Thanksgiving at Puppy Central was just another day of feasting for the Glitterati. Puppies typically double their birth weight at 7 - 8 days -- Jamaica and Whitby doubled their birth weight last night at just five days and the rest should double today! Cadi does everything well, but who knew that she would be so skilled at milk? The Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America has a variety of Top Producer awards -- maybe Cadi thinks there is a Top Producer of Milk award?!
Whatever she is doing and for whatever reason, it is working! These puppies are growing so well and they look great. I weigh them morning and night, and will post their morning weights later so you can see for yourself.
Cadi is definitely more relaxed and will even leave the whelping box for short times. She is careful with her babies now and continues to be very, very attentive to them and especially to keeping them spotlessly clean. I mentioned that she does not like to eat away from them and so I feed her next to the whelping box. Well, that was not good enough -- now she picks up her bowl and takes it into the box to eat! She is a clever girl :)
Cadi's increased attention to detail and the puppies increased size means that the Puppy Safety Patrol can transform a bit. We have continued to split the night shift -- I go to bed at 7 p.m. and get up at 1:30 or 2 a.m., although this morning Galen managed to stay awake until nearly 3 a.m.!!! I feel like I slept in -- and isn't that sad in a funny sort of way??!! But tonight we will transition to a less vigilant plan -- I will "sleep" in a chair next to the whelping box. After a few days of this, I will move to my bed, which will be about ten feet away from the whelping box. And then the whole show will move to Utah -- I am trying not to think about how we will manage that feat!
When the puppies nurse and the milk lets down, they have started to make the sweet little noise that all puppies seem to make -- it sounds like, "uh, uh, uh, uh..." Their bodies get still as they focus on what I imagine is a torrent of milk, and then they drop off like satisfied ticks. They usually just fall asleep on the spot, head next to Cadi or on a sibling, in a stupor of fullness much like most of America felt last night, I suspect!
My goal today with the pictures was to begin to help you identify puppies. I took close-ups of two boys that I think are distinctive. Hudson is the one with more white on his muzzle; one of his white paws is also visible. Hudson (Rock Hudson, according to Joan) is perfectly marked and very good-looking. The other close-up on the blanket (thanks again Liz) is Toronto. He has a wide blaze but less white on his muzzle. Toronto is a big, solid puppy who likes to take laps around the whelping box! The two puppies together that are both right side up are Ireland and Jamaica. Ireland has more of a blaze but is dark on the right side of her muzzle, while Jamaica has a very skinny blaze and a little more muzzle white. Finally, that is Whitby on Cadi's rear paws. Aren't the puppies just adorably perfect?!
The puppies have decided not to join the shopping crowds today so we will sit out this traditional start of the spending -- oops, I mean holiday -- season. Instead we will continue to enjoy this quiet, precious time of new life and growth, and leave WalMart for those brave souls who enjoy a real challenge!
I hope your day is spent doing what you love -- shopping, working, playing or whatever it is! Thanks for checking in with us today.
Your photos are so sweet, MA! I especially love the photo of Whitby on Cadi's rear paws! Sure offers great perspective. Guess they need to grow like little weeds if their feet are going to catch up to their Mom's!
ReplyDeleteWe too are not joining in the shopping extravaganza today. Apparently in our town here in Illinois, some people have gotten trampled in one of the stores. Not my idea of fun . . .
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures today . . . I am starting to get a sense of who each little pup is! That is exciting, to begin to know each one from the other.
~ Liz, Sam, Kiko the discerning pug, and Lily-girl the cat
I just realized that ears ears must grow at exponentially, looking at the photo of Whitby and how short his ears are and thinking about Peaches' ears which get food on the tips every day when she eats! The baby ears are nowhere near past their nose and by 15 weeks they are about an inch past their nose! (When the head in pointing down towards the food bowl.
ReplyDeleteTerri, Peaches and Ochoco
Funny Terri, I was thinking the same thing, or does Jed have shorter ears and the puppies have his ears. I don't remember Cadi's ears especially but Maverick and Fiona both have rather long ears. We tease Fiona that her ears help her to jump in agility!! Some of my friends berners have shorter ears . . . some are like Mavie's and Fionas. Anna's ears were longer also. Purnas definitely get in the food at this age!
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