Remodeling for the New Year!

The puppy pen expansion is complete and the pups seem to enjoy the new space and the extra play area. The bathroom was also updated with the latest and greatest puppy toileting surface, i.e., wood stove pellets!! Some of the pups are still reluctant to use the pellet potty so we've left the large pooch pad under the toilet area for those more discerning (finicky?) pups.

With all the additional space the pups now have a "toy box" to help keep their space tidy . . . now if only they would pick up when their finished!!

Milestones

Since they were born 4 weeks ago today, the Sweet Peas have:

• opened their eyes and began to see the world around them
• gone from belly crawling to standing and now walking on all fours
• began to hear sounds and voices
• honed their sense of smell
• moved from the whelping pool to the puppy pen
• learned to toilet without materal assistance
• started the weaning process

Now if they only had names . . .

Outta The Whelping Pool

We had a long night of multiple "pup rescues", i.e., rescuing pups who escaped the whelping pool and subsequently became very lonely for their litter mates. So, as of yesterday morning, the pups are out of the whelping pool and into a small version of the puppy pen. At first, the pups were a little unsure of the new arrangement, but after an hour or so, they figured out their new spaces for playing, sleeping, and toileting. It's amazing to watch such young babies toddle to the pooch pads to toilet. In a day or two I'll introduce the litter box and hopefully they will take to that as well as they have to the new pen.

Three Weeks Old!!

The still nameless Sweet Peas are three weeks old. They just keep getting cuter every day. They are toddling around the pool, peeking over the sides, and climbing all over each other playing bitey face. I wonder what Santa will bring for them? Maybe a new pen and some new toys!

Skunked!!

Saturday night, dark, dark, dark, pouring rain - Omeeka ventures out the dog door. Zoom, right back in and she RUNS full speed to the couch in the family room, rolling and rubbing her face all over. Soon we smell why . . . she got skunked on the back patio in the burbs! Oh my! Poor girl had to hop into the tub and have a nice bath with baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and dish detergent. That mostly did the trick on Omeeka, now what to do for the rest of the house! Pups are good, no stink in the whelping pool!

Fortification

As the pups start to toddle around the whelping pool I become a little anxious about their eventual "escape". So, today I fortified the pool by enclosing it with an plastic x-pen. I attached a gate that has sliding panels that can be raised and lowered to allow Omeeka to come and go from the puppy room as she pleases. At first she wasn't sure that she wanted any changes in her baby's room but has come to see this new arrangement as a better alternative than having the puppy room door opened and closed for her. She is now the mistress of her own domain - who wouldn't love that!

My friend Connie (also a breeder caretaker) made the gate for me, she is so nice!! Thanks Connie!

Growing and Changing

The Sweet Peas are growing by leaps and bounds. Every day they seem to expand their horizons just a bit. They are now toddling around the pool on all fours and try to "nurse while standing" when their mom is trying to clean house. It won't be long before the Sweet Peas are ready for a remodel of their current living space . . .

Nice To Meet You Santa . . .

Fun day for the Sweat Peas - Santa came to visit! Although the Peas' eyes are starting to open and they have started to toddle on all fours, they pretty much slept thru the entire Santa experience. Well, pretty much what you'd expect from two week old pups.

Christmas Carols!!

The Sweet Peas sang a little holiday tune this morning . . . sounds a little like Jingle Bells to me!!

Sweet Peas - The Video

Got a new HD Flip Video camera. Oh, boy! The "Peas" are the perfect test subjects with their sweet squeaks and belly crawls.

Sweet Peas At One Week

Omeeka and pups are doing great. Got down to some serious breeder caretaking today - trimming puppy nails and one week pictures. Here they are!

The Kids Are Alright

Omeeka and the Sweet "Peas" are doing great. All of the pups are nursing well and gaining weight. This litter is a very quiet and calm group of yellow velvet puppies! Neon Green and Orange are the biggest and littlest respectively. Omeeka has started to leave the pups for short periods of time, even jumping into the freezing swimming pool to retrieve an errant tennis ball. After much drying and fluffing, she was ready to rejoin the pups in the whelping pool. Note to self: check the pool every day for anything "retrievable" . . .

The Sweet "Peas" Have Arrived

The Sweet "Pea" litter arrived right on schedule, Tuesday November 30, 2010. Mama Omeeka and her nine lab / golden cross puppies are doing great!

There are 6 boys (red, blue, purple, neon green, turquoise and orange); there are 3 girls (neon pink, brown, and dark green). Pups range in size from smallest little boy 10 3/4 ounces to jumbo size boy 17 1/4 ounces.