The puppies are continuing to grow and develop quickly. Their legs are getting stronger and they can now support their weight, though they don't have great coordination yet and tumble down every 3 or 4 steps or so, especially if the floor is slippery. When we take them out of the whelping box we put a blanket on the ground so they can have a bit of traction. They can even run a few paces before tumbling over - particularly if the goal is to get to Mama! But they haven't yet managed to get out of the whelping box on their own unless the blankets are bunched up near the high lip of the entrance, giving them a means to get over the edge.
We are starting to see signs of real puppy behaviour, too - wagging of tails and tussling with each other, in particular. With eyes open and some mobility, their resemblance to little fat wiggly sausages is diminishing daily. Now they are pups!!
Today for the first time we gave them a bit of puppy gruel - at this point a very liquid mixture of goat's milk, egg yolk, plain probiotic yogurt, baby oatmeal, and oil. They lapped it up like little feed-demons and wanted more! This is not yet weaning, just a way to start them getting used to the idea of getting food from somewhere other than Mama, and to supplement their diet so Mama doesn't hve to work so hard making milk. At this point she is eating almost constantly to have enough energy to produce milk for five hungry, growing babes.
Black boy
Cream boy
Apricot girl
Red girl
Red boy
A couple of crazy kids!
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