Play Time

After cutting nails on 6 squirming puppies, we had a great play session in the basement this evening.

Pup Available

Due to a buyer back out, I now have one male pup for sale from this litter.

Another first

Pups went outside for the first time today. After getting over the initial shock of their new surroundings and the chilly weather (plus 1 C), they had a quick play before I took them back inside.
Miikka was there to supervise in her fancy outfit.
They are 5 weeks old today!!
Happy Birthday wee ones.

New Toys

I bought the pups some new toys today. They really enjoyed them!!

New Toys Part II

I love the little guy in the background who seems to have high centred himself.



But why is it that they love the cardboard boxes the best??



Nightie night. *WINK*

First Adventure

Pups went out for their first big adventure today.
Although my basement is not considered an adventure to most people, it was the first time the pups were able to explore something outside their pen. They checked it out with tails up and a good attitude.
Mom was there with them, and since she had nursed only 2 hours previously, I put a t-shirt on her so she didn't have to worry about playing "keep away" from the pups. You can really tell the nursing is making Miikka uncomfortable these days, so she only asks to go in with her pups twice a day.
Miikka feels very stylish in her t-shirt with a Holstein cow on it.

Here is Blue Dot posing for the camera.



Somewhere under the pile of puppies is Miikka's head.



Two cuties and a slipper slowly getting chewed to death.



I became their climbing apparatus of choice after they are done with mom.



Miikka showing off her ensemble.

New Digs

Puppies have moved into their new accommodations. They have spent a few days learning how to eat and now are being weaned. I let Miikka in with them several times in the day of course as she is still nursing, just not as ambitiously as before. My belief on weaning is to take a gradual approach, with Miikka leading the way. She's told me she's ready, so I am obliging her.
The whelping box has been removed and a new "potty box" put in its place. Over the next week or so, the pups will learn to do all their business in this area. The first couple days they live in the box when I'm not with them and are let out into the play area when I, or Miikka, am in there. When they go potty, I pick them up and move them to the box and they quickly learn that this is where the bathroom area is.
Miikka has stayed shiny and healthy throughout. She has not lost any weight, but it is very clear that she is more than happy to let me start to take over. In a few days I'll start letting the pups loose in the basement to play with their momma, and Miikka will wear a t-shirt so they can't nurse. It's still important to let mom interact with her pups until they go home.

Still practising our cute face and getting quite good at it!!



Tired after our first session in the new digs.



Busy checking it all out.



Back to bed for a couple hours.

5 minutes in the life of...

Mom comes in and its a flurry of activity. Time for supper.



Got milk?



Red cuts in line at the buffet.



A little wrestle after our meal.



And practicing my cute face.

Getting mobile

The puppies are starting to become really fun. I sit in the box with them and the crawl all over me, and they have really started becoming very aware of their surroundings.
You can see Red become upset when he knows his mom is outside the box in this video.
I will start weaning them in a couple of days. Then the work begins!!






Oh, ya. The weird hairy thing in the corner? That is Miikka's stuffed hedgehog. She kindly donated it to her babies.

3 weeks old!

The pups are 3 weeks old today!!
They are now walking and starting to interact with one another. They respond to my voice when I walk in the room and try to initiate play behaviours with each other. It is so very cute.
Pups got a de-worming today for their 3 week birthday present.

Need a map?

Looks like Red and Pink need some navigational assistance.

Sunday Visit

Went training today with some friends. Darbi had a nice day and was certainly feeling her oats. She is full of herself and definitely feeling good.

Afterwards, they all came over to see the babies.

Of course, they were a hit!

As usual, we found them sleeping in a pile. Fat and happy.

My friends' kids all had a blast.

And what did Miikka have to say about all of this?

"zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz"

Day 15

Puppies turned 2 weeks old yesterday. They are becoming alot more mobile and cuter by the minute.

Their eyes are all open now, which increases the cuteness factor.

As you can see in the short clip, Miikka is a great mother and at this point she does all the work. Other than the daily ENS and trimming their toe nails twice, this is the point that I sit back and just admire and cuddle the little guys.

Auntie's home

Babies are still doing great! Growing like weeds of course.

They are starting to take a few tentative steps.

Every time I see them take a step I run upstairs to grab my iPhone to capture it on video. As soon as I get back downstairs, they are fast asleep again. I need to learn to carry my iPhone with me.

Auntie Darbi came back from Colorado to visit yesterday. She is only here a week before she heads off to Texas.

When she heard all the funny noises in the basement, she had to come down for a looky-lo.

Miikka was very happy to see her best friend.

Darbi showed me her new Christmas present. She is very much a Flames fan!

Day10

Mom and pups are doing great!!

Little Yellow thought that mom and siblings were a jungle gym today.

A couple of the puppies have "bolo pads". These are white hairs found on the bottom of their feet or, more specifically, white patches of hair on the back of their legs just above their pads.

Bolo Pads are named after the great dog FC CH Banchory Bolo. He was the first ever Dual Champion in the labrador breed and lived from 1915-1927 in England.

He can be found in the pedigree of nearly all of our field trial labs today. Especially through Hiwood Risk, an English import, who was the grandsire of Dual Ch. CFC Little Pierre of Deer Creek.

Here is a pic of some bolo pads on Red's back feet.

And finally...these puppies have big paws to fill...literally.

Premature Grey

I have some new pictures of "Yankee" (Tiger x Darbi 2006). He will be just FOUR years old in a few days, and look at how grey he is!! Darbi was grey like him at 3 as well, so neat to see he has his mother's (and apparently my) genes.

What a gorgeous dog.

Elmingo Flight Director XXXVI