A picture of Green in the whelping box. Notice that her eyes are slightly open.
The puppies are almost six inches long.
Olivia on her side and the puppies nursing.
White makes a convenient pillow.
Sleeping head-to-toe.
Puppies in their traveling
box for their first visit to the vet. Note their
size to compare with later pictures. Pink yawning. A nice head shot of Pink.
Green being examined.
Green's face.
Another shot
(note the eye partially open). Green on the table. White on the
table. White's face.
Pink sleeping on her back, fat
and contented. White and Pink
sleeping.
Mom makes a good pillow. Green
nursing.
I let Olivia outside to do her business. On the way back
to the whelping box (in my bedroom) I thought Olivia was
right behind me, and let a dog past the gate. This dog
ran straight to the whelping box and began licking the
puppies. It was only when I did a double take that I
noticed that the dog was Paige (one of Olivia's daughters
by her previous litter) and not Olivia. I quickly corrected
my mistake.
Back home. A closer shot of Pink. Later, under the pig rail. Notice how easily the puppy fits underneath. This will not last. Yawning.
The puppies are now past the first three critical weeks and now can reasonably be expected to survive. Consequently today I registered them with the AKC. Which mean I had to name them. There names are (drumroll, please)
Green = Shaksper Amanda Seyfried (Mandy)
Pink = Shaksper Sophie Hall (Sophie)
White = Shaksper Victor Garcia (Victor)
These are all characters or actors from the movie "Letters to Juliet", and so maintains the Shakespeare connection.
Dr. Molesworth briefly looked at the puppies and was pleased with their progress. I commented that I was amazed that he was able to keep the preemies alive. His comment was "So am I". (Which represents a major speech if you know how laconic Dr. Molesworth is.) Obviously it was a very close thing when the puppies were first born.
Here are the three puppies back at home. The kibble is for Olivia, who is now eating four or five meals a day in order to provide milk for her growing puppies. Everyone nursing. The puppies are starting to play (mock fight). But it only lasts for a moment or two, then everyone is back sleeping.
Today I moved the puppies out to the kitchen during the day. Mandy yawning. My usual view of the x-pen. Note the block of wood as a barrier to keep the puppies in, but let Olivia go in and out. Olivia stays close to make sure the puppies are safe.
Nursing. Sleeping between another's legs. Puppies discover hard boiled egg.
Puppies eating solid kibble (and sardines).
Washing machine going almost constantly.
Came home from running errands to find one of the puppies outside. I suspect he came through the doggy door with one of the adult dogs. As I was unpacking the car, I saw Victor squeeze himself through a crack in the fence. I will need to keep the puppies locked up until they get bigger.
When I have been doing my "count the puppies", I have now found Victor outside three times. I just saw him go out through the doggy door all on his own a fourth time. Smart dog! (But now I need to watch him more closely, as I do not want him outside by himself.
