Awww....

 Toys makes the best pillows...

Millie's Teal Girl

Millie's White Girl

One big happy family!

I had both litters together tonight while I cleaned their pens. They got along really well together. It won't be too much longer before we combine the litters. Once they are weaned, there isn't any reason to keep them separated. Both mama dogs have pretty much lost interest in nursing--I can't blame them, those are sharp puppy teeth!!

We're losing ground....

Looks like we now have two boys who prefer the litter box "bed." They will catch on, but in the meantime, they get frequent baths....

Millie's Tan Boy and Brown Boy

First Time Outside

We took Cassie's litter outside this evening for their six-week-old photo session. After we took their pictures, we let them run around--first time free to run in the yard and they LOVED it!

Soooo tired.....

After playing with my grand kids who came for a visit yesterday, the puppies were all exhausted. Blue Boy was getting a drink, and the next time I looked, he had fallen asleep in the dish. He slept that way for about a half hour. That's a tired baby!

A good mama!

The puppies' combined weight now easily exceeds Cassie's. With a group effort they could take her down! She still allows them to nurse several times a day for a few minutes, but when she is done, that's it. She growls at the puppies to warn them away, and they get the message. With a particularly persistent puppy, she growls and gently knocks the puppy over and pins it with her paw until the puppy submits. It's all part of her teaching the puppies respect and the order of the pack. We let the mama dogs do as much of that teaching work for us as we can!

Adventure Box

I found the design for this Adventure Box on Avidog.com and knew immediately that I wanted to introduce our puppies to it. I finished building it today and here is the result. This is such a fantastic group of puppies--they dove right in to playing in the box. I couldn't be more pleased with the balanced temperaments in this litter!

I am constantly looking for ways to challenge our puppies by exposing them to new situations, sounds, people and experiences, and this play box is wonderful! Every week or so, I'll change out the hanging objects to give the puppies more variety. Next week when Cassie's litter is moved to our area with the doggie door leading to the outside dog run, I'll put the Adventure Box outside in their play area--another step getting these puppies ready to go home with YOU!

Lunch in the Adventure Box!

Favorite sleeping quarters

Tan boy loves to sleep in the litter box. What's crazy is that he potties in the box and then plops down right next to it and goes to sleep. We have to work on this boy's personal hygiene!

Still the same puppy pile....

....just bigger puppies in the pile. After playing with visitors this morning, the puppies collapsed in a heap and slept for a couple hours.

Morning Greeting

This is the greeting I get every morning from the puppies--I love my job!

There Must be 50 Ways to Take a Nap

Sleep on your back, Jack
Make a new snooze plan, Stan
Don't play with your toys, Roy

Just let yourself sleep.....

Out for a drive.....

We like to take the puppies out and about to get them used to riding in the car. Dogs don't usually experience car sickness from motion. If they get sick driving, it's because they are afraid. We start them young taking frequent trips in the car. Cassie and her pups ran errands with me today--bank, car wash, gas station. Cassie loved getting out with me and her puppies did great! See Millie hiding on the seat--she sneaked in the car for a ride, too. Mama dogs are going stir crazy shut up in the house....

Wow--looking at this picture--Cassie needs a bang trim! I'm on it!

Yum, Yum!

Solid food for Millie's litter, and it's a hit! Potty box not far behind!

Celebrate!

You may think me strange, but this picture caused a celebration at our house! You should be celebrating, too, because it means your puppy is catching on to the litter box!