Busy weekend

The pups have been busy hosting visitors and exploring their world.  Mealtime has become very important part of their day (true Jammer pups) and they are acting like a ravenous hoard.  By the way they were acting, I was wondering if they needed more chow.  I checked weights Friday evening, and they had gained 1 lb since Tuesday, so no, they are doing fine!  This morning, I took the pups on their first leash walk.  Going solo didn't seem to bother them, but lots of fussying with the leash and harness, as is to be expected.  We just did a square "loop" around the immediate neighbors houses.

 Flame going for her first leash walk

London

 Flame, first "Hurry" on leash

 Champ on his first leash walk

 Champ checking out the mailbox, a bit too young to be checking pee mail

 My refrigerator has become popular, the source of all that marvelous soaked puppy kibble

Butterfly tugging on my pant leg, hopefully she will be doing this as a service dog task
next year

Pool party

We introduced the pups to the wading pool as soon as it got warm enough this week.  Nancy had the honors midday and said that all 4 yellow pups jumped right in.  Just today, Olympia has become an enthusiastic splasher.  Champ is still less sure.  Enjoys himself if you place him in the water, but doesn't just jump in with the others.

Butterfly and Olympia

 London biting at Olympia

 Auntie Tacara having a drink

 Cousin Rocket (aka Mork) joining in

 The boys with Champ making a funny face

 Champ practicing "Up"

Handsome London

6 week puppy pics

 A visiting friend brought over a large stuffed rabbit for the pups, and it is a hit.

 Summer and London cuddling on the stuffed rabbit

Champion - the pups have had their collars upgraded to big puppy collars

Butterfly and Flame.  Flame has a piece of shredded paper on her nose.  I use shredded paper as litter box bedding.

6 weeks old

The pups' activity level is increasing by the day.   Lots of exploring, playing and cuddling going on.   The weather has been marvelous for outdoor puppy playtime.   Nancy has started doing a little bit of baby puppy training at midday.  The pups gained a little over 1 1/2 lbs this week, and they were thrilled to have their rations increased this morning.  London passed Olympia as the new big pup at 9 lbs 3 oz.  Summer is the little girl at 8 lbs 12 oz.  I am now feeding in the small crates, making lots of positive associations with crates at this impressionable age.  A couple of days ago, I took pairs of pups out to a new part of the yard for a semi-solo field trip and everyone did great.  This morning, was our first solo adventure.  I took each pup to this same area and observed how they did by themselves in this barely familiar environment.  The pups did amazingly well.  Typically at this age, we have 1 or 2 pups who are hesitant.  Not this gang. 

Weekend puppy pics

 Lunch on the lawn

 I have four small bowls, so two frustrated pups (Summer and Flame).

 Summer finally getting her turn.

 Flame

 Olympia

The desert bar

 Harness training - Olympia in red, Summer in black.

 Summer fussing with her harness.

Summer just about ready to make a jump towards me. 

More puppy pics

 Butterly checking out the silky dogwood

 Little Champion

 The boys, London looks much bigger since he is closer.

 Summer in the violets

 London has been chewing grass

In the outdoor puppy pen after a romp.  For whatever reason, pups often segregate by color. 

Bridget and her pups

 Butterfly sleeping on Bridget

Bridget soundly correctly London immediately after this pic

5 weeks old

The pups turned 5 weeks old yesterday and are very much little dogs now.  This has been an exceptionally easy litter.  Pups keep a very clean pen and are relatively quiet.  Pups gained a bit over 1 1/2 lbs last week.  Olympia was still the big pup, but not by much.  She weighed 7 lbs 9 oz.  The smallest pups were Champ and Summer at 7 lbs 3 oz.  The pups are currently eating 1 c of soaked kibble/day each plus goat milk, and they are being fed individually.  Just today, I cut back Bridget to 5 cups high calorie kibble plus egg and chicken.  This week, the pups have moved from the front yard into the back yard.  They were getting a bit too adventurous out front.  I also set up an ex-pen in the backyard so the pups can stay out unattended.  Nancy has been working on sitting for attention, and the pups are doing lovely sits with eye contact.  I have started working on bite inhibition, and we continue to do handling exercises.  When the pups are in the house, I often have the TV, radio or sound effect CD's on, and just found my box of bubble wrap to pop to desensitize the pups to sudden loud sounds. 

More puppy pics

 Butterfly sleeping on the toy piano

Cousin Rocket (aka Mork) with Champ.  Although Rocket looks unsure, he is very smitten with the puppies.

 Champ between Rocket's legs

 Olympia and Flame under the couch

 Summer under the couch

Champ and Summer on front step

 Olympia

 Summer decimating the groundcover next to the front walk

Butterfly tugging Flame's tail

The great escape

Nancy kindly came over midday while I was at the State Fair.  She received quite the surprise when she walked in - 5 baby puppies on the loose.  The pups had managed to climb over the half gate; only Olympia was left in the pen.  So the puppy pen is officially closed, and the only access that the big dogs will have is when the pen is opened by a human.  Bridget is starting to let the pups know that weaning has begun.  The pups' appetites are picking up, so also time to increase the amount of kibble fed.  Currently, the pups are eating 3/4 of soaked kibble with goat milk added each per day.  Bridget is currently eating 6 cups per day of high calorie kibble, plus hard boiled egg and chicken.  I plan to start gradually reducing her food so that her milk production decreases.  Bridget's body condition is still excellent. 

Puppy pics

Some puppy pics to start out the weekend.

 Black pups and Grandma Yuma

 Flame and Butterfly looking to get back inside.  The pups are now coming in from the front yard when called. 

 Butterfly snoozing.  This litter loves tucking under the couch or end table when tired. 

 Summer

 London leaning

 Summer tackling Olympia

 Flame

 Coming down the front walk

 London, the front steps are still padded

Butterfly and Flame, wanting back out!