1 Week Old

Here is today's gallery. I will try to add more later.

The rule of thumb for 7 to 8 day old pups is a doubling of weight if they are average sized pups. There are always exceptions with pups that are meant to be small. Pups that srat out small etc. This is simply a guideline. Here are today's weights.

(B)=Birth (N)=Now

Lighter red
(B) 5-1/2oz 156g
(N) 11-1/2 328g

Creamy and colour
(B) 5oz 142g
(N) 10oz 289g

White chin
(B) 6-1/2oz 183g
(N) 12-7/8oz 365g

Brown and White
(B) 5-6/8oz 164g
(N) 11-5/8oz 327g

Tan legs, bum, face
(B) 6-6/8oz 192g
(N) 12oz 341g

As you can see they either arrived at doubling their weights or will arrive perhaps by tonight or tomorrow. We are on track. I can't begin to tell you how many times they do not. It's a silly guideline with all breeds but reality is it is there to get you to weight the pups. You should be monitoring them daily (we weigh twice a day) so you can assess if there are any issues such as upset tummies or other issues.

Whatever mom eats, pups get the result. If mom has indigestion, the pups do too. If a pup is not eating or eating little and is strong and alert you know adjusting the menu selection of mom is important. Some only feed their moms kibble without any add ins to avoid this experience but to me the nutritional value of adding protein is very important at this time so we give mom a huge variety of food. We are good - pups are good. Roxie is a great mom. Sometimes she doesn't want to eat. She wants Nathan to feed her and he does indulge but only moms get this indulgence. I think it is the being spoiled factor and it happens with all! They get that Daddy time that way!

We play with Roxie. You will see Nathan on the videos. I play and massage her. It is important to me that moms realize how very special they are. The momma that is happy is a great mom. 

Be sure to check out the videos. I will add photos to the gallery later on. 

6 Days Old

Can you believe the pups are 1 day short of a full 7 days old? 

Here is today's gallery.

Most puppies will double their birth weight in the first seven to eight days. These puppies will make that milestone. 4 will do so on day 7. 1 I believe on day 8. We shall see.

Did you know puppies eyes can open independent? You will often see a pup with one eye open and later in the day the other. It is a fascinating process.

The pups are gaining nicely. They are active. We await the eyes opening but that won't happen for a number of days. When it dies, they start trying to walk. They will start interacting with toys. It is a fascinating time.

Be sure to check out the videos.

5 Days Old: Puppy Info

Here is today's gallery. 

Puppies are born without hearing or eyes open but they usually open up about the same time from a week on they say but our normal is usually around 2 to 3 weeks. 

Puppies depend on their littermates and mom for warmth. They can't filly self regulate their body temperatures at this stage. We have a thermometer in the whelping box. That is the red flashing white device where we can have the station tell us what the temps are at all times. If it gets too high or too low it sends out an alert. We also have a heat lamp that we turn on if it gets too hot. You can also put the heat lamp on just a small section of the whelping box so they can crawl in and out of warmth depending on the temperature. This is the best solution. Pups can dehydrate from too much heat and this allows them to crawl in and out of heat depending on their needs. They can also die from an environment that is too cold. Pups will cry loudly with either extreme for mom to help them. During the day, most times it is not on as this room stays warm without air conditioning on. They will not self regulate their body temps fully till closer to 2-3 weeks. This usually occurs around the same time the eyes and ears open. 

It is essential that puppies consume colostrum in the mother’s milk within the first 24 hours after birth, as this contains antibodies and other immune substances that help protect newborn puppies from disease. At about 3 to 4 weeks this passive immunity stage wanes a bit but it is so critical for pups to eat from mom that first 24 hours. They are more vulnerable when this does not occur.

Once eyes and ears open their activity increases. I will keep you aware of each stage. 

Pups are gaining. They are doing well and they have solid output. Their bodies are working. They are very relaxed and trusting now in your hands with no squirming unless they want momma's milk bar.

They are beautiful boys and it will be fun getting them outside, playing and enjoying. 

I find myself looking for blue or boy colours for these pups and found a ton of pink ones. I went to the baby consignment shop here locally but not a single crib comforter. Oh well, we will deal with what we have. Does it matter if I sometimes use pink? heh

Also looking for playmats - the ones you put together. I think they call them interlocking foam mats. If you know anyone selling - even used on Craigs etc, please let me know. I am told that they are wonderful with leg strengthening. I would like to try and see if their legs get stronger quicker. Not needed as we do other things but maybe a good tool. We shall see. Always looking for new things to help them along.

Be sure to look at the videos that I keep uploading throughout the day.

4 Plus Days Old

As you can see in this photo they are different shades which makes it easier when knowing who I am weighing.

The pup that almost gained 2 ounces (too much in a day but has happened but not usually at this age) dropped down to gaining 3/8 last feeding. I suspect he over ate. I was beginning to think he was going to be way big if he continued gains like that. Now he is back to the normal gains. Also, it helps that momma is no longer gassy. Everything she gets the pups get. So he may have ate and ate thinking his gassiness was hunger. When moms ramp up to eating so much initially their bodies also need to adjust. You will also get gassy if you eat too much. It's rather normal. Roxie's recovery from whelping has beem genuinely easy. Her bowels still are firm. She is minimal discharge. She's eating well. She is no longer gassy. She is sleeping well between.

They are all continuing to gain. They are active. Some are feeding while they lay on their back. Roxie laid on her back and expected them to feed. Some did but I had to help them realize where the milk stations are. Without blankets to give them height, it's still a stretch. But they did well. 

Puppies that are satisfied eat, sleep. If not they eat and eat and eat or not at all. These pups since day one has had their naps between feeding. They are doing really well. They are also very strong as you will see in the videos making themselves around mom's body.

Here is today's gallery.

I am holding, stroking each a number of times a day. You do this so they get conditioned to touch by a human. When they open their eyes, I will continue to do so. It takes a few days for eyes to stop (won't happen for at least a week) being blurry and when that happen I will take each and show them outdoors from the window. If its a nice day I will walk them around the back in my arms. Although conditioning seems to happen at a faster pace after their eyes are open, what you do before matters. Puppies that aren't handled from day one over and over will go through a startling phase when they can see you and you hold them if you haven't done conditioning from the start. Sure it is a quick phase of conditioning but why not get them used to how wonderful human touch is before they have their sight. We tend to hold each a great deal. 

The pups are enjoying touch. Sometimes they squirm to get back to the milk but other times they just fall asleep in your hands. What a feeling that is.

Be sure to check out the videos. We have a ton there.

Pups all gained 1oz to a bit over in the last 24 hours. This is exceedingly great weight gains - better than usual on day 4 but not too much. We still have 2 that are smaller than the rest but they too are gaining an ounce.

3 Days Old: Gallery Added

Gallery will come later. I figured I would tell you a bit about our day.

Each day I comb out Roxie, tie her hair up so the pups have access to the milk stations. Sometimes I need to do it again mid day.

Each morning I clean out the blankets and sometimes mid day. We keep the area clean as I believe pups getting conditioned to clean environments appreciate that as they get older always. It makes for an easier time for training to the pad and then outdoors.

In the morning I weigh the pups at 7am and in the evening I weigh at 7pm.

If mom has discharge (normal) I clean her and even if she doesn't, I take a cool cloth and wash her belly and private areas. It cools her down and she loves it so. Roxie had a very clean birth and her discharge is minimal. Her bowels are normal. Though yesterday she was passing gas as she adjusts to eating so much food. She is eating about 5 times a day and will increase as they get older. These are heaping bowls filled with cheese, steak, roast beef, chicken and anything else that Nathan cooks up for her. Along with that Dennis usually feeds her a mousse. The pups will have mousse to start with when they get older. It will be their first meal until they transition to kibble. 

The pups are doing well. I promised not to do weight postings always as it is tedious but this is what the weights were today.

Lighter red 7-4/8oz up from 6-5/8oz

Creamy 6-5/8oz up from 5-6/8oz

White chin 9-4/8oz up from 8oz

Brown and White 7-4/8oz up from 6-6/8oz

Brown and tan 9-7/8oz up from 8oz

This was in 24 hours. I am very pleased with their weight gains. When mom can supply all their food needs at this stage, it is better for their immunities, digestion etc. These pups are strong and they have no issue going all around mom to get their food. It means they have strength and good scent. Eyes are closed so they rely on touch and scent. 

More later but I continually update videos when I can. You can check them out on my Youtube channel. If you subscribe you will get a notice when new ones go up. 

Here is today's gallery.

Today's Update

The pups are doing really well. When Dennis gets up, we are going to do individual photos so you can see each boy from a variety of angles. 

Pups are all doing well. Here are the weights in order of birth: (B) birth (N) Now (this morning actually 7am) Weigh ins are at 7am and 7pm. 

lighter red sable
(B) 5-1/2oz 156g
(N) 6-5/8oz 188g

Cream with Black and red (Smallest) He may surprise me but think he may remain the smallest. Too early to tell yet.
(B) 5oz 142g
(N) 5-6/8oz 165g

Red Sable White chin tan markings
(B) 6-1/2oz 183g
(N) 8oz 183g

Brown and White
(B) 5-3/4oz 164g
(N) 6-6/8oz 192g

Brown tan face, tan legs, tan bum
(B) 6-3/4oz 192g
(N) 8oz 226g

More later but thought it would be fun to share their weight gains. I am pleased with all. Usually they lose the first 24 hours but mom had milk immediately and she is eating very well so she can keep that milk supply going. She is truly an amazing mom and such an even keel gal. She so loves the pups. 

More later when we have individual pups but be sure to check out the videos. 

Here is the gallery of the individual pups. They are either blurry or washed out as I was taking photos with the sunlight saturating them. They were bleached out and moved a lot. This the blurriness and I guess I am tired. I said to Lynda Tam I am not doing any planting till the May 24 weekend and she says this is the May 24 weekend. I laughed. Yikes... I promised to do an update next week with individual photos and will shut my blinds so you can see true colour. I just don't have time to fix them. It is what it is... You get to see colours on the videos and the group photos but I so wanted to do a good job on the individuals. I don't usuallu do them this early. Now I know why.

Note: Gaining again - nice gains. So early too. They already have fat bellies. I won't post weights all the time but I will keep you aware. Momma Roxie LOVES her Babybell!

1 Full DAY Old Plus

I have not weighed them tonight. I will at 7pm. I am weighing at 7am and 7 pm. They are all gaining. As you can see this boy is might comfie. Here is today's gallery. 

This is a duplicate litter as we liked that pairing so much. 4 boys then, 1 black and white and 5 boys this time. 

Be sure to look at the videos here. 

Dennis is off to the movies with his brother Jon - same movie we went to see sitting 1 row back. Hope they enjoy it. Then Dennis gets home and does night duty. 

Dennis said she would only eat mousse last night but he didn't realize she had 6 meals before he fed her already. Other than it being too hot (supposed to cool off) Momma and pups are doing really well. They are rather strong too.

First 12 Hours

I am uploading videos here and there so be sure to check out my YouTube page. 

Roxie is eating well. She is producing milk. Pups are gaining which is a bonus at this stage as they usually lose a bit. The pups are lively and strong. It's hard telling the 3 reds apart but one has tan on his face so now it;s which one is you - hunt for any markings time. I am safe now as they are both different sizes but got to look real close when I am coherent. I have only had a couple of hours sleep. Thank you truly to Murphy's mom for lunch. It's hard to balance cooking and all the rest. 

Grandkids and daughter came over to see the pups. It was nice. Roxie has 'finally' crashed. Meaning she is sleeping. It's warm in the house as we donot have aur on as 2 days from now it is cooling off again. We shall see how that goes.

As you can see, Roxie is getting out to do her duty and she is so excited to say to the others, look what I have!

Roxie had an easy delivery. She is very healthy and this birth was interesting as she never made a peep and she would push and one would come out. Only the one breech did Nathan have to massage the area to get the pup to come faster but even that was minor. She had a very easy time. Nathan would sleep between births and well I didn't sleep. 

We will recover but not today - maybe not tomorrow but usually by day 3 we are not walking zombies.

Puppies Are Coming: Surprise!

First Boy BornFirst is a boy born at 2am. He weighs 5-1/2oz 156g. He is red sable. Clicking on each photo will get you a full size photo.

Second Boy BornSecond is a boy born at 234am. He is brown, cream and black. He weighs 5oz 142g

Third Boy BornThird is a boy. He is a red sable. He came out with a voice. He is 6-1/2oz 183g. He was born at 248am.

4th Boy BornIt's boys week as the 4th is also a boy! He is 4 white feet and is brown. He was born at 351am. He weighs 5-3/4oz 164g

5th Boy BornFifth and last one was born at 429am. He is a brownish red and tan boy. Nathan is off to the tv room to sleep and I am up. Yes, all boys. He weighs 6-3/4oz 192g

The 5 BoysHere are the 5 boys!! All are eating immediately and she has milk. Roxie is so excited! She's eaten and she is now cleaning them. I hope she takes a nap.

Here is the gallery. Do not look if you don't want to see messy photos. Delivery is messy but beautiful too. 

To see the videos, go to my Youtube channel. 

Yes, Roxie was the only one who got pregnant. We missed the windows on the others but they will be bred approx July/August and we will be doing progesterone so we do not miss the window.

After Bath

Front, side view and braids! Xray soon.