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!

Really??

I was so proud of Pink Girl and Blue Boy when they pottied in the box today. Came back later to find them curled up in the corner sleeping. Come on, kids--that's not what this box is for!!

Always a puppy pile!

Millie's puppies at 2 1/2 weeks old

Ready, Set, Go!

When we add solid food, we also add the potty box. The puppies are starting to toddle over to the outside edges of their whelping box to potty--that's a good sign they are beginning to recognize not to soil their sleeping area. In just a few days they will begin to use the potty box for all their business. We'll be extra meticulous cleaning up potties outside the box from now on--and leave a few in the potty box. It's amazing how fast the puppies will catch on to keep their sleeping area clean and do their business in the potty box..

First Solid Food

It was a big day today! Cassie's puppies have sharp teeth now and she isn't as enthused about feeding them, so I decided it was time to introduce some puppy mush (puppy formula and rice cereal). What a hit their first meal was!

Mmmm good!

Blue boy can't get enough of a good thing!

Skating in the food dish.....

Nap Time

Taking a nap with her best buddies....love green girl's arm across her brother.

Cassie's pups are walking!

My husband sent me these photos yesterday--puppies are walking! The puppies are changing every day. He tells me all their eyes are open, and today they started noticing each other. Such a miracle to watch them develop!

Hard work deserves a good nap!

Of course, I'm loving my own miracle of life here being with my new grandbaby--first bath today with lots of help from big sister!

Look what the Easter Bunny brought!

Millie and her puppies are staying with her guardians while I am away this week. They sent me this darling Easter photo. Look how big the puppies are getting!

Easter Gift

 This is how they grow so big--always eating! Such a good Mama, Millie!

Lined up at the milk bar

My newest baby--I'm a happy grandma!

My newest grandson was born last night! I'm off to Utah to spend a week with my daughter, baby Jackson and his older sisters and brother. My husband and my friends will hold down the puppy fort here while I'm gone. More baby pictures coming--human and canine--when I return next weekend!

I'm most proud of this new baby.....

Eat and sleep and sleep and eat some more!

They are growing so fast--it happens right before our eyes!

Millie's puppies--5 days old

Cassie's puppies--10 days old

Puppies, puppies and more puppies!

This has been a long week already! After two all night litter deliveries, I realize I'm not as young as I think I am!

It's amazing the difference a couple days makes in puppies! Cassie's litter will double their weight this week--most of the puppies hit a pound today--started at 10 ounces. Cassie must be feeding them cream. I know she's eating like a princess--roasted chicken, ice cream, sweet potatoes, cottage cheese, vanilla pudding, egg nog--whatever takes her fancy. Tonight the dogs liked the smell of my Costco chicken nuggets--so guess what Cassie and Millie had for dinner! The name of the game is keep mama dogs eating!

Here are pics of the litters. The little chocolate girl in the middle of Millie's group is so fragile--praying hard for her and supplementing her by tube feeding puppy formula. She's much stronger tonight and is nursing well.

Cassie's litter had dew claws removed today. They came back home, ate a big meal and are totally wiped out--those are some relaxed puppies!

More tomorrow!

Cassie's puppies--4 days old

Millie and crew--almost one day old

Sad update....

I am heartbroken to report that we lost one of Millie's boys. He was very tiny and weak right from the start--4 ounces smaller than the bigger puppies. In spite of our best efforts to help him keep warm and tube feeding him, he just continued to weaken. After doing mouth-to-mouth for an hour, he still just had a slow, weak, irregular heart beat and only infrequent, gasping, agonal breaths, so I finally just let him be. He was gone in minutes. This is a sad day for us--so difficult to lose any precious creature of God's. But we are grateful for the six beautiful puppies that Millie has left. She is being a great mama. One other puppy in the litter is small--but she is a fighter. She gets right in there with her bigger litter mates and fights for her meal! I'll supplement her a little bit until she catches up, but the litter is doing well. I'll post more pics after I take a little nap....

Millie's puppies have arrived!

We're pleased to announce that Millie and Captain are the proud parents of SEVEN! Three girls (two chocolate and one cream) and four boys (three cream and one chocolate). It was another all-nighter! Thankfully, Millie's guardians and my husband were here to help. Three puppies arrived in 20 minutes--so we were very busy. First puppy was born at 2:50am--last born at 6:20am. Millie did a great job and is snuggled right in caring for her little pack. I'll post more pics later, after a good nap!

Just a few hours old!

Cassie's puppies are here!

We pulled an all nighter last night! Cassie was in labor all day Saturday, delivered her first puppy at 2:40 am Sunday morning. Last puppy was delivered at 9:30 this morning. Mama Cass and I are both exhausted today--but happy for a lovely, healthy litter. Three girls and three boys--a Golden Angel girl surrounded by her Black Beauty litter mates. Their coats are fantastic--sleek, glowing fleece! Such sweet babies--so happy to have puppies in my house again! I love this!

Happy to be done!

A well-deserved rest!

Big Bellies....

The girls are soooo ready....

Cassie

Millie

Puppy Count Today!

Here are the puppy count xrays we got today! The vet thinks both girls have six puppies with maybe another one hiding--how many puppies do you see?? (Count a skull matched to a spine/rib cage.) Cassie's puppies' spines are more calcified (they are much brighter and more defined in the xray), so that means she is farther along. Also, see how Cassie's puppies are getting themselves lined up--that's another good sign she's getting close. The vet thinks Cassie will have puppies this weekend, and Millie will have her litter early next week.

We set up the whelping box yesterday, shaved bellies last night, got all the whelping supplies ready today. The girls are spending a lot of time stretched out on the floor. I think we're set!

Stay tuned!!

Cassie

Millie