It's Good To Be Home!

We got back from Dubai yesterday. It was a great trip and very relaxing. (I will write more about it later) I was OK on the flight, but once we got into the taxi for the ride home I was jumping out of my skin and so excited to get home to see the pups. It is was hard to be away but I know Johanna took such great care of them. They turned 4 weeks old yesterday and I am glad we made it back for their birthday!

The pups have changed from little lumps into little fuzzy pups. They are starting to show some personality and their faces are changing. I am not sure they are the most beautiful pups I have ever had, but they are certainly cute. I have no idea what their ears are doing as they are pointing in all different directions! The pups were weighed today and I compared their weights to previous litters. The strangest thing is that they are substantially smaller than my last two litters. I can't decide if this is an indicator of their sizes. It would be scary if it is, as they are smaller than Hex, Indy and Max were at this same age. Since those pups all turned out under 14", I should be expecting "micro shelties" from this litter if the weight comparisons hold true! Even "Dot", the biggest of the litter so far is smaller in weight than Hex was at the same age. It will be interesting to watch and see how they develop in height.

So now the real work starts with the pups. We have been handfeeding them chopped mince for the past week or so. This is going well and the pups come right to the hand to inhale the food as fast as they can. I try and encourage them to come up into my lap now to eat the food. Yeah, I am probably teaching them to jump up! But I like shelties to learn to come up towards me, as they can have a tendency to back away. This step would probably not be necessary with Golden retriever puppies!

We have started the sound effects tapes (thunder, gunshots and doorbells) near the whelping box. In addition, the TV or radio is always on in the room. And we are now carrying the pups into the kitchen and hallway and putting them on the floor. The new surfaces throw them at first and they walk carefully trying not to slip. I bring them into the kitchen and then start slamming doors and drawers to make noise. At this age, they still startle at new noises, but that should decrease as they get older. I find that at this age they can be hypersensitive to new things. I try and make a note of how the pups respond each day and watch in case one pup seems more sensitive.

Today the pups had their first taste of puppy food. (They are being fed on Burns Dog Food) They all took to the food right away and were gobbling the food down as only a true sheltie can!Again, I push the metal food bowl around and generally try and make noise while they are eating. Geez, it would be much easier if I had some children around to make noise! I must make a mental note to rent some kids for the next litter!

PS For some reason I am having no luck downloading photos today and I am fustrated! For strange reason if I put this old photo of Carmella on the post, I can upload the other photos. If I then try and delete Carmella, all the other photos dissapear also! Very spooky!