My, how time does fly!
I have been very remiss in these blog
posts (or lack thereof) since the pups were born. It can be challenging to
balance pups, kids who play soccer several nights a week, and the usual
household and work duties. Thankfully, my daughter has done a good job of posting
pictures on our Facebook page, so you have not been totally devoid of input to
satisfy your puppy cravings! (She is definitely the picture person and I am the
word person…)
But here we are – the pups are just
over five weeks old and getting more active and playful with every passing day!
From tiny blind and deaf creatures that you could hold in the palm of one hand,
they have grown to over 1kg (almost 2kg for the big boy!) – still can be picked
up one-handed, but now you could do some basic weight lifting with them!!
These ones were a bit slower to open
their eyes, with the red boy the first to get eyes and the rest following a bit
after two weeks of age. Red boy was also the first to actually stand and take a
few steps instead of doing the crocodile swim-stroke to get around.
Now, of course, that mode of movement
is ancient history. They are walking, running, jumping, and boy do those little
tails ever wag when we pet them, play with them, go into their corner of the kitchen…
Mama Topaz is no longer spending her entire days with them, but goes in to feed
them every few hours and spends most of the rest of the time with the other
grownup dogs. When we let the pups out to roam the house – good to get them
used to activity, people, and to stimulate their curiosity and adventuruousness
– mama Topaz will play with them too.
We have started to take them outdoors
to play in the grass. Being outdoors and able to roam freely in the grass is excellent
for puppy health and development, exposing them to novel sensations, textures,
sights and smells. We do keep a close eye on them out in the field so they don’t
wander too far and get lost!
Keep watching our Facebook page for more
picture updates, and I promise to update the blog a few more times over the
next few weeks as the pups progress through the final preparatory stages before
heading to their new homes.
Three of the pups are reserved but we
do still have two available – so let your friends and neighbours know!