February 2007 Litter

Parents...

 
                   Papa Derwood                             and                         Momma Chloe
              Pedigree                  Health Testing                                                                                                                             Pedigree              Health Testing Testing                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
February 26, 2007

We brought home 11 gorgeous pups, 7 boys and 4 girls.  Four are beautiful brindles, two boys and two girls.  We believe the rest are fawns.  We are not sure if we have any apricots yet, too early to tell.  Mother and babies are all doing well.  And so is Der!!! 

Just 5 hours old...



For those of you who have met Don, you can really appreciate this shot!  The whelping box measures
4' X 5' and Don is 6' 2"!! 



Above, the kids are napping after their "happy meal" while mamma is out for a potty break.  Chloe is a remarkable mom.  She will go out for her potty breaks and to eat, but she flies through the house to get back with her babies when she is finished making sure they are all there, safe and sound!



Above, they are 24 hours old...all lined up and vying for a nipple!

 
I couldn't resist sharing this behavior of Chloe's.  After she is let outside for her meals and potty breaks she scrambles back through the house to be with her pups.  I swear every single time she counts each and every one!  This is so fun to watch and this time I was ready with the camera.  

Some of her pups are in the whelping box above and some have been moved to an "isolet" (individual bed) so they will not inappropriately suck on their siblings!  Their time in solitary is just temporary and as soon as Chloe settles back in, they are all placed back with her.  

It wasn't long before we had to assign eating shifts, like we have had to do with the pups from our last litters because there are more pups than nipples!  First we divided the litter into two shifts.  These pups got the first shift this time...


And then it wasn't long before they all got so big that they needed three shifts!


Chloe continues to be a fabulous mom.   Above, she is licking her pups clean, which was a task her mother, "Grandma" Hedy of this litter, so graciously allowed us to do for her!  Yes, we all know that Hedy is the princess around here! 

Here are some of my favorite shots so far of a couple of pups from this litter.  
 
I found Don cuddled up with Green Boy.  This is our first litter of brindles, so I am sure you can imagine all our enthusiasm!  Below, my grandson is beginning "early socialization" with little Pink Girl.  Frankly, I have never seen my grandkid wash his hands so fast when we was told he could hold one of Grammy's and Don's pups!!!
                               

More puppy pics...
               
                
               

Weigh-ins have gone very well...each pup is gaining on an average of 2 ounces or so each day.
Here are more pics of them resting after a satisfying meal.

 

Some of you might see a repeated  pattern in our pictures.  Admittedly, both Don and I have been bit by the brindle-mania bug!!! XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

 

This is the stage I love most...from rodent-like creatures to precious little puppies!!  Their eyes are open and they are starting to walk instead of scoot!
   

Above, Black Boy is just beginning to take his first steps.  And little Pink Girl is just truckin' all over the whelping box!                            

Time to begin weaning...
I experimented with our last litter by offering a pie plate of gruel as soon as the pups could stand and lap up their food, which was at about three weeks of age.  That was so successful that I did the same with this litter.  Again, it worked like a charm!  
Below, is their first meal of gruel.
 
 
 

I've said it so many times before...gruel is just plain grueling!!!!  So Karin came to the rescue one day with ramikins!!!  A ramikin filled with gruel was placed before each pup in an "oh, so civil manner."  

 
                         And after they finished eating, they stretched out for a snooze!

   
Naptimes are getting shorter and shorter!  Now it's playtime.  Puppy Playland will be opening soon!!
  
Puppy Playland, finally open for business!!!
 
Yellow Girl has made herself quite at home among all the "stinky" toys, which by the way, are all brand new and sweet smelling right now.  These are the little stuffed toys that go home with each pup so they will have something familiar to cuddle with (and smell!!) for a few days after leaving their siblings. 
 
This year's Puppy Playland has taken on a whole different look and motif!  We have added some play equipment and a tunnel for them to go through.  No, we really aren't expecting them to be training for an Agility Trial at this young age, just offering them some stimulation and challenges as early as possible.  Karin, Don, and I attended an all day breeder's seminar/workshop earlier this year that had so many great suggestions for raising a litter.  So far all the pups seem to be entertained by all the activity they have been provided.  If nothing else, there are so many more items to chew on!!!

    
After a long, hard day of play, the pups are ready for a nap!  Again, this year's changes to Puppy Playland are the addition of Nemo and the purple Easter Bunny.  They have replaced our faithful Rottweiler who has made it through two litters but finally lost his nose.  Our last litter of 13 pups was way too hard on him!  He just needs some plastic surgery.  As soon as time permits, I will perform a nose job and he will be good as new!  Meantime, this year's pups are piling up on Nemo and the bunny to take a snooze.
 
       
Above, Annie and Lucy look longingly into Puppy Playland, reminiscing about the fun they had not too long ago!
                                                   
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