Paige's 2014 Litter

Pregnancy and Week1

1-3 April 2014
Paige (Shaksper Paige Morgan) bred to Brody (Abbedale Ring O'Brodgar) owned by Nancy Wise. Nancy reported that the "cacophony of howlers were in full tune" - meaning that the boys in Nancy's household thought that the time was right to breed Paige. Due date (63 days from breeding) is around 4 June.
30 April
Paige not finishing her food. Vet reports that based upon palpation that Paige is pregnant.
26 May
Noticed that Paige was having a green discharge (which indicates placental separation). Rushed Paige to vet (Dr. Molesworth) who did an emergency C-section. Four puppies - two dead and two premature. This is day 56 since first breeding date.
27 May - 2 June
The vet and his staff tube fed the puppies until they could nurse on their own. I call every day to check on how everyone is doing.

Week2

2 June
I picked up Paige and her puppies in the evening. One is dark red, the other light red. Weights are 162 grams and 137 grams, respectively. I only glance at their sex, wanting to get everyone settled. I think both are boys.
3 June
First pictures - pic1 pic2
Paige nursing puppies - pic1 pic2 pic3 pic4 pic5
First visit to my local vet
    In box There is a hot water bottle underneath the towel to keep the puppies warm.
    Dark red
    Light red - My vet informs that the light red puppy is a girl, not a boy. How embarrassing that I did not look closely!
    Paige - As we are getting ready to leave, Paige decides that the puppies are not warm or protected enough and climbs into the box. You can just see a puppy (underneath Paige) near Paige's right ear.
4 June
I put the puppies outside in the sunlight for a few moments to "ripen" - absorb some ultraviolet light so they can produce vitamin D and not get jaundice. Paige does not think this is a good idea and gets into the box to cover the puppies.
5 June
All the puppies do right now is eat and sleep.
7 June
Paige spends a lot of her time panting. Making milk is hard work! She also cleans up after the puppies.
8 June
The puppies can not see or hear yet, only smell. It is amazing how quickly they can drag themselves when searching for a nipple. After eating, they sleep. The girl (on her back) is finally starting to look like a puppy. Notice her nails.

Week3

9 June
The puppies are now two weeks old. The boy weighs 377 grams and the girl 285 grams. Notice how much the puppies have grown in just one week.
10 June
"My brother makes a good pillow"
"It is time for another nap" (Note the white fur on the boy's chest making an inverted V.)
11 June
Today I noticed scratch marks on Paige's belly. When the puppies are "kneeding" Paige's stomach to encourage milk flow, they are now scratching her. I used my dremel in an attempt to blunt their front nails - which was really hard as the puppies' nails are so tiny.
12 June
Today the puppies began to open their eyes. Interestingly, the boy is first opening his left eye; whereas the girl is first opening her right eye.
"Talk to the paw."
Boy nursing.

Week4

16 June
The puppies are now three weeks old. pic1 pic2. The boy weighs 591 grams and the girl 430 grams. Now that the puppies are three weeks old, there is a reasonable chance that they will survive.
17 June
On the way to the vet for a scheduled visit.
Boy pic1 pic2
Girl pic1 pic2
"I get tired visiting the vet."
18 June
Today I registered the puppies. The boy is now formally "Shaksper Titus Andronicus" (Titus) and the girl is "Shaksper Tamora Queen Of The Goths" (Tami).
19 June
"I have defeated the evil bunny and now it is time for a nap."
The puppies are standing on their front legs and trying to coordinate their back legs. Here is a picture of Titus up on his front legs.
A little bit of "puppy play", but it only lasts for 30 seconds or so before they go back to sleep. pic1 pic2
20 June
I brought the puppies from my bedroom out to the kitchen for the first time. Mommy was no sure about this idea, and had to comfort the puppies.
21 June
I was laying in bed and Titus was being active. So I picked him up and put him on my chest. A few minutes later there was this bad smell. He had pooped on my shirt!
22 June
"Hmm, maybe my brother's ear tastes good." (Note the teeth starting to grow in Titus' mouth.)

Week5

23 June
The puppies are now four weeks old. Titus weighs 830 grams and Tami 605 grams. The puppies are now starting to be more active. They can "almost" walk. They still have some difficulty coordinating their back feet.
Titus sitting up.
First prepared meal - baby rice and goat's milk. Paige - like all mommies - has to clean the plate. But Mommy's milk is still best. (Note Paige cleaning Tami.)
"My sister makes a great pillow."
24 June
"Maybe my sister tastes good?"
"Mommy tastes better."
25 June
While Paige cleans up the puppys' breakfast - that they hardly touched - the puppies begin some exploring of the kitchen.
26 June
A patient mommy
Tami's selfie
Tami looking out at the world
Exploring is thirsty work!
27 June
Exloring a box pic1 pic2 pic3
28 June
Tami wrestled the sheep and now uses it as a pillow
The puppies are beginning to play-wrestle
At verious times during the week, I have been putting different foods in front of the puppies. Usually they just take a taste and then go back to Mom to nurse. The first food that seems to be a hit is some shredded chicken. But interest did not last long, and the puppies quickly went back to Mom to nurse. I did see Paige this morning pick up a piece of meat from her breakfast, and put it in front of the puppies. The puppies chewed on it for a bit, but then lost interest.
Pictures taken by my friend, Rachael Toren - Puppies nursing and Titus closeup

Week6

30 June
The puppies are now five weeks old. Titus weighs 1004 grams (1 kg!) and Tami weighs 740 grams.
"I love my sister!"
Tami walking, and Titus standing
"I can stand just like Mommie!"
1 July
Tami meets grandma ("Jerusalem Olivia Lenox") for the first time. Titus meeting grandma. Grandma smells like mom, but Grandma does not have any milk.
Three generations (Olivia in forground, Paige in background)
Olivia playing with Titus, while Tami sleeps.
Puppies investigating Mandy's crate.
2 July
Titus sleeping while squeezed between an x-pen and mom.
Tami meeting the tippy board
Puppies pulling on mommy's fur. Tami biting mommy's tail.
3 July
The puppies are still nursing.
Olivia (grandma) playing with Titus while Oliva (mom) plays with Tami.
Today Titus climbed out of the whelping box. Now the puppies will have to be locked into the whelping box at night. It will not be long before they transition to sleeping in a crate.
4 July
Titus on the tippy board
Mom and puppies in puppy crate
5 July
Titus sleeping on dog bed
After avoiding the puppies like they had the plague, Mandy (half-sister via father, aunt via mother) came out and played with the puppies.
6 July
I have been letting the puppies explore my kitchen. Today Tami discovered that the kitchen connects to the living room. Now have to block off the living room when the puppies are loose and awake.
The summer has been so hot, this is the first day that I have taken the puppies outside to explore grass. pic2 pic3
Tug of war

Week7

7 Jul
Today the puppies are six weeks old. Titus weighs 1.235 kg and Tami 0.900 kg. (Now I am weighing them on my big dog scale.)
Tami going through the forest
Mandy gets down on her belly to play with Titus. Another picture.
At six weeks, the puppies look approximately like they will as adults. After this, different parts of their bodies grow at different rates, and the next time they will look like they will as adults is at six months. So I asked my friend, Rachael Toren - who is a much better photographer than I, to come over and get some formal and candid shots of the puppies. Here the puppies check out Rachael and her camera. pic1 pic2 pic3
And here are the pictures Rachael took:
8 Jul
Today I decided to start crate and house training the puppies. Paige left them alone all last night, so it is time. So I dismantled the whelping box. Now my work really begins - getting up (several times!) in the middle of the night to take the puppies outside, and during the day every time they wake up from a nap.
Titus eyeing me as he nurses.
The puppies love playing on this packing box.
10 Jul
Today the puppies followed the other dogs as they came from outside into my kitchen through my doggy door. I was particularly impressed that Tami is able to push open the flap given her small size. No puppy has tried to go outside - yet!
11 Jul
Titus asleep in mommy's crate, while Tami is asleep just outside.
12 Jul
Tami when outside by herself.
13 Jul
Puppies follow mother through my above-ground earthdog tunnels.
14 Jul
I notice that the puppies are drinking water out of the big dog water bowl.
15 Jul
Ears seem to be standing up. Both puppies going in and out of doggy door at will, but are mostly content to be inside (where it is cool) and with the pack.
Contact: shakspernorwich@gmail.com