Four weeks - We're getting active

The pups are getting more an more active all the time. While a lot of time is still spent sleeping (it's hard work growing so fast!!), when not sleeping they are very alert, playful, and full of curiosity. We sometimes bring them out of the puppy pen and let them wander around the main floor (under supervision of course!) so they can experience some new sights and textures, and explore their environment. Last night Malachite Teddy was quite intent on trying to get at the interesting smells in the foot-pedal hold at the bottom of the garbage can - but he didn't quite fit through the hole! 

They are eating their puppy mush quite readily now. We can tell they are teething - they want to chew, chew, chew, and we can feel little bumps along the top of their gums that haven't quite broken through yet. Within a day or two they we will be able to feel sharp little teeth poking through. Then we can start adding a bit more "solid" (lumpy) food to their puppy mush. 

  Galena - dindin time!   

   Malachite Teddy - such a messy eater!     

We have blankets covering the floor of their puppy pen, and a bunch of stuffies scattered about. They walk over the stuffies, crawl under them, snuggle up to them, and even try to pick up the smaller ones and carry them around.

   Galena    

   Malachite Teddy    

For a couple of days now the pups have geeted us when we come home from school, work, or errands, with high-pitched squeaky barks, to accompany their mother's louder woofy greetings. This shows they are starting to associate the sound of doors opening and footsteps with our presence, and also that they are associating our presence with playtime and fun... 

Over the next few weeks we will be working more intensely at socializing the puppies, introducing them to new sights, sounds, and experiences so that they will become very accustomed to all kinds of new and different things. This will help to form their temperaments and make them accepting of change, new circumstances, and strange experiences - good characteristics for a family pet to have.