Day 50-52 - The vet! 6/1-6/3

The boys came back from the vet with a clean bill of health! I really liked the folks at New Horizon Animal Hospital in St. Clairsville.

Before I talk about the housekeeping involved at the vet visit, I want to talk about a huge breakthrough I've had in training the pups. Pureed chicken. The puppies can lick it off my fingers and now suddenly they are interested in treats. All of the puppies have learned to look for the treat when I click my tongue and Tag and Snick have both figured out how to sit to ask for a treat.

Another thing has happened that has changed sort of a lot around here. Butter flipped a switch and is no longer acting like a mother most of the time. She suddenly stopped letting them nurse on Thursday morning. Now just once in a great while I'll see her let them nurse while standing under her.

Because of this, and because of how attached to them we are getting, and how attached to us they are getting, I am rethinking keeping them until 10 weeks. If I thought they'd all be leaving at once, I don't think I would be okay with it yet, for Butter's sake. But, I don't think, with this being our first litter, that they are all 3 going to be spoken for by this weekend, but if any are, they can go home. I hope I'm making the right choice for everyone here. We love these guys very much and every day somebody (usually me) will ask if we really don't need to just be a 4 dog household.

Since Butter is being a little too rough now, we've split the yard in two. The puppies can fit through between the fences if they want to be with their mom, or get away from her. Butter keeps bringing things to them, peace offerings, maybe? Try to guess which side is hers.

So, all the preparation I did for their first van ride to the vet was not enough. They all cried the entire drive down. And everyone was so anxious once we got there that they just laid down in the crate and slept. Here's Tag once he finally stopped panting and crying and just crashed.

But everyone did really well with their shots. I'm not even sure they felt them. And once we were done and started to leave, everyone perked up, started chewing on pigs' ears and interacting with the people and dogs in the waiting room.

Weight and Vaccine notes below.

Days 46-49 - Crates, Collars, and Kiddie Pools, 5/28-5/31

It's been a busy few days with the puppies. We got them individual crates for exploring, and put a pig's ear in each. The idea is that they'll go in and hang out on their own. So far this is not really working at all.

Tagalong resting on my arm

My daughter made them a little blanket fort, though, and they are loving it.

It's been hot here in Ohio, so we set up the swimming pool we originally were using as their whelping pen, and made them a staircase to get in and out.

Snickerdoodle carrying a wet stuffed caterpillar

The puppies are all interested in the water, but only one has made it into the pool, so far. We'll empty and refill it tomorrow. I'd just leave it set up another day, but my children have dug up some dirt and dumped it in there, so...

I put some cat collars on them tonight. I was fully prepared for them to fight this, but they were dopey and just let me put them on. No trouble.

Tagalong gazing into the distance. Would you look at his waves??

I also clipped their nails, and decided I will be keeping them until 10 weeks instead of 8. I have put a lot of thought into this, and my primary reason is that Butter is still very attached to these puppies. It will also give me a little more time during the first 12 week early development period.

Day 44 & 45 - Puppies on the rocks, 5/27 & 28

Today we let the puppies check out the van in preparation for their upcoming vet appointment. No one was particularly impressed. They whined and acted scared, so I took them back out pretty quick.

But they were not afraid of our gravel driveway. In fact, all three of them immediately began sniffing around, exploring and playing. All the time we've been spending outside had made them braver!

We live in the middle of nowhere, so I am not particularly concerned about them catching anything from neighborhood dogs.

Tagalong figured out manding! Manding, is a dog's way of asking for something. In Puppy Culture, manding is part of the Communication Trinity. He's sitting in order to get a treat. I'm not teaching him to sit on command. Only that if he does sit, he can get the good thing he wants.

I also did the box game with all three puppies. None of them is particularly food motivated, so I think it's going a lot slower than I was expecting.