2 weeks old

2 weeks old, and 6 of the 8 pups weighed at least 3 lbs this AM.   Pups gained 1 lb to 1 lb 6 oz last week.  They are currently gaining an amazing 2-3 oz per day, so that is over 1 lb of net litter weight gain per day that Juliette is supporting - that is a lot of calories!  Juliette is chowing down on 8 cups of kibble, plus a hard boiled egg and some chicken scraps, and is always eager for her next meal.  Yesterday, I updated the puppy collars to their first set of snap collars.  All the pups except for big boy Yellow have their eyes open.  Finishing up with BioSensor tomorrow - yeah!   I have added the low half gate to the puppy pen, and Juliette is already fine with the other dogs coming and going into the pen.  I also added some stuffed animals to the pen, so more environmental enrichment.  For lunch, the pups got their first bite of canned food - all except Green boy approved. 

Puppy pics

Look how big the pups have gotten

Fat little pupsters

The small puppy pen set up in my bedroom.  I am starting to expose the pups to different
 textures as part of environmental enrichment

Sleeping separated by color

A beautiful line up - NOT staged!

Yellow boy showing off his walking

Yellow boy walking (or wobbling is probably more accurate)

Sweet dreams from Red and Green boys

Making milestones

When doing BioSensor exercises tonight, I was surprised to see Black boy looking back at me - the first pup with its eyes open.  With the black pups, you can't easily see the eyelids starting to crack open like we can with the yellow pups.  I am expecting most of the other pups to open their eyes this weekend.  The pups have all doubled their birthweights, most by 9-10 days of age which is excellent.  The pups are fat little pupsters, gaining 2-3 oz per day, so Juliette is obviously producing lots of milk.  Just a couple of days ago, I increased Juliette to 8 cups of kibble per day, much to her delight. 

1 week old puppy pics

Puppies sprawled out in the pool. 

Private nursing session

An arrangement of puppies

Blue boy sleeping

Blue boy sleeping all crunched up

Pink girl sleeping up against Juliette's rump

Green boy asleep at the milk bar

Red boy

1 week old

One week old yesterday, but acting more like 10 days old.  These pups are amazingly strong and vigorous, especially when I am doing BioSensor exercises with them.  However, in other ways, they look their age - namely the amount of pigment and lack of any eye opening yet.  At 1 week, 3 pups were over 2 lbs (Blue, Yellow and Purple).  The pups gained 12-16 oz their first week and weights ranged from 1 lb 13 oz (Orange) to 2 lbs 2 oz (Yellow).  The pups are starting to toilet on their own and trying to walk.  Monday evening, I moved them from the pool into a small ex-pen set up on top of a blanket, since it was getting too hot and stuffy in the pool.  Juliette is doing great, producing lots of milk and eagerly consuming 6 cups of high calorie kibble plus a hard boiled egg and a few other goodies. 

More puppy pics

With it so nice and warm, the puppies sleep sprawled out around the pool

Juliette and 4 day old pups with paint dabs for ID

The pups are already strong enough to nurse with Juli sitting up

Creative nursing by Pink girl

Symmetrical boys (Yellow and Orange boys)

Yellow boy rolled over and set up this pic

Green boy.  Juliette keeps pushing back the bedding so she can rest on the cooler pool plastic.  We need to check frequently for "puppy burritos". 

Yellow boy sleeping on Juliette's rear leg, showing off his new tie elastic collar.

Close up of Yellow boy, the biggest pup.

A cute threesome (Green, Yellow and Red boys)

Close up of Blue boy.  The pups often sleep with their tongues out at this age. 

5 days old

Five days old and the pups are thriving.  Most have already gained 1/2 lb since birth.  Juliette is eating 6 cups of food, her milk is coming in nicely, and all mammary glands are functional.  She has 9 mammary glands, not very symmetrical, but the pupsters don't complain.   BioSensor early neurological stimulation exercised began on Thursday, more info at:    http://www.angelfire.com/ca/curlycr/2001pups2a.html  These pups are squirming vigorously during the exercises and some are already able to scooch off the cold washcloth (the final BioSensor exercise).  Most of their time is spent sleeping and nursing.  Their sleep is very "active", with lots of jerking, which is perfectly normal.  They have already lost their pronounced newborn startle reflex and are seeming to enjoy some gentle stroking.  Other than BioSensor exercises, we don't stress pups this age by holding them yet.  This morning, I did their first nail trim and upgraded them to elastic tie collars.