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(updated February 13, 2013)
Nikki's puppies, first week
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A good beginning
"A quiet puppy box is a healthy puppy box!" A very good rule of thumb, which also applies in Nikki's case.
It can be stressful, to especially a first time Mother, if we spend too much time "messing" with her and her puppies to weigh them etc. She is occupied with trying to get used to an entirely new life and in particular a new responsibility - the safe keeping of her puppies. A Mother dog does this best, and with the least stress, if left quiet and alone with their puppies.
Being everything seemed to be going so well, we decided not to weigh Nikki's puppies the first few days. About mid week we checked, and all had gained perfectly as expected. At the end of the first week we can see for sure, that everynody have gained satisfactory, the puppies appear very strong and equal, and the box is still quiet!.
In the next week, the puppies will open their eyes.
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Nikki's feeding- and eating habits and switching boxes
Nikki does not have the appetite we are used to with new Mothers, but she has a very special desire...sliced ham! Not diced, not cut in cubes, but sliced. Naturally we cater to her wishes, and as the week progressed she gained more and better appetite. I guess it is not everything we are supposed to understand!
For the most part of the first week Nikki divided her large litter into smaller "eating teams". We observed how she clearly would feed 2 or 3, then cut them off by physically blocking their way, and feed the other group. She switched back and forth like that, clearly she knew, what she was doing, and as with everything else, we let her have it her way, and assumed she had her reasons.
We have also never had so many changes in sleeping/living quarters within the first few days, as with Nikki and her puppies.
The first box quickly became too small, so we gave them a larger plastic box with tall sides. Pretty soon it was clear, that this box became too hot, which we have experienced with plastic before. So we gave her a different box, but the puppies kept falling out of it over the sides, and we ran all night long to pick up crying puppies, as Nikki pretty much did nothing, and just expected us to deal with it and fix it for her.
That's when the big crate was put to use. Lined inside with a sheet, tied up on the sides, the puppies can't fall out through the wire holes. And with newspapers in the bottom, Nikki was able to tear all of it up, cover the puppies with newspaper shreds, and make herself a little enclosed feeling nest, where no-body could see her puppies. Here they also have plenty of room and it is warm and cozy without being too hot.
Color surprise
During one of the box changes we had a brief moment with good light on the puppies. This revealed a bit of a surprise, because all of a sudden we could clearly see, that 5 out of 6 had "a lighter tone of black". They are very, very dark brown, and only puppy number 5 has real black spots on the body.
They are all tri-colored, as the "brownies" have a ligthter brown (tan) in their faces, which will turn even lighter over time. Some of them already look like they could become as light in the head as Nikki. The spots on their bodies will remain dark brown.
The puppy with the black spots on the body is also tri-colored, he has tan cheeks and eye brows.
We are working on giving the puppies their names, and will add them here sometime this week. This is our "G" litter.
Towards the end of the week Nikki is trying to gain back some social life. Even though she is not at all ready to have the other dogs near her puppies, she really likes to be outside running with them and feeling part of the pack. She has started to insist getting her dish in the kitchen and get fed along with the group, when the others get their meals. She also plays a little with Fay and Sussi.
As part of a gradual step-by-step re-integration we can now allow the other dogs access to the puppy room, when I am there, and Nikki is ok with that. They are of course very curious and dying to meet the puppies, but it is still way too soon for that.
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A puppy from Kennel Little Denmark
- Our puppies are by breeding approved parents (this is no longer a DKK requirement)
- The puppies have DKK pedigree, are sold on written contract, they are micro chipped, de-wormed, have first set of puppy shots, and a current health certificate from the vet.
- Our puppies are insured by Agria's "Hidden fault insurance" until they are 2 years and 3 months old (the insurance also covers puppies sold to other countries than Denmark)
- They will, just like all our previous puppies, be well socialized, be used to sounds and routines in and around a normal home, and have started house breaking. Plus of course they have learned "sit", and either learned, or have started to learn "down"
- A Kennel Little Denmark's puppy is accompanied by a "start package", including amongst other items, some puppy food to begin with
- Life long "support" is included as a given
If you are interested in learning more, you are welcome to contact us:
Kennel Little Denmark's
v/Helene Riisgaard Pedersen
Tvindelstrupvej 31
4100 Ringsted
Denmark
tlf: +4550579514
Email: Helene(at)farmdogs.net
(at)=@, this format is used to spare me from loads of automated spam and junkmail
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Has completed DKK's breeder education
Puppy #1, a male
He now weighs 460g
16.2 oz.
Puppy 2, a female
She now weighs 452g/
15.9 oz.
Puppy 3, a male
He now weighs 473g/
16.7 oz.
Puppy 4, a female
She now weighs 469g/
16.5 oz.
Puppy 5, a male
(the only black)
He now weighs 436g/
15.4 oz.
Puppy 6, a female
She now weighs 415g/
14.6 oz.
Safe and warm in Mama's cave
Check back next week
for new updates
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