2/28/25 Pupdate

  Up and outside shortly after daylight as I was awake and they notice me and the big dogs getting up them so I took them out after I went to the bathroom and prepped their breakfast. 

   It was COLD so I cut it short-ish.  They seem perfectly happy but I’m cold in a coat so sometimes, we do what I want.

   They were ready to go out again after a short nap, they had to have an after breakfast potty trip. I was upstairs so Uncle Daddy took them out; I followed shortly with glove to clean up and they did some big playing.  Warmer but not good yet.

   In and out all day.  Mostly out during the sunny warm because that’s about to change.  Heard/saw chain saw, excavator, side by side and a couple of wagon loads of wood.  They still adore the leaf blower as did their MarmieCarmie and her littermates (4 years ago!)

    At afternoon nap, I put them inside in the crates and gave the old puppies showers. They were all exuberant as wet PWDS generally are so pupsters were awakened and were allowed back outside to play.

  I brought out the force dryer and MarmieCarmie insisted on being first.  The puppies seemed to enjoy the dryer just like the leaf blower. After she was done, I tried to do GrandPaw Deja but she kept getting on the table and in the way so I crated the girls so I could do his.

   I think we’re close to being able to press THE Button to help guide them to where I want, I just need to keep the old puppies from distracting them along the way.  Nnn puppy breath (and it has definitely changed to the weaning puppy breath) to all

2/27/25 pupdate

All made it outside to poop in the morning.  We had breakfast outside after playing a while (and pottying) but it (I) was very cold again so took them inside before they were ready for first nap.

 I’m working on treat taking but they are more interested in cuddles than food so far.  I should probably do that before they eat but I don’t want desperate puppies either.

  Uncle Daddy had pt and then picked up our grocery order so we had some more options for afternoon practice.  String cheese is helping them learn.  Their MarmieCarmie is a little interested at times - I can’t tell if that helps or hinders ;-)

It was very windy and overcast a chunk of the day so I took them in for their naps a few times but they don’t nap as long, especially when MarmieCarmie goes in to ‘clean up’ the treats they haven’t consumed.  I did let them experience light rain, too but we went inside to be certain they didn’t get too cold.  Of course, they’ve had milk snack and water as well as soaked food poured all over them too because they are truly little PWDs so they get in the stream frequently 🤣

  We had a BIG windstorm in the evening but they slept through most of it.  It blew the outside (empty but upside down) pool well out into the yard and even the lid from the castle sand box so it rained on the toys I’d put in there to keep them dry.

  The puppies didn’t care that things were wet or in odd places (I move everything around all of the time anyway to keep it new to them)

  I brushed GrandPaw Deja on the grooming table outside after their lunch.  I left the girls in their crates so it would be only him on the table (both love the table and MarmieCarmie is especially fond of being brushed so he really needed a turn)

  They also don’t mind going outside in the dark or cold (another way they have better temperaments than I do)

   Uncle Daddy had driven most of the day again so we were both pretty tired (I again neglected to nap when they did) so we all went to bed after the post dinner pottying.  The pupsters played semi quietly and then went to sleep.  I set the alarm for midnight snack of string cheese.  MarmieCarmie went in to clean up the leftovers and let them nurse and we all went back to nighty nighty nighty

  And they’ve started cuddling together in the (open) crates at night. 

2/26/25 Pupdate

Up shortly after daylight and outside where Aunt Mama kept complaining about the cold (there WAS a little solid water in the flying saucer dish).  We pottied and played a while. She then fed us outside but regretted it and carried it and us back inside because she was certain we were cold

Finished breakfast in pen with cuddling then we were sleepy so it was nap time.  She left Uncle Daddy in charge and went to warm her feet up in hot water in the bath tub.

   We napped a good while so she cut out our baby blankets while the sun finished being piped in the holler.  Then we went out to play again!

She’d brought out more adventuring equipment for us and a few things for the old puppies so they can choose to be out of reach but still out here with all of the rest of us.  We’re certain if we keep at it, we’ll be able to cuddle up there with them!

   Except for today’s off schedule puppy, we were settling in for naptime as it was getting more and more shady on the patio so Aunt Mama carried us inside and let the lone awake puppy have something she calls “only dog time” ( except the big dogs were still with us).  That puppy soon went into one of the outdoor napping spots so she came inside, too.

   Not too long afterward, Uncle Daddy got home so they fiddled with something out front - they didn’t even take any of the big dogs to help, it couldn’t have been very fun or important.

   Then they let us out to potty and carried us to the metal puppy safety area in something called a ‘new van’.  They seemed to like it but kept talking about how to arrange things in it.  There is room for both big metal dog safety boxes (they call them crates) in the back without taking any of the seats out of it.  These people never seem to finish arranging things- Aunt Mama’s been doing it almost non stop since we were born!

   We rode to ‘the mall’ and home again with only minor fussing on the way and none after we’d started back home.  Best of all, none of us were carsick - not even Aunt Mama!  (She’s always the most likely to be car sick but at least she can’t vomit any more since they fixed her hiatal hernia)

   They set us out of the van and let us go into the yard like big dogs.  We were happy to rumpus around and take a little nap before dinner and company.  We met 4 new people and experienced one using a walker.  We went back outside to potty after they left and ran around and played and played even though it was dark and Aunt Mama said she was cold and took us back in the house.  But she’s introducing us to treats so that worked out ok.  Nighty, ngihty, nighty. Puppy breath to all 

2/24/25 6 Weeks Old!

How are they already 6 weeks old????  They are mucj more like little dogs now and the needle teeth are definitely well under way but they can’t be this old! 

The pupsters were playing semi quietly at daylight.  I fed them breakfast and tried to go back to sleep for a while; the puppies were fine with that but the big dogs were hunting wabbits (except they were NOT being very very quiet).  So we played some and cuddled some and I went in to get dressed.  One of the puppies was not happy.  At all and wanted out.  So I carried her around with me while I dressed, etc. I took her outside and let her potty and run around wiht the big dogs and come in and out of the laundry room while I did the laundry.  Eventually, she settled down again and went to sleep in the castle.

Around 10:30, they woke up raring to go so we went outside.  It was sunny and warmish but the ground was still pretty cold. They didn’t seem to notice and enjoyed finding the ice from the pitcher that I’d dumped out (we’d left it outside last night and it was frozen). There was much running amok; some playing with the big dogs and a lot of playing with one another.  It was kind of windy but it didn’t bother them at all.  

They discovered the remaining snow was at the fence line so spent a lot of time there before deciding that the BEST snow was through the fence between the bushes.  Eventually, that was more than I could deal with tracking and I worry about the hawks, etc. so I rounded them up and brought them inside again.  Unsurprisingly (except to them), they were very ready for a nap.

While they slept, I put the ex pen on the fence to contain them to a safer territory (I still won’t leave them out alone because of the aforementioned BOP though).  I finished up about the time they were due their next meal so we went outside for a picnic.

That met with their approval and after eating, they all pottied - several of them actually went out into the grass or rocks to potty.  Smart babies!  Although there were quite a few toys out there for them; once again; apparently nothing 

beats a dried up leaf or the blanket over their bed..  Shoestrings are also popular but I don’t generally wear laced shoes around them so they had to make do with the MSU’s.

Eventually they all started wearing down and finding spots to sleep.  Their choice of spots did not always coincide with my idea of good spots so we did some compromising.  Which is a nice way of saying I kept moving them from the cold pavers in the shade onto beds and blankets.  It was nice as long as we stayed in the sunshine but the shade is pervasive this time of year so I kept moving into the sun.  And puppies would wake up and go find a new spot in the shade on the last remaining ice they could find.

I brought them inside to finish their napping and brought more of the outside toys and gates around for them for tomorrow,  At least I thought it was for tomorrow.  They had entirely different ideas after dinner and they needed to potty.  It started with one of them telling us quite quite clearly that she needed to go O U T.  She was not the puppy who cried wolf, she actually went out and pooped in the grass like the good girly she is.  I brought her back inside and a few more started fussing so I put on my coat and we went outside.

They ran, they played, they pooped and peed - mostly off of the patio even (although one of them was standing on the edge and pooping into the rocks.  I’m not deludng myself that was completely inentional but it was pretty good balancing at the very least.). They continued to play some but then Auntie Elle participated in the Evening Bark with dogs in the distance so they very wisely gathered around their MarmieCarmie.  I wasn’t overly warm so that seemed like a good time to come back inside so we did. A few were ready for naptime; a couple wanted to cuddle; and a couple still wanted to play chew on me.  Eventually, they all settled in.  

We’ll have another little snack and a cuddle but I am NOT planning to take them outside again tonight.  I’m already traumatized that they’ll insist on a trip outside right after breakfast tomorrow.  In the scheme of things, it’s a good problem to have but I’m dreading next week when the polar vortex comes and they insist on playing outside anyway.  Nighty, nighty, nighty - puppy breath to all! 

02/23/25 Pupdate

Woohoo, the newly renovated puppy alcatraz was successful! No puppies have exited on their own.  I woke up to them playing around 6;30 am and it was at leasst getting daylight so I dragged myself up too.  Pupsters and big dogs had a nice breakfast and then they took a nap.

I was going to have a little more rest but the big dogs kept flying outside to bark at the wildlife so I started my day.  I finished cleaning the rubber room and rearranged the furniture to be more conducive to staring at puppies as they do things in case visitors come and we can’t go outside.  I had to stop for a few puppy cuddle breaks.  It’s a rough life but someone has to do it ‘-)

While I was in with the pupsters, after they’d gone back to sleep; I changed out the puppy linens.  That is somewhat more difficult with puppies in there but at least with them sleeping, it wasn’t as hard as it could’ve been.  I changed out some of their toys and added some more and took a few out, too.  I took a few of them outside as well.

I prepped for our outdoor adventure: it’s nicer but still pretty chilly so I set up their raised bed, etc. in the sunny parts.  The heater is still a little high to fully keep the puppies warm but it did help wth the people and the heated dog bed worked on the elevated bed.  I probably did more than necessary but I wasn’t taking chances.

They didn’t meet any new people but their repeat visitors today were here for some outdoor play time.  It was actually warm-ish in the sunshine as long as the wind wasn’t blowing.  Old and new puppies were pretty excited to have some company outside.  The new puppies were excited in general and definitely pleased to be somewhere new.  They raced about with one another, the big dogs and the people.  Most of the time they were much too busy to cuddle for long but they were awfully cute.

They played with the sit’n’spin and  lazy susan (inadvertently.). They also looked for remnants of snow/ice they could find and enjoyed that.  GrandPaw Deja very much enjoyed playing with them outside, Aunty Elle played some but was a little nervous about it, too.  MarmieCarmie, with GrandPaw Deja’s assistance, actually got to play a little with puppies without them latching on to nurse. After they’d played quite a while (for young’uns), we let the puppies have a picnic.

As puppies are wont to do, after eating came pooping.  Some of them went out into the rocks. Some only made it onto the ramp to the yard and a couple went on the patio.  One held off until we were taking our jaunt around the house in the big yard.  If I take them alone, I’ll take MarmieCarmie to help herd the cats but it went very well.  A couple of them got tired part of the way through but we managed to get everyone around and back into the dog yard. 

That was a lot of effort for little ones so we came back inside and had a little snuggle time.  They slept pretty hard in accordance with the puppy motto: dead run or dead asleep. I’m pretty sure they earned their rest.  They added mud to their list of surfaces today, too.  I’m not sure what adventures we will have tomorrow but the weather this week is supposed to be nice enough to get some outside time each day.  We’re going to say Nighty, nighty, nighty to prepare for tomorrow.  Puppy breath to all! 

02/22/25 Pupdate and Happy Birthday to The MSU

Remember how I said I was done rearranging the puppies castle?  Did everyone laugh? You probably should’ve ;-). It was a long night for me having to let MarmieCarmie in and out because the pupsters were not the slightest bit daunted by the gates.

After I fed them at 7am, we all went back to sleep for a while (not long enough but a while).  It is at least getting light a little earlier than it was so I can start workiing toward getting them on a slightly earlier schedule.  I re-awakened to a message from their Aunt Cindi about her and LeAnne coming for a midday visit with the pupsters.

When they arrived, the puppies were still in the big crate and they were not particularly pleased.  They were ready to do something FUN outside of the old castle, not be expected to nap in an even smaller area!  I had their area and was trying to remember how to re-arrange it.  (One of) the problems with waiting 4 years in between litters is that it’s hard to remember how everything was arranged last time.  Add in that we’ve added more stuff in the rubber room and that I can’t just look at the pictures/videos from last time to being sleep deprived (I am fully cognizant that I am the one that deprives myself of the sleep because I have puppy growing FOMO) then and now, and it’s hard to get it perfect.

It was still pretty chilly outside when they arrived (and all day but not as bad as it has been!) so we set up another ex pen in front of the  couch on the other side of the room and the aunties puppy sat there.  We put the adventure frame in there with a few toys and they were much happier.  The old puppies took turns helping them and helping me and eventually the new puppies all went to sleep and I completed their castle renovations.  I hope this one with be sufficient to get us through with minor tweaks.

I did add another gate by the ottobenbed and I increased the potty area.  Unfortunatly, this pan (it is for underneath a washing machine) doesn’t have any grating on top so they can easily eat the alflalfa pellets (they are edible - we use the kind that are for horse food as opposed to bedding - but they aren’t exactly balance nutrition for puppies); especially after their MarmieCarmie went in and dug up the paper to have some herself ;-). I may try putting the grating from the smaller one over the pellets in the pan.  The idea is more that they get used to pottying to the scent of grass like stuff so they don’t have to go directly on it.  I’ve put it in old pillow covers for litters before and it seemed to work as well so I can always do that, too.

The puppies were asleep and I’d pretty much finished when the aunties left.  I thought I might as well leave them in their to finish their naps but within a few minutes, some of them were waking.  Since we took the other piece of g-flooring outside to use on the deck a few years ago, that section of rubber flooring doesn’t have anything over the cracks (they are 4 ft rubber tiles and the edges are interlocking puzzle piece shapes.  If liquid gets between them, I have to clean between and underneath) so I put the pupsters back into the newly renovated castle.  They were quite happy with that turn of events and enjoyed the crate a whole lot more as an open area than they enjoyed being closed into it.

Almost immediately after puppy relocation, I realized I hadn’t covered the end of the crate.  It’s a 3 door crate and I take off/open the 2 end doors much of the time so I always worry about getting crossed as they race through.  The pupsters were quite happy to help me do that - especially since I do the potty area end from inside the crate (it’s a BIG crate, I think it’s the Great Dane size) and they can climb all over me and gnaw on my feet, toes, arms,etc. while I work.

It was lunch time not too long after that so I put one of the pools in castle to add some additional enrichment.  It’s not quite warm enough to have it as a picnic yet so we improvised.  For some reason, they ran into the crate first so they had to come out and climb into the pool to get to the food.  It didn’t take long for them to find their ways in and, of course, I made certain everyone had a good share.  It was harder to get the pool out than it was to put it in because I’d no sooner dip a puppy out before another puppy was back in it.  Eventually, I managed to put it on its side sans puppy and then take it out.  

They had a big rest and some more pretty big playtimes with lots of carrying, tugging, play bows (with tail and sometimes butt wags, too), and even actual running.  They sound like a herd of something much bigger when they are all descending on the same thing (frequently their MarmieCarmie but also us). It’s awfully adorable.  So far, we haven’t found anything that isn’t adorable about them.  Even climbing out of the pen throughout the night is cute (but I THINK I’ve put paid to that. I guess we’ll see after a few more minutes of cuddling.  Nighty, nighty, nighty Puppy breath to all 

02/21/25 Pupdate

My goodness, these puppies are sweet and smart!  They were insistent that we go outside today (it is hard to beat puppies preferring to go out to poop) so even though it was cold, we did it.  We turned the propane outdoor heater on and I put another raised bed with warm blankets on it for them (but they didn’t use it for anything more than a perch) and out we went.  There was some playing and some pottying and much investigating of snow, ice, shoes, toys, rocks, air - pretty much everything out there.  I wore a coat but I did stick to my flip flops so I could make sure they didn’t get too cold - eventually my feet were cold so we came back inside, although some of them came quickly, I had to get another couple and bring them in the house.  We were in and out a couple of times to get things for them.  They needed toys, etc. and they followed in and out again.  Pretty certain a good time was had by all.

During the night, I kept falling for leaving the gate open for MarmieCarmie (she kept insisting she needed in with them and I believed her) and then I’d have to get up and put a rogue puppy back into the pen.  I could easily call them over after they escaped but I couldn’t reach to put it back without disturbing GrandPaw Deja.  I think I need to put in another section with a gate on my side for such occasions.  Or actually keep the gates closed and get up when she wants to feed them.

At individual puppy time (at least the intentional ones). GrandPaw Deja really enjoys playing with them.  MarmieCarmie tries to play but her favorite playing style is to waller around on her back and the puppies snag that opportunity to have a little snack.  She tries to re-engage them but they are focused.  Fortunately for her, her Daddy Deja and sister Elle will play with her while she wallers without nursing ;-)

I’m going to get their midnight snack ready and have a few nighty, nighty, nighty cuddles.  Puppy breath to all 

02/20/25 Pupdate

Well our weather hasn’t improved but the pupsters had a good day nonetheless.  They’ve played in the pen together and individually.  

We finally became desperate enough that I carried then each outside and let them investigate the snow.  The high was 25 degrees with a wind chill so I wasn’t keeping them outside long but they each had other ideas.  I over rode those ideas and carried them back into the house.  They seemed to find that interesting and the others were always interested in the snow on their legs and faces.  The puppy wearing said snow was also very interested in it outside and then the snow on siblings when they returned.  So, although I got very cold (had I planned it better I’d have put on something more than my sandals but I also wanted to make sure they didn’t get colder than I did), they did not.

They slept to the sounds of assembling a patio heater so we will be ready when the water cooperates even a little bit.  Between that and the heated beds, it should be tolerable at least enough for us to get some environmental stimulation.  I’m hoping the big dogs enjoy it as well - they’ll have alternatives if not but they seem to enjoy them thus far.  I know I do! Nighty, nighty night,  Puppy breath to all 

02/18/25 & 02/19/25 Pupdate

Against all odds, the puppies have managed to get even cuter yet again.  I don’t know how they could be any cuter but then they surprise me yet again.

They are very into tugging today.  I guess maybe it’s trying out those new teeth.  They are using them to chew their bites,each other; and maybe a little nibble or two on someone who comes into range. 

They had another new visitor this evening and they particpated in 2 facetime calls.  I’m not counting the people they met that way as additional new people but it is a new experience.

I am going to have to start sleeping some during the day when the puppies do because this is 2 nights this week, I’ve been too tired to get the blog finished.  I obviously cannot be expected to use their awake time doing otherwise productive things so those things will  just have to wait.  Puppies will be grown first and I have enough trouble giving them ‘time without a human nearby’ practice.  As they get a little older there will be some ‘time without another dog nearby’ and some of ‘time without a human OR a dog nearby” so they won’t be surprised such a thing can happen later in life.

The puppies ablsolutely know the feeding signs and they are vociferously in favor.  I’ve been prepping theirs in the kitchen and then going to do the big dogs’ food so I could closely observe the puppies to be certain everyone was eating and getting enough, etc.  So now, while I’m getting the big dogs’ food ready, the pupsters are on HIGH alert and telling me how very much they are looking forward to theirs.  They are much more polite when I approach with theirs which I find impressive given how excited they are.

I’m going to have to close their gates more often especially at the food preparation times. Otherwise, I’m putting a puppy or 2 back over the wall with their flying saucer dish full of food.

They are playing with everything now.  So cute tugging on the things I tie onto the ex pen for them.  Sometimes together, sometimes not and sometimes lying underneath and playing with it from their back.  They also use their front feet to bat toys, one another and, occasionally, people.  They are also starting to work on bite inhibition.  So far, they are very short lessons and the offending puppy is very good to quickly let go of the victim.  It’s all over before MarmieCarmie or I can get there and they either resume playing or do something else.

Napping on the potty pan happens more frequently than I’d prefer so I put the raised bed in the pen for them yesterday.    Even though every litter has napped on every surface (they already lie in the food bowls when available, too). I was concerned they might want a cooler spot available than the warm floor. (I do the same thing if it is cold outside so they don’t have to lie on cold ground if they don’t prefer that. ). So in it went. 

It took a few mintues to master getting up there for the latecomers because of the lack of available real estate at that time but they are getting much faster.  There is now Very vigorous play on it.  There is also Very vigorous play on and off it.  And underneath it.  And sneaking out at another from underneath it.  Pretty much every combination possible is explored and, you guessed it, all of them are really really cute.  They aren’t always as graceful getting off of it but it’s not high enough for one of them to get hurt.  

MarmieCarmie fed them from there this morning.   That was interesting as she’s mostly been feeding them while standing.  She was lying on her side on it and they were on their back legs onto it like the great great Uncle Indy always did on the ottoman.

Random cuteness attack of the day: a puppy sleeping on top ‘step’ (spice rack)

I disappointed them greatly today with a nail trim… It was mine.  They all always miss it right after I cut them, especially when I’ve let them get too long already.  It’s funny that puppies already do it too.  One by one, they leaned a little harder into where they like me to scritch, then a little harder and then leaned away to look at me.  Most of them gave a big sigh and then decided they still love me (or good enough is better than nothing)

I also gave each of them a turn on the grooming table today.  That is much harder since MarmieCarmie insists on joining them and they get distracted.  I may have to bring in another table to hopefully satisfy her while I do them.  Or the MSU may have to brush her on a table while I do them because it is getting close to me needing to do little lion butts.  I did dremel each of their nails a little bit but not on the table.  I had to let their nails go unclipped for a few days in preparation of me trying that and I’m going back to clipping  because I’m not all that comfortable doing it sight unseen on tiny little paws.  They were all fine with it and only one was really determined to try to sniff it so I had to wait until she was sleepy again.  Speaking of sleepy again, we’re going to call it time for them to have a midnight snack and a little snuggle sat Nighty, nighty, nighty.  Puppy breath to all 

02/17/25 5 Weeks Old!

How are they already 5 weeks old?!!  It’s all been a blur even more than usual (that’s Blindchick humor in case you didn’t catch it) but it doesn’t seem like they should be more than 3 weeks or so.

Instead of all of the massive rain we were predicted to receive yesterday, it turned to snow before noon.  There wasn’t a lot of accumulation but it did get somewhat slick.  It has at least been sunny a good portion of the day so a lot of it has melted (but not in the places that don’t get winter sunlight) just in time for it to get much colder and snow yet again.   I took advantage of the sunniest, ‘warmest’ part of the day and carried each puppy out onto the patio and let it follow us back to the door, then Uncle Daddy made sure it was warm before putting it back with the others (they weren’t outside/down long enough to truly get cold but ‘a pound of prevention’ keeps me from getting an(other) ukcer ;-)

Today’s theme for new toys is metal.  They seem to think that’s a good idea on their teething gums, too.  And it’s plenty noisy.  As PWDs are wont to do, they also create their own ‘toys’ from things in their environment and are very helpful about pulling up the fleece from the floor.  They are getting stronger and stronger pulling it with various items - including siblings (they don’t make as much progress with a sibling on it)

We held a weight watchers meeting tonight and we have a couple of 5 pounders.  And Fievel is knocking on the door of 4 lbs (he;s gained 7/10 of a pound since Saturday!) Everyone else is gaining steadily and we have almost 33 lbs of pure puppy cuteness.

They are becoming fairly adept at running around carrying things - including toys that are at least as big as they are and it is really cute to see them playing with spoons.  MarmieCarmie is feeling more playful and plays with them and her DaddyDeja and sister Elle.  When she plays with the pupsters, she alternates between going in an rolling around and standing at a gate with her head hanging over and playing with them that way.  Both are adorable.

She’s digging less so I left the dog door accessible part of today and she was in and out more.  She likes to go out and see what’s happening but doesn’t want to leave the puppies unmonitored.  I wonder if I’ll be able to take the small wading pool off of her favorite couch digging spot soon.  Her double dose of JillyBean (our foundation bitch) is coming out again now in how she exits the pen.  She goes in faster circles to get all of them following her like a conga line and then hops out a gate.  I guess that method keeps them from being between her and the exit so she doesn’t worry about anyone being underfoot.

Have I mentioned that they are very very cute?  The lot of them sitting at the edge of the pen waiting for greetings is nearly unbearable.  We try to acknowledge them in that position quickly because it’s a nice behavior.  You know, because we would otherwise ignore them because they aren’t cute at all ;-)

I should’ve made notes throughout the day because there were several other things to add but I can’t recall them now and I have puppies to put to sleep.  Nighty, nighty, nighty.  Puppy breath to all 

02/16/25 Pupdate

Good morning good morning the little dogs say.  I think they’d happily say it a lot earlier than I’m willing to start a day so they go back to sleep until a reasonable time but they are really cute whenever they see people.

We added 5 more people to their ‘new people after 4 weeks’ list today.  And those people (the people of one of GrandPaw Deja’s littermates) arrived as I was trying to change the puppy linens and clean their floor.  The puppies were ‘helping’ so I was letting them play on the piled up dirty linens while I tried to put down the new ones.  Instead, I handed them off to the visitors while I did it.  That worked much better than trying to keep them in a pool but requires more people than we normally have.  It’s time to start using the inside crates for that (and I’ll have to remember to put them where they aren’t able to use them to climb over the fence)

Not too long after that, it was feeding time at the zoo.  MarmieCarmie is now slightly more accepting of the idea of crating her posse (She didn’t want GrandPaw Deja or Sister Elle crated before and we didn’t crate her away from her puppies because she didn’t like that.  So we adjusted visitors to accomodate that.  She still liked the open crates just fine). Now that the pupsters are eating some mush, it is acceptable to her for the big dogs to eat in crates and them for me to feed the little ones.  As long as we let her back in in time to clean up the post prandial puppy pottying so we followed that system.  The puppies ate quite well; she came in to clean up and I eventually took their dishes in to clean while they helped entertain the company.

As the puppies wound down, we utilized all of the extra ‘holder’ and I gave them their first baths in a basin in the kitchen sink.  They were all very good for it and one of them was perfectly content to just float in the water.  That’s always funny to me but a nice soak in a lavender scented bath would be relaxing.  They all insisted on tasting the water a little (I guess I need to add a lline about not drinking soapy water in the official bath time song but I usually just try to keep their chins out of it) and everybody made  to the water straight from the faucet (it’s a progression from being placed into the basin of water to having the rinse water pours from a cup; then the sprayer; and, if all is still well; a little but directly through the faucet a little.)  

That hair already holds a lot of water so they had to be “wrung out” (but not always in the ‘proper order according to GrandPaw Deja) and then wrapped in a towel and snuggled dry by the visitor helpers.  It’s a tough job but someone had to do it (after I bathed the last one, I snagged one back from one of the double holders as my reward for all of that ‘hard work’ 😉)

The rest of the evening was more routine.  Puppies played and played and took a nap and had some dinner and snacks and I tried to hold out until bedtime but my ipad wasn’t charging correctly (I’m lucky if I keep it from dying  even charging while I use it, last night I was losing the battle for some reason) ended up sleeping instead of finishing the blog post.  Hope everyone had a good nighty, nighty, nighty 

02/15/25 Pupdate

The pupsters had a big day today.  So did the rest of us.  I prepped their breakfast when I was up to go to the bathroom at 6am and then went back to bed.  They noticed I was up as I went by the pen but it was dark so it was not breakfast time yet.  It’s my firm belief that it is easier to convert a puppy/dog to getting up earlier than to convince them to sleep later - especially if they are used to starting their day before daylight.  So I’ll do a lot of adjusting of night time schedules to avoid starting our days before daylight.  I am NOT a morning person.  We all went back to sleep until after daylight.

As we were waking up, the old puppies were doing their morning cuddles and MarmieCarmie came up to cuddle after she finished feeding the puppies (she’s still doing that twice in the night and a few times during the day) and they saw something out the door.  Apparently, it wasn’t too big a deal because they just gave some little woofs but the puppies were paying attention and one of them gave a little bark back each time.  Until the big dogs barked for real and then the puppy hied itself  back to the purple fleece in the back of the pen with the siblings.  Smart puppy.

I rearranged some again in the rubber room to try to give us a little more room since we’ve been unable to go outside to play and the upcoming week doesn’t appear to be improving.  SInce the pieces of ferret ex pen on the gates of the short ex pen aren’t holding up great (MarmieCarmie isn’t particularly careful about them and they aren’t built for dogs her size),  we changed those out.  The MSU turned one of the crate dividers into 2 gate extensions that I can use until they are ready to start going in and out through the gate.

Then they met a new person and a new dog - their aunt Ruba and her human Laurie.  The puppies were cuddled by al of the humans (their aunts Cindi, LeAnne and Lana came, too). It wasn’t too long before it was time for the pupsters to have lunch.  Then we had a little more playing until the pupsters were ready to settle into nap time again.  

We had the van warmed up and I warmed a couple of towels in addition to the blankets and fleece I’d already put in the crate in the van.  We bundled up part of the puppies and took them and MarmieCarmie to the van.  (It was more likely that she would be ok with them goingif she went, too and I didn’t want her trying to come down to the house looking for them). It took 2 loads to get all of the puppies because I wanted them bundled up from the cold cold rain and we put their warm towels in with them, too)

Then the puppies got to go on an adventure!  They were driven all of the way up the driveway ;-). We released the other dogs and let MarmieCarmie out to play too.  Cold as it was (the humans were all bundled up in cold weather rain gear - thank goodness for neoprene hoodies), the dogs all ran into the pond for a little dip and a short jaunt partway up pond spur.  We didn’t do it very long because A: the humans were cold and it was raining and B: they haven’t been getting a lot of exercise and I didn’t want anyone to get swimmer’s tail.  So we let them have a little pre rinse and then leashed them to go back to the house.  As they were waiting for us to get ourselves arranged with leashes, they were quite busy sniffing where the Dal was when we came back from North Ridgeville (and the dish I’d fed her from, too.). 

After the dogs were safely ensconced in the house with Laurie and Lana supervising them (we’re not pushing our luck that hard assuming the sisters will all be fine together unsupervised with puppies in the house), the MSU drove the van back down the hill and we carried the puppies back into their ‘castle’. 

While I bathed the big dogs, Aunts Cindi and LeAnne held a weight watchers meeting.  We have over 30 lbs of absolute adorableness.  Fievel is over 3 lbs (not bad for a puppy who was 5.5oz on his birth day); LittleFoot is within a hair’s breadth of 4 lbs; the others all range from 4 1/4 to 4.8 lbs.  No wonder I have to keep loosening collars all of the time. 

We had some more cuddles with the (old and new) puppies before they left.  Unfortunately for me, the heavy (torrential ?) rains are causing flooding and flood watches/warnings so Ruba didn’t have her customary sleep over while she’s in town.  We hadn’t had any flooding that we are aware of but if there are places between here and there that could flood (it usually goes down quickly but if she couldn’t snag Ruba, Laurie couldn’t go back home)

The rest of our evening has been more of the usual napping, eating and mild playtime.  They are getting more and more teeth so play time will become a lot rougher before too long.  I’ve managed to stay up until time for their last meal of the day to get them through the night (with MarmieCarmie’s assistance) so we’re going to get our little dog selves ready for Nighty nighty nighty time.  Puppy breath to all!