Puppies are now 6 wks. old. Feels like a LONG time ago when I said they turned 5 wks. old! Been a long week , I guess. Or maybe just jam packed full of things. The pups are up for longer periods and active during those times. They are no longer content to spend time in their ‘room’ but know that there is a big world out there to investigate and can hardly wait to do it! At this point they are only in their room for night or short periods if no one is home. They are using the newspaper for their ‘business’ so that is nice to see. They also are learning to go outside to do their business.
First thing in the morning when they wake up they are taken outside. They are also taken outside (weather permitting) right after they eat, sleep and/or play. Tikka is still cleaning up after them. This past week the weather has been very nice and actually quite warm. This is ‘different’ for the pups. They are panting and sleeping more during the hot hours. In the morning and evening they are very active though! I introduced them to the back yard yesterday and their puppy run. Once in the back yard they all had their noses down to investigate everything! They got to explore new things, places, crevices, lawn and different surfaces. In the puppy kennel they found the cool ‘inside’ place to sleep and piled up in there or on the big pillow. Yesterday was a very hot day and thus when they were let out of the kennel they found the spot where water was coming out of the hose (just dribbling) and laid there to cool off!
Tikka is spending less time with them when they sleep but more time with them playing when they are out. It is so much fun watching them together. Tikka is teaching them play ‘language’ and how to ‘read’ another dogs actions etc. It is so nice to see this. I will try and get video of it. It is also interesting to watch Tikka ‘tend’ the puppies. She will lay and watch them but will also get up and actually trot back and forth to where they all are like she is tending them and keeping them in place. We also have a lot of birds right now in the front yard (they LOVE nesting in the cedar trees/bushes). The adult birds have started to ‘attack’ Tikka and hit her in the rear end as they fly by. Tikka generally ignores them but sometimes get ticked off enough to run after the bird!! I have some of this on video! Interestingly enough the birds have not done this to any of the pups. Guess they are too small to be a threat but Tikka also watches the puppies carefully. She is also a bit more relaxed about the other dogs with the puppies. I haven’t let any of the other big dogs ‘run’ with them yet but several of them have passed by the pups on their way out the door, and Tikka has been o.k. with that.
I am now feeding the puppies tripe, chicken and beef. I have started to add a bit of salmon oil, kelp and Vit C. Next I will add some veggie mixture. They all look really good and healthy. I will deworm them again this week.
The puppies personalities have changed a bit. No collar girl has become more affectionate. Lime green girl knows how to get into trouble!! Red collar girl is the biggest puppy at this point. She is similar to no collar but perhaps a bit more independent. Orange collar girl is the explorer (although they all do this well!). I think the coat on orange collar girl with be the ‘shortest’ out of them all. All the girls are very fun loving, love to run around and they now know how to get in and out of the house (2 steps) without help, although I try to be there to watch them closely.
Dark green collar boy is also a bit more affectionate now. Purple boy also knows how to get into trouble! He is likely the most cautious out of all the pups. Once he feels o.k. about things, you can’t stop him. Yellow collar boy (now no collar boy as he outgrew his collar) is likely the most independent of the boys. He comes for affection as well though and then off he goes to explore.
The pups LOVE to play and sleep under the steps…guess it is cooler there. I introduced the tunnel to them last week. Some went through it right away, others tried to drag it to another place! It was not a problem for any pups…just another thing to investigate.
Next week I think we are going to have our first outing to the sheep & lambs!!!!
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