25Feb
The puppies suddenly seem like little dogs! They have their eyes open, move around in the whelping box, climb over each other and cuddle up to me when I climb in to be with them. Some can be surprisingly vocal when they want some milk. They have gained a great amount of weight and have chubby little bellies. Their noses are changing from pink to black.
I weigh them all daily (at the same time every day), do full body health checks to check them over and to get them accustomed to it and they have had their claws clipped. We have been doing ENS and ESI which will end on day 16.
I feel reassured when they gain weight and are doing what is expected for their age. I am mostly reassured by how Raven has been over the last week. Getting her to eat was a battle and I worried that she wouldn't get enough calcium and feeding 8 puppies could cause hypocalcemia. I did everything I possibly could and she is back to eating raw food- approximately 8 meals a day. Her body condition is ideal, she interacts with the other pack members, enjoys engagement games and had a lovely bath and groom today.
A bit more about the puppies in order of birth
Brett, our firstborn was the first to open his eyes at 9 days of age. I am looking forward to the colour changes on his cheeks and for his markings to develop. There is something about him that draws me in.
I have nicknamed him Boy Boy Baxter. He is much bigger than the others and his weight gain grows exponentially in comparison. I love him so much. He likes to cuddle up to me (ok, maybe its for warmth but it is super cute) and just seems so content when being handled.
Blake is a stunner for sure. I let my son name him from my list of B names. As Blake looks a lot like his half sister, Amber, my youngest remembers her and accidentally calls him Amber. Amber was his favourite puppy in our first litter.
I love this little girl. She seems similar to Baxter and enjoys cuddles. I am curious to see how her markings will develop and watch her colour changes.
Brie was the last to open her eyes and it seems like she loves looking around. She was the first one to make a little howl to let us know she was hungry. I do love how different she is with her darker face and it will change a lot over the next few weeks and months. Her half brother Axle was also very dark for the first few weeks. He gradually got lighter and at 1 year old, the difference is incredible. Tan eyebrows, tan cheeks and tan legs.
Brooklyn was very sleepy so I took one photo and let her sleep. I love her facial markings and they will develop further over the next few weeks. She feels quite chunky at the moment and I sometimes mistake her for Baxter when she sleeps on her side (and I cannot see her face clearly).
I have nicknamed Bryn "Little Henders". He may be similar to his dad with his lighter colouring on his cheeks and he seems to have a smaller snout compared to his siblings. I would love it if he looked similar to his daddy.
Brady is our smallest baby and was our last born. He seems quieter than the others so I make sure to give him lots of cuddles. He reminds me the most of Raven so I do have a soft spot for him.
On day 17, I will start introducing the puppies to sounds- fireworks, building work sounds such as drills, children playing, car noises and more.
I have been buying a fair few things for them and I am looking forward to seeing them interact with their environment more.
Claire 🐾
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