4/6 Update

The pups had a very busy weekend that lasted right through Monday. They were at Purina Farms Friday, Saturday and Sunday and had lots and lots of visitors from newborns to nearly deads and had a great time. It felt like we provided the petting zoo but the socialization was terrific.

On Sunday they got their second worming. Today they got their CERF exams and first puppy shots in preparation for going home. Their eyes all tested normal and the Vet pronounced them all in excellent health and they got to play with their Uncle Flint. They weighed between 7.3 pounds and 8.4 pounds - chubby, healthy and happy kids.

Thankfully they are now sleeping so that I have time to write this blog. They stay awake for long periods of time now and like to play and have lots of attention. Yesterday Joan taught them to sit so they have a new game to play for treats. A couple of them figured out that they should just stay seated and the treat machine would continue to deliver without any work - pretty clever. Bye for now, I have to work on posting the Video that Lynn shot last week.

End of March Updates

So much to report. Time has gotten away from me. I am posting pictures today from 3/29 and 3/30. The 3/29 shots are in the yard and just miscellaneous shots of each dog since I have been unable to pose them - they are way too busy. They are real dogs - walking, eating, drinking, running and, of course, pooping like real dogs.

Where to begin. They were 6 weeks old on Thursday and weigh between 6.5 and 7.25 pounds. They go out with the entire herd, Maverick, Jester, Dustin, Neil, Jody, Gracie and Amy. They go for long walks, tug and play like big dogs.

On Monday, I took them to Lawrence for some evaluation. First, Joan took them each for a walk and a little play time. Then, we went over to Ad Astra Farm courtesy of Grandpa Mark Hodges and put them each on a herd of 3 ducks. All of them showed very good to excellent herding instinct at 5-1/2 weeks old. Lynn Morgan joined us and took some video which I will attempt to post this evening. It was absolutely amazing and fascinating. Mark told me that he has seen many adult dogs back off an head for the other side of the arena and none of the kids showed fear.

We let them sleep a little while and then headed over the gym at Mark's school. He built a play area with mats of various sizes and shapes as well as tunnels. He also had various tug toys in there. Geneva, Mark's two legged granddaughter came to play with the pups as well. The pups made a Coppertone commercial by pulling her pants down. They were all over the place, up and over the A-Frames (triangular pads), climbed up the pads, jumped the gaps, untied the ropes, tugged against each other and just had a great time.

Joan kept them the next two days before bringing them back to my house and they went to Purina Farms today. She took them on walks and into her agility arena. They voluntarily went through tunnels and two of them went up a 5' 6" A-Frame - no fear.

3/23 Update and a few pictures

Each day they are becoming more like "real" dogs. They sit and stand like small Aussies and it is unbelievably cute. I wanted to show that to you but I can't get them to stay still long enough to do it. Maybe when Michele comes over tomorrow, we can do it. On Saturday I put the whelping box away and made a large area in the kitchen/dining room for them to roam with a crate in it to sleep in. They found the crate immediate and it is where they sleep now. They now have lots more toys, tunnels, etc and love to play. They received their first dose of wormer and the next one will be in 2 weeks. They will get their first shots at 6 weeks and I have scheduled CERF eye exams for all of them on April 7th. The kids now tug, play with toys, walk the boogie board and sleep through the night. Cougar went home last Friday and there was virtually no adjustment period when they were completely weaned because we had been feeding them whole food for over a week before she left. I have posted pictures of all 5 kids with one of their tug toys and a couple of bonus shots of them sleeping in their crate and trying to escape a box where I put them long enough for me to clean up the pirahna pit.

Dad tried to get me to sit still but I moved before he got the shot. He just isn't quick enough for me.

This is where they sleep. They found it all by themselves. Took them all of about 10 minutes.

They weren't very happy about being trapped in this box while I cleaned up the pirahna pit.

3/18 Miscellaneous pictures

Room at the Buffet is limited. Compare this to the picture from the first post.

Dining at the trough.

Sleeping in the whelping box. A chance for Grandpa to do some other work.


I took some miscellaneous pictures over the last couple of days. I thought you might enjoy them. See the captions below for more info. They are getting just too cute.

March 15th Update

The kids turned 3 weeks last Thursday and celebrated with a road trip to Des Moines and then their first "real food" meal. After eating most of the first plate, Joan made a second. They ate quite a bit of that before proceeding to wear the food and spread it all around the crate - looked like the remains after a bad concert.

They are now on a conbination of ground up Wellness with a milk replacement supplement mixed into a watery cereal three times daily supplemented by mom's milk. Please send newspaper, trash bags and reinforcements! In the last four days, Thursday morning to this morning, they have gained between 10 Oz and 11.8 Oz net of the deposits they have been leaving for me.

Michele and Aaron met us in Kansas City on the way home and we took them out for their first exposure to grass. They were way too mobile. While we were taking pictures, it took 2 people just to keep track of them while Joan and I took pictures on a blanket that one of Loretta's friends made for Cougar's Puppies.

I enclosed a few more photos for you to share.

3-8 Visit to the Vet

I had to take the older boys in for shots today so I took the kids along for a car ride and to socialize with Louise at the Clinic. As long as we were there, Gary looked them over, checked their hearts and pronounced all five of them in excellent health. He continues to marvel at their growth and how well they are progressing.

Update 3/8/2009

The puppies are amazing - and getting to be a lot of work but I'm told I ain't seen nothing yet. I took some pictures the other day but didn't get them posted so here are some pictures that I took this afternoon.

First, the all now weigh in between 41.5 Oz and 46.8 Oz and have gained between 141% and 195% of their birth weight. My daughter Michele came over on Wednesday evening and helped me remove all of the stitches from their tails - everything is just fine. Over the past few days all of them have opened their eyes as you can probably see in the photos and they have started to walk. The red boy was first to walk and is getting around the best so far although they still all look like they are drunk. The funniest thing to see is when they get up, shake and fall down. They are all now flooding the whelping box and I change the papers every time they wake up. They got their nails cut for the second time today and did real well. Michele and Aaron came over on Friday and helped me move them into the dining room where they will have lots of room to roam as they grow.

I wish you could all be here to see and hold them as they are a real treat - and you could help me clean up after them.

3/3/2009 Update

Good morning all. No new pictures today although I'll try to take some later. Just want to update everyone on the puppies. They all continue to do well and gain weight every day. As of this morning they weigh between 31.9 Oz and 38.3 Oz. Since birth they have gained between 85% and 129% of their birth weight. They are starting to try to stand up - looks like push ups on their front legs - Joan thinks they will be up and wobling around by next weekend.

We took them for the weekend in the motorhome. They took the travel and change of environment in stride. They had about 10 new visitors and each held all of the pups so we have begun socializing them in ernest. Joan and I cut their toenails for the first time on Sunday.

New Pictures 2/27/2009

Puppies weighed this morning between 25.6 and 31 Oz. Gaining weight nicely. They came with us in the motorhome this weekend. New experiences and lots of visitors and admirors. As you will see in the photos Joan is already teaching one to speak and all of them to do the tunnel - got to keep an eye her as you can never guess what she will do next. You've probably already noticed one of the bad habits she has taught the boys.