Puppy Update

It's my oldest daughter's birthday! She's 44 years old. How did she get so old! Wait, I'm her mother that makes me REALLY old! 

Onto what you really wanted to see when you stopped in. They are the cutest things! Adopted assistant grandma Jo says so, and the other adopted grandma and chief babysitter Mel agrees! Of course, I'm talking about the PUPPIES!

The puppies are six weeks old today! Okay, okay, there's only five birthday candles on the cupcake. The sixth one just wouldn't fit. Here comes the pictures. (This will be slow loading because of all the pics.)

The milestones that have been conquered along the way...

• From thin, wiggling pups and whining constantly for warmth, getting lost away from the pack, having to pee, being hungry, or just wanting attention.

• Their round, full bellies made us think their legs would reach the floor to walk. Like their mother, several have taken to lay on their backs in "milk comas."

• Their eyes and ears open. They actually could determine light through their eyelids and hear certain sounds. (2 weeks old) They are getting more adept in getting around and can use their front legs to hoist themselves up and push themselves forward with their back legs. We tried boarding their area up to contain them but Mama Kass refused to be boxed in. She claimed (through animal whisperer Mel) that the 3'x4' space was too small for her to tend to her pups properly. The pups have doubled in size and already weigh four pounds each!

• On their 3-week birthday, their little legs have strengthened enough to stand and walk. Running or should I say attempting to run meets with disastrous tumbles head first into the carpeting. But they'll learn. Now that they are mobile, we are considering moving them to Mel's garden bathtub. or at least the bathroom. It's much bigger than mine. The linoleum will be be much easier to clean up puppy messes since Kass no longer has to prompt them to go. 

I guess we could put the doggy doors up in the kitchen that we contained Bennie with. Kassity has a pretty strict schedule where her puppies are concerned. I'm not sure which option we'll choose, but it needs to be  soon. They have started playing with each other for a few minutes after eating. Then, they just flop over and sleep. Their attitudes are developing. There's one little girl who growls at us and her siblings alike. Not sure if it's aggressive tendencies or just trying to be a bully. Either way, we'll try to train it out of her, if not she'll have to be destroyed. We don't want the responsibility of selling her (rehoming fee) and having her growing up and possibly attacking a child. For now, we are watching her closely.

Tan and white girl, 3 weeks 

old Yes they are huge!                  Puppies at play

<====Puppy pile! Puppies pause to nap @ 3 weeks old.

Yes, as they become more active and it demands more pictures. They growl, whine aka starting to howl, bark, and we have begun training them... mainly hush and go to sleep. They now have 1/4 of the room to explore. Kassity deemed it was enough space for them. They have decided that their initial area is their bed.

She awakened me early one AM, to ask if I'd help her corral her pups. When only one gets out of their nighttime enclosure, it's no problem for her. But when four get out and are all crying, she's at a loss going to one pup then another and dropping the pup she was carrying. They also weigh almost 5 lbs each and getting to be a mouthful. Poor Kassity and her ADHD. I got up and helped her.

• At four weeks old, they had their first of many trips outdoors. This is the beginning of potty training for them. They don't know what to think about the grass nor the cold wind yet. They've got the hang of walking, running. and climbing now that they are older toddlers now. 
  playing King of the wood pile.
                                 nap time
  
  
          
  They are developing their unique characteristics and personalities. For example, the only male expects to be ganged up on by his younger female siblings,  and the little runt will shake her head while she bites them to stop them from "attacking" her. She has developed a "I'm going to kill you" growl too. They have all learned the word, "Puppies!" means Mel and I are ready to be swamped by them to give them love and kisses. They will play, explore together, and fight as all toddlers do.

They understand simple commands like "come" with a finger gesture, and "Nap Time" is their get into bed and be quiet command. They are still learning "Go pee pee." It's still a very much a trial and error thing. They are so cute after the "Nap Time" is uttered by Mel. They will all get onto the comforter that serves as their bed and jockey for position in their favorite spots. Before they settle down. They'll quietly play and nibble on each others' ears or tails, or simply look at you with wide eyed innocence until they fall asleep. They don't always listen either. Usually there are one or two whose out and about doing their own thing. A quick head count will have Mel searching for the wayward pup(s). She'll pick it up when found and at eye to eye level, she'll say "Nap Time" and put the puppy down. If it refuses to go to bed, she'll clap her hands and repeat the command. Usually, the puppy will scurry to their bed.

Kassity has determined to wean her pups. She wants her freedom and is done with motherhood. When the pups now, help themselves, she walks away leaving them crying after her. She either jumps on the sofa, out of reach for the puppies, or goes outside. The puppies still have not figured out or at a size where they can use the dog door. I've never known a dog to have this behavior before so soon. We now feed the pups exclusively Puppy Chow. They seem to be handling it well with no ill  effects. Kassity did show her pups the water bowl before she stopped nursing them. We're thanking God for small favors.

• The pups has entered their 5th and 6th weeks of life in their environment outside the womb. They are independent individuals. The males are the explorers and often finds themselves stuck or lost from the pack. They have to be found by his human mamas and rescued. He'll strive to be on top of the indoor firewood pile when we bring it in. We have to time or ventures into the house with the wood or we'll be swamped with puppies trying to get attention. 

They have free run of the living, dining room, and kitchen now. We've barricaded the bedrooms from access. Neither one of us wants to get up and step in a puppy pile in the dark. They now have toys that they can "kill" and chew on to their hearts' content. This is courtesy of Mel starting to downsize her stuffed animal collection. They were meant for the thrift store donations, but they are living the rest of their lives being chewed and cuddly toys for the puppies. These small toys bring the puppies hours of pleasure. 

SCREECH! Full Stop.

Frankenbaby @6 weeks

They were too much of a trip hazard for me. We've had to corral them using wire shelving. We built one 8'x8' inside and one 12'x12' outside because they all scatter every which way when you try to catch them. The white female with brown spots that I call Frankenbaby because she looks like her father (Frankie), whines and howls constantly when put in the enclosure. The more attention you give her to shut her up the worse and louder she becomes when you leave her. 

Bully @ 6 weeks

Another female, I call Bully because she reminds me of a bulldog,  is another one who hates the enclosure though not as vocal as Frankenbaby. She'll hang onto the top of the shelf and walk on two legs around the enclosure. She's also turned into quite a bully wanting to be the alpha of the pack. Both hate nap time too. They are the last ones to go to sleep and usually the first ones up.

Bruiser & Eeyore

We found out that we have two males and six females this week. Mel and I each held a male up that we each believed was that only male of the bunch and they were different puppies. LOL With eight puppies to care for, it was easy to get confused. Mel calls one Bruiser because he's so big (8 lbs and paws to match)and the other, equally as big, Eeryore because his tail is always dragging close to the floor and has a laid back, sort of "ho hum," personality. Both are sweet natured puppies and actually paper trained. In fact, they all are good natured overall. If they were totally potty trained and not a fall hazard for us we'd have no problem letting them loose. As it is, we'll have to steam clean the carpets before we tear it out.

Baby Girl @ 6 weeks

The only other puppy I've named is Baby Girl. She's the runt of the litter. She's smart! She was the first to learn how to "kill" her siblings (bite, shake her head and growl) out of defense because of her size, the first to actually bark, and the first to learn how to get out of her new enclosure, It's extremely difficult to reprimand her, but we try. She comes to find you when she gets out and she's so happy (her tail wagging furiously) and proud of herself. When I pick her up to your eye level reprimand, she's a wiggle worm. When I put her next to me to adjust my hold on her, she'll tuck her head under my chin to cuddle or she'll smother me with kisses. Her latest antics is to bounce forward on her front two paws  a couple of times like she's going to attack, bark at your feet,  and then bounce backwards a couple of times inviting you to play. Another first for the pups. 

We have started advertising the pups for rehoming in two weeks. We are making every inquiry aware that these will be big dogs when grown. They must have a large yard to allow them to exercise in. There are other screening requirements also. Because these pups are part pit-bulls, the new families must have a loving home with at least one person to give the puppy almost undivided attention. It's been our experience with handling and raising the breed that if they are well loved, and socialized well, they'll grow into fabulous dogs. We don't know how they will react to small children because we've got none around. But, they are young yet. They can be taught. We don't want them raised to be hog hunters nor that will exploit the pit-bull's negative traits. We want them to be family oriented and much loved family pets.  Guarding and protecting instincts are also firm traits with most well loved dogs. We will do our best to house break them before rehoming but they are babies yet and accidents will happen.

We have decided to give up Kassity. As loving and sweet natured as she is, she has started killing chickens again. She killed all my hand raised chickens thus week. A week before my proposed butchering date for them for out larder. She kept after them in the chicken tractor little by little until she dislodged the stakes. No amount of reprimanding her worked. Once the stakes were dislodged, it was a small matter to tip it over and kill the young cockerels and hen. She would be ideal for a homestead or home without chickens. This was the straw that broke my back and made the decision for us.

The plan is to keep one of her pups who shows all the characteristics of bravery, protectiveness, lovingness of Kass, and is trainable that we want. Right now, we've narrowed it down to Baby Girl or Eeyore.  Kassity despite our efforts with her ADHD tendencies is untrainable for our needs besides the very basics. The decision on which of the unspoken for pups will be the keeper.

So that's the puppy update. We are looking for four new homes for Kassity and three pups. The screening process has begun for prospected new owners over the next two or three weeks.

Y'all have a blessed day!

Cockeyed Jo