We Eat. We Sleep. We Amuse People.

Well, really, what else can we do at this stage?  We can't see.  We can't hear.  We can't smell.  YET!  We are just concentrating on growing.  The first image above shows how Maxwell's ears (like his eyes) are closed as a newborn.  Eyes should begin opening next week sometime.  Ears will begin to open a few days after that.  They should also be able to begin smelling sometime next week.  They will be little dogs before we know it!

Since I last posted, the puppies have had two more visitors, Danielle (bad me - I didn't take photos) came to meet the puppies on Thursday.  Danielle will be getting one of these babies so she has weekly visit status! Today, Cindy and Steven came by.  They are our neighbors and have Lexi, Raj's sister and the "Great Aunt" to these babies.   Rhani continues to be wary of anyone except Dave and me coming into see the babies, but she is getting a bit better.  Steven truly is a dog whisperer, so she was ok with him.    She continued to give Cindy the stink - eye though!   It is safe to say that Cindy and Steven took more photos and videos of the puppies during their visit than I have since they were born!  I'm trying to organize one set of visitors each day.  At this point, this is mainly to get Rhani more comfortable with the idea and also to get the puppies used to being handled by humans.  We have visitors planned for tomorrow and Sunday.  Next week is open at this point if you want to make a reservation!  LOL!

Rhani had been running a temperature since the babies were born and also having VERY sloppy poop.  I started adding canned pumpkin to three of her meals (she gets 4 a day now!) and two kinds of probiotics our repro vet recommended.  As of today, her temp is almost back to normal and so is her poop!  She's definitely feeling herself again giving me hugs and tail wags.  In fact, she's decided that she can leave the box for short forays into the yard to do her business and investigate potential other places she might like to keep her babies!  Today, she decided to park herself in the storage tub I use to put the puppies when I clean their box!   What a goober!

Everybody continues to gain weight daily.  By tomorrow they should all have doubled their weights at birth, and all seem on track to do so or at least come very close.  In fact, Lizzy, who was smallest at birth, has already!  

Two puppies are now without ric rac.  Maxwell's was getting very tight, so I cut it off yesterday morning.  I think I ought to be able to figure out which one he is since he's the only black boy!  When Jo Jo's falls off or gets too tight, I won't replace his either.  Lizzy's ribbon fell off, so I just left it off.  Hopefully I won't confuse her with Rita if Rita's comes off!  They look a lot alike at this point.  (Yes, I think I've decided that Rita is indeed black).  Danielle helped me notice that Lizzy has spots on her feet that Rita doesn't have, so when in doubt, I will look there!

I'm trying to get all appointments scheduled and paper work taken care of that I can so I don't forget something!  So far I have scheduled BAER (hearing tests) at MIZZOU for September 17, registered the litter with AKC, submitted their whelp date and results to our DCA Futurity chair, and spoken with the repro vet re: when we should do the first set of shots and confirmed that he will also do microchips and the CHIC DNA Repository blood draw at the same time.  He recommends the first shots at 8 weeks and not before 7 1/2 weeks.  He says doing it earlier is a waste because until then they are fully protected from the antibodies they get from mom's milk.  I ordered another big bag of Purina Pro Plan Puppy Chicken and Rice to make sure I don't run out, (Rhani is plowing through it!), more Forti-Flora, more Vitamin C and a few new toys.  For the new owner puppy kits, I've ordered Juju Dal tote bags, Purina Puppy Kits, AKC Puppy Kits, and the "official" AKC pedigree.  Still to do is to contact my old friend to see if she still does puppy temperament tests and schedule those for when they are 49 days old and make the vet appt. for their shots.  I'm probably forgetting something, but I will remember it eventually!

Tomorrow they turn one week old, so tune in for the one week "mug shots".  I think you will be surprised at the difference a week makes!

Until next time...

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