Maisy x Brier Litter 5 Weeks Old Today
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Only 35 days of life for these little squibbers and they are smart! It is amazing to me how much a pup knows at this age. They are at a critical learning stage and take in new experiences every day. We try to spend as much time with them as possible and introduce new things. They love people (especially the ankles) and run to you when you enter the room. They are eating more and more puppy food, which is less and less “mashed”. In fact, we do not mash it up any longer. Just add water. They even like to munch on Maisy’s dryer version at times. They are also drinking freely from the water dish. They still love to pin-down mamma, when she’ll let them and drift off to wonderful puppy dreams (or so it seems) after they finally get a bit of the heavenly stuff.
Otherwise, their days are full of fun and adventure–or as much as it can be at this point. They pretty much have free-range of our living room most of the time. I also work in this room most of the time, so I can keep an eye on things. They really don’t care to be in the whelping box any longer, but of course at times must be. They are very vocal about wanting out when they want out and we have started to try to ignore them when they are whining just to be let out of the box. This can be very difficult to do because they can be very insistent, very loudly, for a very long time (especially in the middle of the night)! But, we know this sets a pattern and must start teaching them that crying and whining will just not do.
The pups are exploring more and more on their own and their play with one another is becoming more and more aggressive. They rip and tear around the room, now, and have no problems what-so-ever negotiating most obstacles. #6 (Duchess, as the kids call her) has learned how to get herself up on the sofa! It must be exhausting for her, because once she accomplishes this, she snuggles in for a nice, long nap! What a hoot!
We are introducing a crate today and I think they will love to nap in it. They have picked a corner on the floor by the sofa where they all pile up for their naps together. They have learned that with a little tugging, they can pull the sofa-cover down on the floor and that’s where they nap. Too funny. Too cute. Even if we pick them all up while they are sleeping and put them in the whelping box, they soon wake up, let themselves out (if I have the door down) and all pile up in the spot by the sofa! Why do they like that spot so much? I have no idea, but I think they soon be using and liking the crate.
The ticking is really starting to come out and I can’t believe how much they have changed in just a week. I will update photos, soon, but let me tell you how difficult the already difficult task has become! Unless they are sleeping, they are on the move and most pictures are a furry blur! But, we take some everyday and I will post what we do have..