Puppy Update

Well the babies are a week old today and the 6 are doing great. Still 3 girls and 3 boys. They sure are cute. Mom is starting to take short breaks from them now. She hops out of the box and lays next to it on the floor for short periods. However she is still protective. She barked at my brother the other day when he came to visit. She never barks at any other time. This video is of them nursing this morning. They really go to town. Their eyes and ears are still closed, but by next week they will be opening and then the fun begins. Mom is on a strict feeding schedule of 4 meals per day. That equals 10 and 1/2 cups of food per day. Noone ever said dog breeding was cheap. Her morning feeding also includes what I call gruel, cause it looks so gross. It is 1 1/2 cups of dry puppy food with 1/2 a can of canned puppy food and 1/2 a cup of milk. I know, I know any vet will tell you not to give them dairy it causes diarrhea, but this is a labrador with a stomach of steel. Her stools are wonderful. I started making this years ago with our first breeding female. Back then I made it with baby formula, and sometimes I still do, but this time I guess I was too lazy to buy it we are using powdered milk instead. Anyway It probably doesn't do much for them I don't know. I suppose the dog food is probably all they need, but I like making it. It makes me feel good, and the girls never seem any worse for wear so I will continue to do it till I have an issue. I usually only feed it till the pups start nibbling their own gruel at about 3 weeks of age. Then mom's calories start to get gradually cut until the pups are 6 weeks of age when we wean them totally off of mom. Don't worry they still get to socialize with mom after that and they usually get to play with my old female, Cami. Who in her day was an excellent mom and certainly knows how to keep those pups in line. Well I'll keep you posted on their progress.

Full Bellies. I love the one sleeping on his back.