me and occasionally will follow me around.  There are enough to go around so sometimes, I still cuddle with one of them.

               I put the larger lazy susan in the pen and they seemed to enjoy that.  I am not certain whether they did it on purpose or just didn’t bother avoiding it but everyone ended up moving around with or on it at one time or another.  It didn’t seem to phase any of them either.  I also added the contact trainer clicker board and they played with and on that as well.  More environmental stimulation to come…

               They can be pretty sure footed and move quickly when they so desire.  This morning, SammieDoodlebug was eating outside their pen and Camo wanted her.  A couple of different times, he backed up and rammed into  the ex pen trying to get to her.  He moved it but I have it fastened to the large one now so he didn’t get out to her but it wasn’t for lack of effort.

               We held a weight watchers meeting tonight and as usual, some of the puppies were more cooperative (sleepy) than others.  Everyone had gained in the last 4 days, most of them gaining close to a pound.  Dyson is still well behind the others but gaining every time so not too worried as long as he eats and is active.  So far, so good on that front (plus I had to loosen his collar.)  We have a total of 35.2 lbs of puppy goodness.

               There were a lot of cage matches today, everybody is working on getting those teeth through.  They will also mouth on people which will be a lot less acceptable when they get those little needle teeth through their gums.  It is funny to see how much coordination they have at times and then at other times, they are completely awkward.  It’s a good thing there are siblings to help them learn balance and coordination.

               I was going to give baths this evening since they were going to be people to help with cuddling wet puppies but we didn’t get that done.  They aren’t stinky (and thank goodness their mother keeps them clean so there is no poop on anybody) but they are sticky after they eat and I’d like to clean them up.  Oh well, Rome wasn’t’ built in a day.

               Tonight, Colleen cut their little toenails.  I had to hold PandaPaws because he woke up and she couldn’t get at his back feet (the ones that earned him his name.  I don’t know why I think they look Panda-ish but you have to remember how little vision I have and accept it.)  It went fine after that.

               I think we might play with the toys Aunt (dog) Cindi and Aunt LeAnne brought them.  One of them is a cat toy (cat toys are great) with the crinkly plastic inside fabric AND it’s a little tunnel.  That one should be great fun.  The other one is also well chosen as it has a lot of appendages so they can play together plus it’s just more toys when the arms, legs, etc get ripped off.

               It looks like we have a good start on our 40 new people lined up for this weekend.  That should be lots of fun for all concerned.  For now, we’ll send you puppy breath dreams and say Nighty, nighty, nighty…

October 9, 2012 Pupdate

               Good morning, good morning the little dogs said.  I got the BIG greeting again this morning.  There is something really sweet about having 10 little puppies run up to greet you at the side of the pen.  It is also really fun to get in the pen while they are sleeping and have them wake up and come clambering up for a cuddle.  It makes getting up at the crack of long before dawn worthwhile.

               I have everything ready for when SammieDoodlebug says it’s time to start feeding them.  I feel more little teeth under their gums just waiting to pop out.  I thought she was going to puke for them today but she cleaned up some puppies instead.  I don’t think it will be long though.

               Tonight I was on the phone for my training club’s monthly meeting for about an hour.  The puppies were sleeping for most of it but they woke up towards the end and made their presence known.  Apparently it was potty time.  Their mama went in and cleaned up but that set off an attempted feeding frenzy while she stood.  They all got a little snack and after they got a little attention, settled back down to sleep.

               They are very sociable little critters.  I have to take my shoes off before I get into the pen because they have a tendency to be so close around my feet that I have to work hard to avoid stepping on them.  When I sit with them I have to be careful to get all of the way down before they are all over me.  If I lean up to kneel and start to sit back down on my legs, they are already puppies on my calves.  I think they like me, they really like me.  The feeling is mutual.

               I think I am going to give them another snack and then it’ll be time for nighty, nighty, nighty.  Puppy breath to all and to all a good night.

Pupdate

               Good morning, good morning the little dogs say.  Pick me up!  Cuddle with me! Hey, pay attention to me!  I neeeed a naa….zzzzz.

               That seems to be the extent of their conversation unless they are eating.  They still nurse well and they enjoy the formula as well.  Obviously, because I need to loosen all of the collars again.  I will probably weigh them just to make sure (I like numbers) but I’m not worried.

               Yesterday they met their Nana and Granddaddy.  Mother got 9 of them in her lap in the pen, Paul was holding the 10^th puppy.  At one point she tried to arrange them into something for a picture but they were too awake and haven’t quite mastered stay yet so that didn’t pan out.  I suspect group pictues are going to be like trying to herd cats for quite a while unless we catch them asleep or put them in something they can’t escape.

               I am getting more and more anxious to put them in little lion trims so that may happen this weekend if I can convince the shavers.  If they are too wiggly, we might need to wait until they are ready to take treats since I don’t think we can fit Doodlebug on the table to nurse them while we trim.   We’ll see…

October 7, 2012 Pupdate

               I finally realized what the puppies sound like when they are really nursing for all they are worth.  They sound like the geese getting ready to take flight off of the pond.   It’s much cuter coming from puppies than geese.

               They are also becoming more and more “helpful.”  Just like grown PWDs, whenever I try to do anything in their pen (change the linens, rearrange something, etc.)  I have several (all 10 if their mother is not near the entrance to the pen) little puppies all right there on it, under it, or in it to help me.  It might take longer but it’s awfully sweet.

               Also awfully sweet, hearing them lap up the formula from the dishes.   Doodlebug hasn’t puked for them yet (and they only have back teeth) so I haven’t started the real food yet but I do give them the formula a few times a day.  There is still a feeding frenzy but it’s easier if I take it in while they are sleeping.  Sleeping doesn’t last for long after I wake up a couple and show them the bowls.  They aren’t too careful about keeping their feet or anything else out of the bowl but they understand to get their faces in there and lick up the food.  Hearing all ten of them doing that at once is pretty cute.  I let SammieDoodlebug in after they are at least halfway through and she cleans them while they eat.  That will often cause many of them to switch over to trying to get a drink at the bar and sometimes she feeds them and sometimes not.  Most of them are able to grab a couple of swallows while she stands though.

               I love to listen to them and spend a lot of time doing that.  Even when I “leave” them alone, (I like them to experience not having a person within sight or smell at least a little while each day) I listen to them on the monitor.  I cannot hear the difference in each puppy but I can pretty much tell what they are doing.  When they play with the piano toy, they expect it to do something.  If I have turned it off, they will continue to try to get it to do something, and that occasionally includes barking at it.

               Have I mentioned that they are VERY, VERY cute?  Well, they still are so I’m going to repeat it again (and probably again and again.)