Young and old alike are taking great pleasure in cuddling, snuggling, and otherwise nuzzling the softest furs in the world…nothing like puppies! We all get to enjoy this particular softness for 4 to 6 months.

M, studio tenant here since 2018, has helped raise Katie & inspires the frisbee and ball play! Here is Katie’s favorite type of frisbee, although if she decides to chew, they can get torn up easily. Racquet balls work well for the ball play, light, bouncy, and chewy.

The Conways are new to our circle. Scott has been helping out on the farm here, and the family has visited a couple of times. Its great to meet new local like-minded people. We are all happy to be sharing in the puppy love!

In the last couple of days, we have enjoyed multiple visitors, not all getting their photo shoot with the puppers though.  Katie has been doing super well with the children. For an 8-week-old puppy that came to me at the beginning of Covid, I wasn’t really able to give her the exposure that I think a dog deserves.  We did attend a short training at Canine Adventures, but the normal socializing with little ones was rather deprived as we continued to deal prudently. I had no idea how she would do with people around her litter, since I’ve heard stories about the female’s protective nature, and particularly with children close into her space. 

She’s actually an amazing mama, and has been open and trusting of everyone.  Learning a little more tolerance is coming, particularly when the wee ones use their super high voices and quick movements …it’s like a banshee jumping out of nowhere…even for me…ha…I’m just clearly not used to it. It is pure and genuine glee, spontaneously pouring out with innocence through heaven’s gates!

Graham

Sarah and Linnea

This is the Munson’s second visit…we are super happy they find this a good outing! I like hearing them say, “can we come back again so soon?” … Yes! They, including dad Travis, have lived next door since before Graham’s birth.

Yesterday the pups were 2 weeks old.  We weighed and did their first worming.  Thank goodness the milky solution tastes really good! It seems odd to be attempting the squirt from the side but I’m overly careful about going straight into their lungs. I can be a zealot about things, so tread lightly with these tender creatures.

Overview of the puppers’ growth:

  • The weight spread between them was 5 ounces on 9/26 and this week on 10/4 it was 8 ounces.
  • Freya and Freyr and still neck-in-neck within an ounce of each other.
  • Odin leads the pack at 3 lb. 7 ounces, followed by Freya, then Freyr.
  • Thor, Bragi and Ullr bring up the other end, just like last time, with the smallest being Ullr at 2 lb. 15 ounces.
  • The average being 3 and ¼ pounds for week 2 seems like a robust litter!

Silly picture to share, but in case you are interested…

Paraphernalia for the Worming Station

We also trimmed nails this last week and everyone was half-asleep (me included?) so they were very relaxed and willing to let me play with their toes.

Helping Mama with Puppy Nails – Soon it will be very uncomfortable as they push on her to get the milk to flow, if their nails aren’t trimmed….she might get a bit of an attitude. But also, when the puppies go home, it will be so simple for the families to trim, with the right tool (here is the one I have, but a local farm store has them). I can almost do it with my eyes closed (maybe I was asleep…) since the nail has a hook on the end of it, and the trimmer catches the hook, and that’s all you clip…nothing to be afraid of! Teaching them to enjoy the toe play by doing it when they are sleeping makes all the difference.

One male puppy continues to wait for the right family to find him ;*))