The Misty x Laddie pups turned 5 weeks old Wednesday Mar 11, 2020. It feels like they have doubled in size in just a few days. Most of them are developing soft, fluffy coats.
This past week was notable for new experiences.
Pups were exposed to marker training this week. I was happy to see that they are all quite eager to tackle their education. Videos of training included in their pictures, below.
We also had several friends and family members drop by throughout the week, so puppies got a fair amount of socialization. Thank you, everyone! Our son came home briefly from camp work as well, making sure to spend some time snuggling puppies, too. Be still my heart. 🥰 *With all videos, click the link, then click the video to open it fully.*
Introduction to the noise of a vacuum cleaner was another novel adventure in the past few days.
And, drinking water was added to the pen for pups to discover and enjoy. Unfortunately, the videos I took of their first reaction to it glitched and will not play :( So, here's a screen shot, but it's nothing like watching that first surprised reaction!
This week technology has been a tad frustrating, with both my blog and my videos having issues. Please bear with me while I attempt to sort them out.
On another note, the Misty & Laddie DNA Health testing kits arrived this week. Huzzah! Now I just need to find a time to separate Misty from her hoard for several hours so that I can do the swab on her.
I'm pleased to report that the 'coyote roller' we created last week has stood up to the challenge; no jail breaks here! :)
Last week I remade the nest, then reduced it's size. This week I removed it entirely & added an extra calf sled potty area. The pups have adjusted well. While not yet completely free of the rare wee accident, they are all pretty consistent about using the pellets to do their business. Yay!!
The puppies each inhale ~1.5-2c of goat milk formula / kibble gruel every day. This will be increased this week as Misty reduces her responsibilities as the vending machine. (Sometimes the linked video works, and sometimes it doesn't. I have.no.idea.why! lol *sigh*.)
Puppy weights: Purple got top honors this week at 6 lbs 7oz, with Gold hot on her heels at 6 lbs 6oz. Pink is now tied for last place with Spot & Red, but gained an impressive 1lb, 10 oz this week, which is just 2 oz less gain than top dog, Purple.
Individual puppy pics (Day 35) All pups that are not obviously sable appear to be some version of b/w or seal (more info here & here). A video of the puppy group at 4.5 weeks. They're starting to be very responsive to me, and are sitting quite frequently for pets. This video has a bit of a glimpse of them drinking, too. It finally decided to work for me (many hours later...).
I took separate training videos of the pups this week - see them under individual pup names. First time doing that without a helper, so every single 'up' and 'off' is partly out of the frame, but... you'll get the idea anyway. Next set I'll try to be more centered in the frame. For viewing efficiency, after pup has been named, the action typically starts at after 0:15. In addition to the training videos, I took a video of each of them during their photo shoot since it's getting very difficult to capture good still frames of them now that they're more active. Most of the videos were taken after they'd been on the chair for about 3 minutes but a couple were taken as soon as they got on the chair. So, in addition to their natural differences in temperament, there's a bit of variation in their displayed confidence level.
Blue (m) This boy may be seal; he looks quite b/w here, but has a bit of reddish hue to his coat. He trains willingly, but is somewhat more cautious than some, preferring to cuddle up to me for reassurance. I also find him a little slower to forgive perceived affronts. That being said, he is gentle taking food from my hand, he offers a natural sit at times, he does forgive, he does warm up, and he isn't as soft overall as Red. Blue Training Video at 5 weeks
(this is the pups' 3rd training session) Blue chair video 5 wks
Gold (m) Shaded sable. He's a medium soft pup with gentle demeanor. He trains well, albeit with a bit of distractibility in new situations. He likes to please, giving a short wag when praised.
(this is the pups' 3rd training session) Gold chair video 5 wks
Green (m)
Black & white boy with a hint of red tint on occasion. Sooo few good pictures of him this week - he was having a grand ole time on that chair, lol
Green is eager to train, friendly and very waggy. He's quite agile on his feet and able to make the turns with more dexterity than some.
(this is the pups' 3rd training session) Green Chair video 5 wks
Purple (f)
Sable with Black mask. This little lady is an interesting mixture. In familiar territory Purple is confident and has a bit of a 'tude. In new surroundings, she displays some cautiousness, but quickly overcomes her misgivings and responds to the majority of training with tail up. At 4.5 weeks of age she hopped up into the potty area & did her business, then emphatically marked her territory by scuffing the pellets with her hind legs, looked up at me and barked, "Rrruff". Soooo very proud of herself! Lol 😂 I have never seen a puppy this young give those type of territorial signals. If she keeps up like this, she will need a dog savvy owner who will not let her rule the roost.
(this is the pups' 3rd training session) Purple chair video 5 wks
Red (m)
Red appears to be a seal; he has a bit of reddish hue to his coat. His fur is also coming in a bit fluffier than some of the others. He is a soft, gentle pup. He is a contemplative eater (like Pink) when alone; sampling, looking up to survey the terrain, then slowly eating some more in a cyclical fashion. In the pack, however, he chows down. He often offers a sit before the other pups do. It takes him a little while to warm up to new surroundings. During training, he takes the food from my fingers very gently.
(this is the pups' 3rd training session) Red Chair Video 5 wks
Silver (m)
Sable with black mask. I call this boy my friendly 'Gator'. He snaps the food off my hand eagerly with a wide open mouth, yet doesn't bite. His dad does the same thing. He trains fairly eagerly, albeit with a few distractable moments. A friendly, waggy, and contemplative guy who likes to sit back and intently observe things, he likes to make eye contact. Silver Training Video at 5 weeks
(this is the pups' 3rd training session)
Pink (f)
This girl may be a seal; sometimes she has a bit of greyish hue to her coat, other times, reddish. Her hair is becoming fluffier, too. Pink is a medium soft, gentle pup. She is sweet with a bit of cautiousness. I consider her to be a contemplative eater (like Red). When alone, she samples, looks up to survey her terrain, then daintily eats some more in a cyclical fashion. In the pack, however, she eats voraciously. She trains well, warms up to new surroundings quite quickly, and becomes waggy. Pink Training Video at 5 weeks
(this is the pups' 3rd training session) Pink Starting Chair Video 5 wks Pink Chair Video 5 wks
(1 minute later)
Spot (m)
This boy may be a seal; sometimes he has a bit of greyish hue to his coat while others, it appears to have some red. Spot has a blue eye as well (One of Laddie's litter brothers had blue eyes). Spot trains eagerly. He's a friendly social butterfly who is quick, cheerful and waggy. He likes to make eye contact.
Spot Training Video 5 weeks (this is the pups' 3rd training session) Spot Chair Video 5 wks
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