Lion hunters at large

Bordeaux har taget på løven
Originally uploaded by kibutata.

Our puppies always leave home with their own personal stuffed animal - the Manchester terriers got rats and the Ridgebacks.... of course they are getting LIONS! The lion pack arrived all the way from IKEA today and was immediately a huge success, many of them have already been killed and I think they will be well known, comfortable friends by the time the pups have to go to their new home.

Evening games

aften leg
Originally uploaded by kibutata.

It is still hot, +30C during the day and nights not much cooler - so evening is the time for games, just like in Africa where days are spent asleep and evening / nights is the active time.

"Det er aften nu og solen er lige gået ned
Vi har lige slået lejr på savannen et sted
Bwana Bwana, store kriger, han har lagt sine våben
Sidder under sit moskitonet med teltdøren åben

Safari, safari, safari "

The character of the pups is emerging and body type is changing from fat little guinea pigs to something resembling slim puppy bodies, behavior is also improving - even if DD is a very soft teacher and have a lot of problems REALLY telling them to stop suckling, Puuma puts a lot more power behind her lectures and the pups are becoming slightly more respectful - at least a few minutes at the time

new food habits

another hot day, but hey, I cant keep using that title line. So not much has happened except that DD really IS trying to wean them, although quite tentatively so far, some serious sounding growls when they are trying to nurse, which might even impress the softer pups for several seconds and when it doesnt help: a small nose pinch but she softens quickly and instead they get a loving lick in their faces - not very motivating to stop drinking the lovely milk.
She has also barfed food up for them twice today - she is acting purely on instinct and really doesnt believe in letting them eat it afterwards: it is perfectly good for a second time and why share it.
More pictures tomorrow I hope

it is even hotter....

and the pups really enjoys it, they are learning by leaps and bounds every day: training doggy language (one little misguided girl growls dangerously when picked up - wagging her little body madly at the same time, this language thing IS hard!) learning when to push and when to back off, all parts of becoming a well functioning adult dog. The big dogs are NOT as lenient any more: Puuma has sent more than one baby howling back to momma for being less than perfectly polite and even DD has started weaning them by growling when she doesnt want them to nurse.

it is HOT

It has been some hot days here , the puppies spends most days doozing under a garden chair but there are still a few things to see: first of have DD started using the large den she buildt when she was giving birth: it is lovely and cool under the jasmine bushes and the pups enjoys being taken there - one time when Puuma barked at a car coming up the drive all the puppies ran for shelter in the den, like proper little fox cubs :-)


DD is enjoying the company of her puppies now, even if some of them insists on eating others want to play with her and she is trying to teach them good doggy language - like yawning when you want someone to stop. They find the open mouth hugely interesting - but I am not sure they understand the finer points yet.



- and then, in the coolness of the evening the pups finally play

Garden life

De er nu dejlige
Originally uploaded by kibutata.

The sun has been out today and the puppies have spent serious time in the garden - almost an hour of waking time used for eating - a little playing and a lot of investigating. But best of all was when DD took her entire brood for a short walk and as a treat even laid down in the grass for a good long drink of milk. It is amazing how keen the little noses are, they can smell their milk bar 5-6 meters away and go in a mad scramble to get to it.

4 weeks old today

4 weeks and proper little toddlers: from last weeks very first meal mainly ingested through feet and skin till todays 5 solid meals a day, and just as regular potty trips in the garden in connection with each meal. This way the puppies learn early to relieve themselves outside to be almost housetrained by the time they leave home. They wake up at 5.3o sharp in the morning loudly demanding BREAKFAST!!! and is taken outside while complaining bitterly about the wet cold grass. Today they also started nursing consistantly from DD while she was standing up finishing their food, so the cosy baby times seems to be over....

Busy weekend

The weekend has been busy for humans and puppies with lots of visitors. Best of all was DDs personal visitor her best pal Cassandra who spent most of Saturday in the puppy box, teaching the puppies about little girls

The pups are now big enough to look out of the puppy box and breakfast time is most definitely the best time of the day! Blue and White are eagerly waiting for their humble servant to finish mixing the food!

Pups are out on the floor in their waking time, Yankee is not enchanted by the little ones checking his underside for milk so he sought refuge in the puppies box!

kuku Puuma and little Lilla

kuku Puuma og lille Lilla
Originally uploaded by kibutata.

When the pups ventures out of the puppy box Puuma is happy and attempts to play with them, she has quite forgotten that babies this small do not understand the richness of doggy language and in a lot of ways are a lot more interested in investigating if she might have some milk? But even though she hasnt the pups naturally gravitate towards her - except when DD lies down in the puppy box: then everybody scrambles for a place at the best tits.

First meal - or?

21 days old, little teeth breaking through the gums, active legs.... and a very solid appetite, it must be time for the first solid meal? but no, only Grøn tried a couple of mouth fulls, the rest found the food dish great fun to play in - but when DD came to clean it all up she had a few problems eating around the eager puppy feet.
sh

..... and while DD is busy looking after her brood, the puppies father, Zazu is having a ball of fun with her worst rival Sammy!!!! -

Puppies have started playing

Hvid leger med Rød
Originally uploaded by kibutata.

Today it is not just Bordeaux attempting to play - they are all going for this fun new thing, it is very difficult: first you have to stand on all four legs to pounce (White had a spectacular attempt which ended miserably with all four legs up in the air) then you have to open your mouth and then... tadaaa... PERHAPS you get a mouthfull of brother or sister which you can try to bite.. fairly difficult given the still not quite emerged teeth.
And when you have to use your front paws to invite to play? ahhh, THEN you have to sit down, just like White is doing here. Notice Reds ear: she is actually moving her head so fast that the ear is swinging loose :-)

Home again

Back home again, it is great to see the little ones again - and my they have grown in those two days, much more walking, attempt on playing, and tiny little teeth!
I have also invested in a new battery for my scales so the puppy weight chart can be kept updated!

no puppy news today

Today and tomorrow I am travelling to a business meeting in Cambridge, UK - the pups are safe at home with their mum, Sophie who is busy with the screw driver to make the puppy box bigger and more comfy for DD, Puuma and Yankee, who as always has gone into a sulk because I am gone....

2008 07 09 puppy pile

2008 07 09 puppy pile
Originally uploaded by kibutata.

Little puppies stack together for warmth and comfort

Walkies - a mixed pleasure

Although thunderclouds where building around us, it was a lovely evening and DD decided to leave the babies to come along for a walk in the meadows - none of us had considered how exposed her milk filled underside was to thistles, nettles and biting bugs, so even if she enjoyed getting out, she did spend quite some time biting at her underside.

The puppies are busy eating

The puppies are incredibly energetic when nursing, lots of sounds, busy tiny paws and the most difficult choice of all: should I stay here or go looking for a better part of the milk bar?

grrrrrrr en ny lyd / new sounds in puppy box

All the eyes are now open and even if the ears are still closed the sounds of the puppy box is changing. Puppies are growling and - I think - barking as well as making very distinct clucking sounds when drinking.

weighing

All the pups are weighed daily and grows well. The eyes are appearing now - see individual photos and the little legs getting stronger. It is obvious that they drink more at each go and that their stomachs can hold more as DD suddenly has a lot more time on her hands (paws?) - today the two of us went for a run (and no, she was wasnt the one panting the most) and when I went for a short drive she jumped in the car with me and was perfectly happy watching the going ons outside.... pretty amazing.

2008 07 03 Breakfast time

2008 07 03 Breakfast time
Originally uploaded by kibutata

a small movie showing how lively the pups has become

- og hvor mon mor er? / and where is mummy?

It is night after yet another day of concentrated eating and sleeping, the first puppy, Bordeaux, has reached the 1 kgs and I just saw a glitter of eye at Red.
The pups are asleep under the warm glow of the heat lamp.... but where is DD?

2008 07 01 se hvor meget vi er vokset

2008 07 01 se hvor meget vi er vokset
Originally uploaded by kibutata.

One week old today! Most of us have doubled our weight, we are training hard trying to get up on the legs and the sounds in the puppy box has become a lot more focused: screams if DDs moves , the deep gurgling sound of milk running into puppy bellies, the little grunts of sleep.