Here we are at 4 weeks old! (singles - first batch)

Introducing Black boy. (4.10 lbs.) Love his short muzzle. :+)

Navy Boy is usually the first to bed and the last to rise. (4.4 lbs.)

Clara Belle is 'bossy'! (4.6 lbs.)

Rainbow Girl (4.8 lbs.) Don't you just love the shine on these ebony coats?

The rest are just another click away!

The second batch of blossoming beauties!

Here is the second batch of pics. They sure are growing up quickly and are just before the teething stage and with still enough 'baby' to sleep a lot. :+)

Meet Orange Boy (4.8 lbs.)
This is Olive Oil (4.4 lbs.) - Retained for a breeding prospect.

Red Boy (4.10 lbs.) checking out that flower. :+)

Sleepy head Turquoise Boy (3.8 lbs. - still our welter weight!)

....and lastly Green Boy (5.0 lbs., the heavy weight!) - what a profile!!

Individual pics will be done every two weeks so that you will be able to 'backtrack' and view your pup's growth once assigned. Otherwise, candid shots will be posted weekly.

Eat, play, potty...eat, play, potty...

Hi!

Annabelle just finished nursing and as typical now, the pups get a burst of energy and begin playing with each other, wagging their little tails and every now and again - we hear a playful bark!
It is really fun to watch them interact with each other. I could watch for hours. :+)
Looks like this little fellow is running for the potty box! As you can see, it is being used.
Mr. Chubby believes he can get over this hurdle, and over it he went! It simply was time for him to join his other siblings for another nap.
Although 'naptime' was not in the cards for these two chatty girls!
I absolutely love this stage of development. Watching them gather new momentum; trying and succeeding with new challenges; and noticing those little legs getting stronger and stronger each day. I never get tired of the 'wonder of it all'! :+)

Three week weights.

Annabelle and I work together with regard to feeding this brood! I prepare a meal made with Goat's Milk and Sojourner's Organic Oats along with Natural Rearing Puppy Gruel Powder and let them eat this first. Then, Annabelle eagerly awaits to lick their bowl (and them) and goes into the pen for them to nurse. I weighed them just after this, so keep that in mind. :+)

#1 apricot male - 3.2 lbs. - now known as NAVY Boy (his collar has green turtles on it)
#2 apricot male - 3.8 - RED Boy
#3 apricot male - 3.4 - ORANGE Boy
#4 black female - 3.0 - PURPLE Girl aka 'Olive Oil' - retained for breeding prospect
#5 black/white male - 3.0 - BLACK Boy (his collar is black and white striped)
#6 black/white male - 4.0 - GREEN Boy (almost neon in color)
#7 Clara Belle - 3.6 - PINK Girl - retained for breeding prospect
#8 black male - TURQUOISE Boy (still smallest in litter)
#9 black/white female - 3.4 - RAINBOW Girl

I will always post their weekly weights, so when you know which one becomes your pup, you can have a record. :+)

Let's talk about the Puppy Room.

Hello!

There are some of you who are not able to come visit very often because you are not conveniently located near us. I know how important it is to be 'kept in the loop' with regard to what is going on and why. So, I thought I would give you a tour of where your pup is living and how their 'house' is arranged to benefit me and them. :+)

The pictures below show how the room is set up as of today. The arrangement changes almost weekly, but some areas remain the same - namely the grooming/weighing areas and the cleaning set ups. This morning was the time to turn the room into two pens for the pups. The one on the left is now where the pups will be housed (in a crate) with the potty area right outside their doorstep. It will be a few days before they are able to walk completely across the crate, over the little edge of the opening and onto the potty spot, but you need to always be ahead of their development. The area with the little zebra is the second pen. When I have to clean the first one, I put a blanket down and place them there for easier cleaning.













In this pic, you have a closer view of crate/potty and the introduction of the Buddy Bowl which has water in it. This is the week for them to investigate water. The Buddy Bowl is a wonderful contraption as it allows them to drink but not splash or tip. :+) Inexpensive rubber car mats are placed on the floor to prevent joint slippage.













Here is where I weigh them and groom my dogs. It is a small but well organized space that has everything at my fingertips. In the left corner is my steamer that I use a lot for disinfecting.













This is the doorway into my kitchen. Annabelle is the ever vigilant sentinal to its entrance. The vacuum, scale, grooming jackets and chart hang for easy access and the door to the outside pens with a built in doggie door allow outside adventures (and potty training) if the weather allows.













This is not a large room, but so far it has worked very well. I like the fact that it is right next to my kitchen so they get lots of exposure to the smells, sights and sounds of a home. They see me constantly as well as the other dogs.

Our New Year starts with another new experience.

Above, #4 is investigating the wood pellets that I have begun to place in their potty area.














It appears #1 has caught on quickly and has found just the right spot to do '#2'! (Trust me, this was just luck) :+)















They are now just beginning to develop their 'wrestling' moves.















'Stop wrestling! I am trying to nap'!














Ahhhhhhh, nice and comfy.

We have moved!

It took me about two days to clean and reorganize the Puppy Room, but they have been moved from our office to their new digs! Yeah!! They seem very comfortable, don't you think?














Aren't they growing? I love these sweet heads and coats. :+)













More sleepy heads.













You can see here that they are on a blanket and the 'bathroom' is on top of the blanket in the corner. They really do try to move there, but don't have the ability yet to go very far before 'letting go' - hence, lots of laundry. But you need to begin training as soon as possible. In a day or two, there will be wood pellets in the tray instead of newspaper.














Another view. Annabelle insists on her babies having stuffed animals to 'keep them company'. So, it does add to the laundry chore. :+(

There will be many configurations of their space as they grow. Eventually, most of the room will be their playground and hopefully, if Mother Nature permits, I will get them to use the doggie door to go out!