I cannot believe they've been here 4 weeks. They are quicky becoming little sponges and they are so close to being ready for us to start helping feed them. When we feed them, too we can start rewarding quickly. I need to make my plan of things I want Tamara to teach them with a clicker ;-). I am not at all adept at using a clicker, and I don't have a chance at shaping (requires more vision than I have). When they are good at eating, I can work on the magic word and whistle. (Can you tell I find all of this exciting?)
We've pretty well gotten into a midmorning linen change routine. I go to bed for a few hours after Tamara gets up (I've been getting better about sleeping beside the puppy pen instead of staying up all night long) And when I come back down between 9-10, we've generally had morning poops and when they start dropping off to sleep, we put them in the pool and I switch the stuff out. Fewer of them were cooperative today so they got to take a few short turns out 'at large'. They regard it more as an opportunity to be 'at MamaMila' though.
LeAnne and Cindi came this afternoon so we could hold a photo shoot. We did get the pictures taken but we haven't quite figured out how to get them into a usable format (we easily got them onto my laptop but it's Windows and Tamara is used to Mac. I'm going to attempt to get them onto her MAC tonight since she turned voiceover on for me). Technology is great - we need a teenager in the Village to do all of this stuff for us. ;-)
We did a little grooming practice, too. Full on baths will probably happen after they have their first feeding frenzy (we are waiting for MamaMila to puke for them or canines to erupt - whichever comes first). Update, I felt the points of upper canines on multiple puppies tonight so I think it'll be tomorrow. It'll be interesting to see if she hurls for them. Especially since her mother isn't here to do it if she doesn't.
Today's big development is tugging blankets, carrying toys and doing the kill shake. Against all odds, they continue to become cuter and cuter. And they give kisses. If there is anything more adorable than 4 week old puppies hurrying over to sit in front of the humans so they can be greeted, I'm hard pressed to figure out what it is.
Tonight's weight watchers meeting demonstrated one of the hazards of puppies that like people. We thought since they were sleeping, we could do it in the puppy castle as Dog Cindi calls it. But once Tamara went in, they all woke up and headed over to help. They ARE PWDs even if they are baby PWDs. After comparing the process to herding cats or squirrels, we gave up for a little while and let the pupsters go to sleep. It took a little romp and a little topping off by the Mama for them to go back to sleep. While they drifted off, we fed the old dogs and then tried again. MamaMila offered to help but we managed to dissuade her. We still need to find something better to put them in on the kitchen scale, I had a new amazon box today but it's a little big yet. They are starting to get pretty good at sitting for attention, we may be able to use that in a few days. I can't believe that the 3 'smaller' ones are almost 5 lbs (2 are within tenths of an ounce and Trillium is 2 oz away). Obviously, it is all relative.
I'm going to go see if I can make headway with pictures before it's time for Mila's nighttime snack, after which I plan to nap on the ottobenbed beside puppies until 7. I think I can still go to sleep at that point and I'd liek to start brainwashing the puppies that mornings don't start really early so if I can get enough rest doing shift change/good morning a little later than 6, it'll be nice. It'll probably end up being a daylight wakeup call in the next few weeks but it's worth a shot to get it later. Puppy breath to all! Nighty, Nighty, Nighty
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