Some video

Some video from the last couple of days. They've had a lot of visitors and have been outside A LOT! They are completely wiped out. Sometimes I forget they are so young. They seem so much older than just 4 1/2 weeks old! BTW, they all weigh over 5 lbs. Sol has caught up quite a bit. Sirrah is still the biggest though.

I'm back to work tomorrow so probably won't have time to post again until the end of the week. It's incredibly hectic right now! I'm doing the best that I can. No e-mails asking for posts!!!! PLEASE :)

Four weeks old

The puppies turned four weeks old on Tuesday. They are keeping me incredibly busy. They are awake a LOT and eating a LOT. They are up to three meals a day of puppy mush. In the last week, they've also been exposed to a bunch of stuff. They've been on seven or eight different surfaces (including the baby pool with a small amount of water) and had a few visitors. More coming this weekend. My nephew came over yesterday afternoon (he's 18) and that was good for them. They haven't seen him in two weeks so they really didn't remember him at all. At first the boys were a little hesitant along with Sirrah but within a little while they were crawling all over him and pouncing on him. They don't get to see men very often so that was good. Shock has been interested in them but still not too sure "what" they really are. Ransom is pretty much tired of feeding them but down to just four times a day now. I'd like to get them completely weaned in the next week or so. They are really busy. They love playing with toys and each other. They also like getting in trouble a lot by trying to eat the furniture. The whelping box went away last weekend so they are in a ex-pen. I do let them have the run of the family room and the kitchen sometimes as well. They pretty much just want to run everywhere they go. Oh, they started tugging too. Sirrah was the first to play tug with me, then Sol. Sol will grab the mobiles in the ex-pen and tug on those to amuse herself. They all seem to be able to play well by themselves though. They'll grab a toy and just have a good ole time :) They've also started playing a little rougher with each other. I've heard a couple yelps in the last two days so they are starting to teach each other bit inhibition. That's good. BTW, they are sleeping very well through the night and do well at not making a huge mess in the pen either. In fact, they will cry to get out to potty. Yesterday, I was cleaning out the pen and forgot to put the water bowl back in. Sirrah just stood by where it goes and barked at me to let me know it was missing. As soon as I got it in there, she drank a bunch. Oh yeah, and Tuesday, when I had the first long time away from them since they are awake more, they REALLY told me off when I got home for lunch. They all just stood at my feet and barked. Sirrah was really mad. Just stood right at my feet, staring up and barking at me. It was really so cute until Atlas bit me in the ankle. He does that :). All the little personalities, too funny :) BTW, getting really hard to take pictures. No one wants to stand still. Sol jumps up and tries to bite the camera if she catches me taking a picture! Here they are in alphabetical order.

Quick update

A couple quick pictures from this afternoon. The little house is new to them today. I set it up and within a few seconds, Sirrah marched right in and layed down. Then she ran in an out for a while. Vega was the second to go in. Atlas looked but decided he wanted to do the tunnel. I'm sure they all went through the tunnel at least once or twice today. I set up a little temporary pen outside for them. It's a pretty big area (40 square feet or so).

One more video for today

I couldn't wait to try out the baby tunnel....

Some pictures to add

Polaris with Vega (sleeping) and Sirrah



Polaris and the Boys taking a nap

Polaris with the boys and Atlas resting on Vega

Everyone taking a nap outside :)

I did have a whole narrative attached to the video along with pictures but it got lost somewhere in blog land so I quickly posted the video (since it takes like an hour to load!). The puppies are really coming along well. They seem very bright and healthy. They are up to two meals a day of puppy mush (which they LOVE). Ransom is really about done with them. I had no idea how many teeth they had until Ransom wanted nothing to do with them on Monday. Then I checked. They basically have their entire top row and all the canines. I can understand why she's ready to cut them loose :) Unfortunately, it'll be a couple more weeks before they are completely weaned.

I stopped by the vet this am (on my way to take three dogs to the doggie chiropractor) and dropped off puppy stool samples. I opted to make sure it was necessary to worm them before doing so. I have no desire to give them insectisides unnessesarily. Glad I did since this litter, like the last, had NO parasites. No deworming necessary!

The puppies don't seem to be bothered by much of anything. They've been groomed several times, including a mini bath today. They've all paraded through the water bowl so they seem OK with water :) They all have there moments although until now, Polaris has been the one to try everything first (food, water, escaping). There isn't one in the litter that is noticably less timid than any of the others and generally, they seem to be pretty consistent as far as activity, brightness, etc. is concerned.

First time outside

Video includes puppies' first two outside adventures and some play time.

No Outside

Well, the grass didn't get cut until later in the day and honestly, it was still so wet, I didn't want the babies on it. Also, too cold on the cement for them so maybe today during my lunch break. A couple pictures from yesterday afternoon though.


Dinner time.



Polaris and Vega trying to escape.




They are all so full of personality. Every day, my favorite changes :) It was so funny though yesterday. Polaris got out (as usual) with one of the doors locked and Vega was trying so hard. Atlas came up behind him, gave him a boost and he got out easily, then out came Atlas. What a good brother :)

Three Weeks Old

A couple quick pictures from this am. They are three weeks old already! The time is going by WAY too fast. Their tummys seemed to handle the food yesterday OK. We'll try one meal again today. It's also going to be a very nice day out today so I'm going to get them outside (as long as my grass gets cut :). If I do, I'll get video and post it.

Everyone but Atlas and just Atlas

Puppies' First Meal

Well, big day today. Not only did Miss Polaris get out of the second tier of the whelping box but I decided to give them their first meal of puppy mush. They have quite a few teeth and I think Ransom is ready to get a break. I was really surprised at how quickly they took to it. Polaris was a little piggy. She never stopped eating. She's actually been trying to get to the cookies in my pocket for the last couple of days. I had a feeling she would be happy to try food. All of them really liked it. I just hope I didn't let them eat so much that they get tummy aches!

19 Days old

They are 19 days old today and getting real little personalities. I also started to let them lap up water and they think it's fun. Also fun to walk through the water bowl :) Some pictures of them sleeping again. A few from last night and one from this am. So hard to get anything while they are awake since they are moving ALL THE TIME!

Sirrah with ducky and Sol with Atlas



Polaris with Sirrah and Atlas, Polaris with Sirrah

A few more :)

Atlas and Polaris



Vega and Sol

The boys :)

A few quick pictures

Pictures too cute to pass up :)

Sirrah and Polaris and Sirrah and Sol

Sirrah and Sol again

One more video for today :)

New Video 17 Days old

I can't tell you how much fun I am having with these puppies. They just brighten my day :) They just make me laugh. One of my students told me before Ransom's first litter (of one) that having puppies in the house was one of the best times. I couldn't agree more. They are all so full of personality. I'm not biased or anything but I think they are all really nice, bright, confident puppies. They have all been out of the whelping box and allowed to run around the family room. I'm hoping to get them outside before the weekend is over (if it ever stops raining!). They are really little puppies now. Playing, running, growling, barking and starting to play with toys. They are also already starting to teethe. I plan to start them on puppy cereal next week. I am also contemplating taking down the whelping box. Probably the end of next week. They seem to run into the pig rails a lot when they are playing so probably almost time to take it down. Here are their current weights:

Sirrah 44 oz.
Atlas 42 3/4 oz.
Vega 40 3/4 oz.
Polaris 40 oz.
Sol 34 1/2 oz.

Here's some video from a little while ago.... BTW, I kept the audio since I love the puppy noises :)

A couple pictures from yesterday

Sol "helping" Polaris out of the box.



Atlas Lounging



Sol sleeping with her bunny :)




Vega taking it all in.



The picture I got of Sirrah didn't turn out. She was running around so it didn't turn out so good :)

I'll get another one soon!

First out of the whelping box

Well, it just happened, the first puppy got out of the whelping box. At least they waited until I got home from morning classes! The good news is that I've got a couple doors I can close so it looks like I'll have to start closing one. I was trying to avoid as long as possible since it's easier for Ransom to see them when she goes into the box with the shorter entrance. Now that they are bigger, it should be fine. She's pretty careful too. So, the first out of the whelping box is .......



POLARIS!!! I knew it would either be Sol or Polaris :) BTW, all eyes are open!

A few pictures - 13 days old

Vega

Atlas

Polaris

Sirrah

Sol