DAISY X KEEFER - WEEK 2

Daisy's four babies continue to thrive and actually, a couple of them are downright 'fat sausages'! It appears their mommy is doing a very good job of providing substantial amounts of nutritious milk. Kudos to you Daisy girl!

They all began opening their eyes over the last two days. Black Boy and Blueberry Girl opened first with Teal and Purple Girls following the next day. The pups startle very easily now that their eyes and ears are opening. Seeing is still a bit fuzzy but anything they can see is scary and different. This is a time of caution and patience. They are content under my desk where they really don't have much stimuli; however, in a few more days, they will be moved to the puppy room where I expect them to be quite 'uncomfortable' initially. In a couple of hours, they adjust and all is well. Most of the time, I move them just around nightfall so the light is very dim and feels 'normal'.

Blueberry Girl is 1.8 lbs. and fits the 'litter average' thought to a 'T'.

Black Boy weighs a hefty 2.8 lbs. and will be the largest pup in the litter.

Teal Girl is tracking to be a strong 30 pounder at 2.0 lbs. this week.

Purple Girl is the shrimp of the group and weighs 1.1 lbs.

CHARLOTTE & KEEFER'S PUPS GO HOME!

It was a spectacular day for puppy pick ups - the weather was so mild, I had windows open and fans going!!

All the families arrived right around 1:30 pm and were able to have some snacks and meet each other as we found our chairs and began going over the notebooks. Some great questions were asked and I am sure more will be forthcoming as each family gets to know their new companion over the next few days or so.

I want to thank the children (and their parents) for their excellent behavior, it is much appreciated.

Getting everything set up.

I like to offer some nibbles! My husband made the cookies - he loves to bake!!

The Puppy Bags are always fun to do.

 

Rudy joins the Simonds Family!

Daisy Duck Sharkey will bring lots of smiles and giggles to the Fish family.

Lots of cuddles from the Mollano Family for their Rosie!

Miss Holly Fuhrer will keep her owners happy and active!

The happy owners of the Charlotte x Keefer litter!!

Rudy, Rosie, Daisy and Holly are home from their surgeries! UPDATED WITH PICS!

All went well and they are still recuperating. Unfortunately, I got home with them in the evening, so will take pics of them tomorrow morning.

Rudy was the last one done, so is a bit uncomfortable but the girls (done this morning) are resting with no complaints. They all had a bit of food, did potty in the litterbox and drank water. Tomorrow they will be allowed outdoors but only in the ally. It is dry there and has a roof. I can't let them on the snow because the incisions cannot get wet until fully scabbed.  They had baths last night in preparation for the surgery and Saturday's pick up. Please, no baths for 10 days. They will need to be a bit confined but not crated 100% of the time. You just want to minimize their activities a bit.

When you pick them up on Saturday, they will seem like normal, active pups but the restrictions should continue until a full 10 days from the surgery.  Walking and playing gently are all fine - just use some common sense and keep the activities at a low level.  You do not want the incision to open, ooze, turn red or angry looking.  If your pup is getting too much activity, you may feel a slight lump developing under the incision site. This typically goes away but is a caution to 'take it easier'. Use this time to teach sit, down, shake and walking with a leash. Exercise their minds during this recuperation time.  :+)

UPDATE:

Here they are the morning after surgery.  I will now feed them individually in separate crates. This is to expose them to the crate being a good place as 'food = good'. Periodically, I will place them in the crates with a filled chew toy to enjoy. Once done, they will be released. They will not be in the crates for a long time. This is a soft introduction to 'being in a crate' but they will NOT be crate trained. I just want them to have a good experience . Each crate has a different toy in it to peek their interest.

The pen has been expanded and a door removed so they can come and go as they please.

They are playful and full of energy!

The doors to the crates are left open so they can investigate and play in them.

DAISY X KEEFER PUPS AT ONE WEEK!

It is amazing that a week has passed since Daisy delivered her litter on the late evening of Valentine's Day. She is doing well and the four pups are gaining with Black Collar boy being 'extra large'! His three sisters are gaining but at a much lower rate. Maybe his 'teat' has steroids in the milk!! Ha, ha.

I wish Daisy would eat more but she seems to be satisfied. Milk production is good, so I guess I should stop fussing over her. :+)

The pups eat, sleep and cry when they want something - that is about it.  An easy time for me.

All four in my wagon.

Overhead shot of the group. You can see that Black Boy has the darkest color of the group.

Purple Girl is the tiniest and weighs just 10 1/8 ounces at one week. She is also the feistiest!

Black Boy weighs 1.5 lbs at one week. Look at those cheeks!

Teal Girl is chunky too - weighs 1.2 lbs. at one week.

Miss Blueberry weighs 13 5/8 ounces at week one.

CHARLOTTE X KEEFER - WEEK 8

With all the snow piles we have, this week's pics were taken on top of one! They are having a ball going in and out of the dogie door now and most make it out to go potty when I give them 'free time'. that makes me very happy!

The pups are REALLY using their teeth now and I constantly have to stand up to prevent them from chewing my fingers, sleeves, hair, etc. They all vie for my lap when I set down for cuddles and get quite rambunctious and will not wait their turn. I need to be an octopus so each has an arm for patting!

Tomorrow is their eye check with my vet in Portsmouth, NH. They did very well in the car on Friday for their first vaccines; I am hoping for a repeat. Surgeries are scheduled for Wednesday - so a very busy week ahead.

A couple of pointers:

• Please read my warranty and guarantee BEFORE pick up day and if you have any questions, contact me.
• Check out the Pup Supply List which is located on the right side of this blog if you scroll down a bit and do not buy everything on it yet. Many things can be bought later but I hope all of you ordered a SNUGGLE PUPPY as they can only be purchased online! Very soothing for puppy.
• Check out and print the Puppy Training sheets from my trainer. You may learn a thing or two. I will send it in a group email.

I had company today so forgive the late posting.

DAISY DUCK  Fish - 8 weeks and 8  1/4 lbs.

HOLLY Fuhrer at 8 weeks and 7  1/2 lbs.

ROSIE Mollano - 8 weeks and 8 lbs.

RUDY Simonds, the only male, weighs 8  3/4 lbs. at 8 weeks.

CHARLOTTE X KEEFER LITTER ASSIGNMENTS!

Today my trainer came over to temperament test the four pups from Charlotte's litter and to help me make assignments.

Once finished, I contacted each new owner to ask for the name of their new furry companion. Some stayed with the Christmas theme and others were quite creative!

• Missy Toes is now 'ROSIE' and assigned to the Mollano Family.
• Ebenezer is 'RUDY' and assigned to the Simonds Family.
• Holly Berry's family decided to keep 'HOLLY' and is assigned to the Fuhrers.
• Lastly, Silver Belle is now DAISY DUCK SHARKEY and assigned to the Fish Family.

Congratulations everyone!

DAISY DELIVERED LATE LAST NIGHT!

Another 'holiday' delivery!  Towards the afternoon yesterday, I figured Daisy and I would be up most of the night.  She whelped 7 adorable, tiny 'valentines'. Unfortunately, one little girl is struggling and I am not sure she will make it.  It is always so difficult when one pup is so tiny (4 ounces) and has a very weak sucking reflex.  The surprise is that seven were whelped when I was expecting six. I did a double take when I had changed all the bedding and replaced the whelping pads with a nice warm fluffy bed. In the time it took for me to put the whelping pads in the washing machine and return, another pup had been born - the fourth girl! :+)

Yes, it is another female heavy litter - four of them  and three males. Sadly, we lost the first three pups born. The rest are hearty and thriving.

• Male at 11:25 pm - 7 5/8 ounces. (deceased)
• Male at 11:53 pm - 8 1/4 ounces  (deceased)
• Female at 12:10 am - 4 5/8 ounces, (deceased)
• Teal Collar Female at 12:22 am - 8 5/8 ounces
• Purple Collar Female at 12:47 am - 6 1/4 ounces
• Black Collar Male at 1:03 am - 8 7/8 ounces
• Blueberry Collar Female at 1:15 am - 8 1/8 ounces 

All the pups are shades of apricot.

Update 2/16: I took Daisy and the pups to be vet checked this morning and to have their dew claws removed. It is with great sadness that two pups, the little girl that was struggling and another male had cleft palates which are caused by the disruption of the normal processes that form during fetal development - much like deformities with human babies - a sad reality of reproduction. The third pup simply failed to thrive.  :+(

Charlotte's pups play indoors and outdoors now.

The pups love company, whether it be two or four footed. My matriarch, Annabelle, loves puppies - be it hers or those of another. Annie will scratch at the pup gate to go in and mingle with them. She also loves all their soft toys and beds. It is so neat to watch Annabelle grumble at them and see how they totally understood what she said. When she does this, they lay down, back off or simply watch her. Annie's tail is wagging the entire time but the pups already understand a dog's body language and voice. Good to see.

Here are some pics of a typical day....well...not really - we don't usually have almost four feet of snow piles everywhere!  :+)

They seem to love the snow and LOTS of it!

 Look how high the snow pile is! Our fence is four feet!

Here is Annabelle entertaining herself with the pups 'Activity Square' while the pups find her very entertaining.

Some pics just don't need explaining.  :+)

Pins and needles around here....

Miss Daisy was shaking a bit this morning which is common for girls to do for a couple of days prior to whelping. She is also 'nesting' in her whelping bed (bunching up towels to 'make a nest') in anticipation of impending babies. It is obvious to me that this is the week that her babies will enter our world.

I should also tell you that she happily ate her breakfast this morning and ran around outdoors enjoying the huge mountains of snow we have here - so, not expecting pups today - but soon!!

Olive likes to keep her company.  :+)

Dog food in a can a health risk?

You might want to research more on this 'stuff' called BPA.  Copy and paste this link to your browser if necessary. Studies are pretty scary, especially since BPA is NOT listed as an ingredient in the actual labeling of the products. BPA leaks into the canned food from the can itself!

From my brief research into pet food companies that state they 'do not' use BPA, the ONLY size can that routinely came up as free from BPA were the small cans. Most large cans DO contain it.

This is why I highly suggest if you prefer canned food for your doodles, that you purchase from the varieties offered by LIFE'S ABUNDANCE.  Just my 2-cents.  :+)

CHARLOTTE X KEEFER - WEEK 7

We are gearing up for Valentine's Day AND another major snowstorm!

The pups LOVE going outside and playing in the snow and under the ramp. An intense game of Peek A Boo can be heard outdoors while I clean the Pup Room.  I love to watch them play as they get so excited about chasing and barking from atop the ramp while watching for the one under the ramp to pop out! Very, very cute.

They are busy, busy, busy now. Barking up a storm when I put them back into the pen for naps and barking again for me to let them out. It typically is not for very long as the early morning frenzy is a 'shout out' for breakfast to be served; and nap time is a requirement around here. I ignore it and they do fall asleep or play quietly until sleep overtakes them. (Reminds me of my children's objections when young.)

They are enjoying the snow for short periods outdoors and love following me down the path to the 'pup shed' to get various supplies.

Temperament testing will be Wednesday afternoon so stay tuned! I hope another storm does not prevent this from happening - let's keep our fingers crossed.

The pups wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day!

It is Ebenezer who is high-tailing it back to the pup room!
Silver Belle in front with Holly and Missy Toes in the rear.

Missy Toes (Rosie Mollano) weighs 6 3/4 lbs. at 7 weeks.

Holly (Holly Fuhrer) is the smallest girl at 6 1/2 lbs.

Weighing in at 7 1/2 lbs. is Ebenezer (Rudy Simonds).  Following in his dad's pawsteps.

Silver Belle (Daisy Fish) is 7 lbs. on the nose! I predict she will be the biggest girl.

Ahhhhhhh.... fresh air and sunshine!

Yep, today the pups went outdoors with the help of Gunny. They were very hesitant at first as some of the pics show but DID venture out.  The temperature was so nice - in the high 40's with lots of sunshine so it was a perfect day for them to investigate the alley a bit.

I hope we don't get so much snow that they can't continue to explore but that will depend on Mother Nature. I can only shovel so much!!!

'Whoa....this 'room' is really BIG'!

'It is not a room, deary - it is the OUTDOORS!'

Eben and Silver Belle take the plunge while Holly and Missy Toes look on.

'Hey guys, there is some snow back there' states Missy.

Eventually, they all start exploring.  :+)

CHARLOTTE X KEEFER LITTER AT SIX WEEKS!

The fifth to sixth week is so full of adventures. The pups can walk/run really well now and have good 'pad' traction. They are eating 'big puppy' food. Teeth are sharp as heck and erupting like crazy and energy is rising to new levels!

All the pups enjoy visitors and bring wagging tails and lots of energy for playing tug of war with shoelaces. :+)

I took them out for a very brief outing today and all were subdued with noses down and tails at 'half mast'. Each day, I will bring them out in the alleyway for them to get use to the ramp and get some decent fresh air! Before long, they will be yelling to go outdoors!

Here are these cuties at six weeks of age with their weights.

Missy Toes tips the scales at 5 1/2 lbs.

Ebenezer weighs the most at 6 lbs.

Holly Berry, like her sisters, is 5 1/2 lbs.

Silver Belles is 5 1/2 lbs.

Charlotte's pups are not missing her at all!

Charlotte went home to her guardians yesterday and the pups are perfectly happy playing with both Daisy and Gunny a couple of times per day.  They do enjoy the play time and extra space to chase, run around and explore.

Gunny trying to entice Ebenezer to play.

'Come on, pups', says Gunny.

'I need help getting on this,' exclaims Holly Berry.

'Look at me, I can roll this', says Silver Belle.

Uh.....puppy, I don't have any milk, says Daisy!

'Hey, I think this is the way outdoors'!