These pups are chill and happy
The puppies are loving being outside. They are such a subdued group, very chill and happy. They love cuddling and are getting used to many different people as we’ve had a lot of visitors with their children. This is great help to me, so thank you everyone who has visited so far and if you’d like to visit drop me a line! Also, we’re taking applications now for the puppies so if you’re interested contact H.E.L.P. (Homes for Endangered and Lost Pets) at HelpingAnimals.org or by calling at 877-364-2286.
It is amazing how relaxed I am this time around. I think it is a combination of this group being quieter than the past groups, the mama, Chloe being healthy (no parasites, no illness, not overly skinny) and me hitting my stride. I will hit harder times shortly, as the pups turn 6 weeks they will get busier, but for now I keep thinking, “this is a breeze!” Yeah.
Mama dog Chloe nurses her pups
Here is a short video shot outside last weekend. Mama Chloe is nursing her puppies in the yard.
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Puppies first day outside
Today the puppies explored the outside world for the first time and loved it. Their resemblance to their mama’s personality is evident – these puppies are outgoing, happy, and friendly. Nice combination. Afterward they were all exhausted and crashed out. Then as I went it for the last time tonight and fed Chloe most of them woke up and were climbing out of their bed area to see what their mama was doing. I put some dry food into a few bowls and all of them were very interested. I always wonder how much of these first dry food meals actually make it into the puppies tummies…mostly they seem to just mouth the kibble and spit it out again. But everyone was very excited, with much tail wagging going on. And them, by a happy accident as two puppies were wrestling, they discovered that some of the bowls hold water! They lapped at it as they’ve learned to lap their formula.
I always love this time because it signals the move from formula and soaked kibble to just good ole dry kibble – making for a much easier to clean up meal time.
What is interesting this time around is that I’ve found myself SO much less stressed than usual. It took me awhile to remember my routine but now it is very doable and I find myself enjoying just sitting and looking at them more than I remember at 4 weeks with the other litters. I have let go of a lot of my perfectionism, as silly as that sounds. For example, I no longer change the papers immediately when a pup pees – now I wait till the papers are pretty well peed-upon and then change them. Don’t get me wrong – cleanliness is still a priority, but I don’t worry about things as much. And therefore I seem able to get a lot more done. That is a good reminder for me.
A day in the life
I took Chloe to my son’s baseball game yesterday evening. I wondered what I was thinking, given how new she is to us and everything, but my instincts were right. She showed some stress at first but as soon as we sat down she approached each of my friends and their children sweetly and asked for cuddles. She is such a friendly dog! She spent the entire game rolling around happily in the grass, glad, I think, to not have mommy duties for a spell. A friend who has a golden retriever said that she was the spitting image of her dog, so there you go. We’ll be calling her a golden retriever mix.
The puppies are HUNGRY all the time. Tonight they discovered Chloe’s food bowl and tried to eat her large kibble. They were very interested in it and spent about 15 minutes of their (more…)
Chloe and pups settling in
Getting the family at week 3 is so different! I realize that usually by now I have all the puppies identified by personality – who is more outgoing, who is more vocal, that sort of thing. But the best I can do now is count them, and there always seems to be the same one missing… she’s always off in some corner snoozing all by herself. It could be the same puppy each time, or another one who looks like her, there are three tricolor pups…who knows? I made sure that I held each one tonight and said “hello.” The one mostly white male with back dew claws does stand out for me but that’s about it. The rest I can identify in my mind but have no idea who is who. There are two pairs of pups who look similar, one male and one female each. And I think one of the golden ones that looks like the white one is a male too – he’s got the cutest face! It is crazy how cute he is. I know I say this each and every time but THESE are the cutest puppies ever…
Chloe is a dream. I walked her today with the “pack” – my four and my neighbor’s. She did well, better than Sweetie and way better than Annie. She is a calm dog, submissive and willing to listen but likes to run away from me when I want to “nab” her to bring her inside or to brush her. She has asked for snuggles a lot more than I thought she would so soon. She is a very loving dog. Someone is going to be WAY lucky to have her.
Meet Chloe and her 7 puppies
Our new dog foster family is mama Chloe and her seven puppies – meet them here in this video shot on May 18, 2009. We cannot say for sure, but the pups are believed to have been born four weeks ago.
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