Puppy Journal

The puppies are 2-weeks old as of Sunday and have been put into rick rack.

1st born black male = white boy (2 1/2 pounds)

2nd born black male = yellow boy (2 1/4 pounds)

3rd born liver male = green boy (2 lbs, 10 ounces)

4th born liver male = blue boy (2 lbs, 10 ounces)

5th born black female = pink girl (2 3/4 pounds)

6th born liver female = purple girl (2 1/2 pounds)

Whether CBR or FS, every “pink girl” in every litter of mine has grown up and accomplished things in show or performance rings. All those girls were brown. This time around I put the pink rick rack on the black bitch. Not because I am picking her to be the “one” but because she needs the extra luck that goes with pink. She is the only puppy in the litter with clear white. Everyone else has black or liver ticking filling in their muzzles and/or toes. The white comes from both Cosmo and Picabo but the absence of ticking come from Cosmo. :-( I know it is way too early to worry about their color (it can take up to six months for facial white to fill in) but I can’t help but notice how “clean” she is compared to how “dirty” the rest are. Yellow boy, Blue boy, and Purple girl are going to basically be solid-colored dogs with a little white on their throats and chests. White boy might end up with a slight look of gray around his nose (like Picabo - you have to look for it). Green boy and Pink girl are wait and sees.

A lot has happened in the last week. They are up on their feet and wobbling a few steps forward and backward. Their eyes are open and at the very least, pink girl has shown signs of useful vision. I held her today by the window and she turned toward it, then she turned toward me. When Picabo was outside the Dura-Whelp’s gate, she wobbled toward the gate and made the first attempt at climbing over it (a pretty feeble attempt but she stood on three legs and put her other paw on the barrier). They are also very vocal the few seconds they are awake. They don’t cry but they make a baby barking sound.

Sunday was a big day. I took out the pig rails because they were threatening to become lethal. The puppies are now just big enough and mobile enough that they could get their necks caught between the rail and Picabo. I know because I had to rescue a couple of them Saturday night. I made yet another modification to the Dura-Whelp. I bought a piece of white marker board, used the whelping box’s removable door as a pattern, and cut two new door sizes. The doors slide into grooves and close off the opening. There is no inbetween. The gate is open or it is closed. I want the puppies in but I want Picabo to come and go as she pleases. The opening to the door is 7 inches high. I cut a door that now makes the opening 9 inches high. It is still easy for Picabo to step over but I won’t have to worry about escaping puppies this week. Next week will be another story. I made a second door that is 12 inches high. That one will only go in when I notice the puppies trying to get out. Picabo can hop over it but I don’t want her landing on a puppy. My hope is to keep them contained until they are four-weeks old and then move them into the x-pen. I’m not hopeful that they will last that long in the Dura-Whelp. The other big thing that happened on Sunday was that I moved back into my own room. Ahh, to sleep for six uninteruppted hours… The puppies don’t need me and Picabo wanted the bed in that room anyway. :-)

My oh my but I have had to invest a lot of time in that plastic box. I have it sitting on 1 1/2 inches of styrofoam for additional insulation (that will come out when the 12” door goes in), I have added additional Velcro to both the floor and the two pads I purchased. I made two more pads and I have made two replacement doors. I coded the pig rails with a Sharpie so when I use it again, I can line everything up the way I had it this time. The box is guaranteed for three years. That’s funny because it will be at least three years, maybe four before I use it again. :-)

Not much else has happened. Picabo has rejoined the family on our daily walks. I don’t have to supervise her toilet duties anymore. To say she is blowing her coat is an understatement. She scratches herself and oops, she is bald there. It will all grow back nice and black and shiny. I do have the pictures back from last week and I will make an album to put up in the list’s photo file.

Sheila Miller

Wolftree Acres

Nevada, USA

sdmiller@the-onramp.net

http://www.wolftreeacres.homestead.com