first days outside

Sunday we took the puppies outside for the first time.  We put them in the special puppy pen so the other dogs could look without stepping on them and the puppies would have time to explore without the adult dogs getting in the way!  At first they were timid and shy and then after a few minutes they began to play in the grass (and pee) and carry leaves around.  They ran and scampered around rolling over and pouncing on each other.  Big dogs stood at the pen and just watched.  

someone PLAY with me!!!

Boomer lets the peewee puppy stay close

Sweet Boomer

are you my MOM?

Vanilla

Lily plays with puppies

Today we took them outside this morning into the sun and let them mingle with the adults and have some time to play.  They frolicked with Vanilla and Boomer...both gentle giants to them and Lily, in her usual athletic manner, sprung over them and danced wildly.  She found the big white puppy a nice playmate and would poke her with her big nose and drove the biggest puppy to play back.

This is the first beginnings of house training.  We normally have quite a mess in a few hours on the paper but now we take them out and feed during the day outside and let them do their business outdoors.  The much prefer this and WANT do go out for that.  They had already begun to "go" in just one little corner of the indoor pen so they are ready.  We will take them out before bedtime now ....just had to stop typing and go do that.  Papers are clean and have been like that for 4 hours or so.  All "went" outside!   

Another puppy sold

As you can see I changed the font size since really I can't see the smaller stuff.

Today we had two visits.  The beautiful female with the smallest stripe on her face found a wonderful home!  The second person that came fell in love with the littlest pup.  We are going to hold her until her vet checkup at 6 weeks so we didn't take a deposit on her...but will hold her for consideration until we hear from our vet.  So now we have 2 females left for placement. 

The puppies really are starting to play and becoming very mischievous.   They know very well how to escape by means of the "weak point" in our gate.  If you don't have it secured and really have a chair against it they wheedle their little bodies through the gap and wander all over the kitchen.  And they just don't wander around if you get my drift!  Usually it happens early in the morning and I hear Spice (their grandma) moving or growling at said puppy (ies) that are aggravating her.  She is a wonderful manners-teacher since she doesn't like to be bothered much but wont ever hurt a puppy just grab them with her soft mouth and show them its not appropriate to try to get milk from her or bite too rough.  All the dogs are curious about the puppies and Thursday we let Boomer play with them a bit and after about 5 minutes he just begged to get out.  It will be fun when they go outside for the first time and then they will start to really get their running legs developed.  I will enclose some pictures of the adults playing with puppies from the past today.

puppies are finding homes!!

Now two puppies are sold...the male has a lovely home, and the big white girl found her family this week!  Of course they won't go home until mid November but we start showing pups early so people have time to plan and make good solid decisions about the puppies.

Its great meeting people who are looking for a Bulldog.  Most have had one before or are adding a second to their home or sometimes they have wanted one for a long time.  I try to offer help with picking one out if they need it but most times they find a perfect fit on their own.  Or a puppy picks them!  There are some sad stories we hear of Bullies that have passed away or are in their last years, but mostly funny things to tell about their last dog or one they grew up with that makes them want another.

The worst thing we hear about are the people that come to pick a puppy and have lost their heart and many times a lot of money being scammed by someone that never even had a dog.  Many people have lost over $1000 and never even saw a puppy...they just sent money in faith.  I try to tell people even if you don't get a dog from me please see your puppy in person before you put a deposit down or have enough live conversions that you feel very confident there actually IS a puppy to be bought.  Ask for special pictures of the pup with items someone could put next to them like a roll of toilet paper, or a measuring cup ...just tell them you want to see the size of the puppy next to an ordinary thing.

Today was sunny but cold and windy.  The big dogs were out sunning and sleeping when I took this picture.  Puppies were inside eating out of a big dish and we were all cozy!

Feeding and making the move into the kitchen

Feeding the pups 2x a day now.
  I use a big glass pie pan with a custard cup upside down in the middle ....just to keep them out of the bowl!  It keeps the food from moving into the middle too.  I started out feeding them all separate since they need help at first, but they have it now.  They know as soon as I bring the food in- they smell it now and start running around crying.

 I just soak the food in water until it is soft and today I added the first PROBIOTICS to the food to help with their digestion.  There will be bouts of diarrhea at times especially after deworming so this will help with that when it happens.  Of course Salty is still nursing and providing the main nutrition.

 They are barking now and starting to play with each other, wag their tails when they see you real close and lick you on your hands and arms when I'm cleaning up around them...such a sweet bunch of babies.

Well they have finally been moved into the kitchen and have their first experience with the crate.  They are set up in the corner with paper outside the crate.  Today they all mostly pooped in the crate.  It will take a couple of days and they will naturally try to go out on the paper and poop well away from where they sleep.  That's the beginning of being house broken.  They will get used to human life, using blenders, TV, smelling food being cooked, talking, vacuum cleaners, visitors and of course other dogs...soon this will be just regular stuff for them and they will do well going to their new home with no surprises.

Ok, now time to get DIRTY!!

So we started feeding.  This always starts the messy stuff.  While puppies are on milk their little dry tiny POO is nothing.  No smell, no mess, just small tiny dried up little things in their pool on the towel.  You might see one or two little poo's each day.  That  is a completely different thing once you start puppy food.  Completely.  The poo is everywhere.  Just like big dogs...stinky stuff but little small puppy sized.

They learn very quickly how to eat.  At first we feed them one piece at a time and then start them with small custard dishes with water soaked puppy kibble.  They sometimes want to suck up the food and they work their pudgy feet like they are nursing when they have their heads in the bowl so you have to stay right with them so they don't choke. They will catch on soon and eat like normal soon.

We are trying some new puppy food :  Taste of the Wild puppy.  The pieces are real small and its  grain -free.  We will see how it works out.  Its a little better on price for a full meat recipe (at $45 for a 30 lb bag) as compared to some other brands.  Evo at PetSupermarket, doesn't have a true puppy formula so I turned to this brand.  I have fed it before but not to puppies.  I have some Eukanuba weaning special food to use too and will see how they do on that tomorrow.  Will also be giving them their first deworming medication Thursday.

Sold the only male Friday to a really nice family.  He will be so beautiful and I am sure they will love him when he goes home at the end of November!

Oh, and I am thinking of keeping a female.  I am sure that Juice fathered two of the pups and the larger red pup is the one I have my eye on. I have a picture of a puppy Juice sired a few years ago by a different female and you can definitely see the resemblance to that puppy although the color and ear set is a little different.  The 2012 pup was much whiter but still has a similar look.

the puppies are now almost 3 weeks

Now I'm not so nervous.  The danger of a puppy getting laid on is lessening.  They can walk (although a little wobbly) growl, roll over, look up and find each other and bark.  They now are at a funny stage where they prefer to lay sleeping upside down.  Its a site to see the whole litter on their backs but it happens.  They dream a lot too.  If you watch the video you can see them flinch and move their mouths and feet.  Sometimes you can see them running in their sleep!

Salty is now back to drinking out of a dish on her own finally.  She eats much better too but still has most meals in the pool with her litter.  Still 4 more days on antibiotics for her.

I am lucky to have my daughter in law helping out each day by staying with Salty and the pups so they can stay together.  I work on the farm and she works here with the dogs.  My Mom comes up too and helps when she can.  It is important to me to try and let the mother dog be with them as much as possible so they are not left hungry alone.  That required most days around the clock care.  As they grow that will morph into not so much keeping them with their mom (she won't want to be with them as much) but more keeping up with the cleaning.

Most all day they will stay in the kitchen in an exercise pen and kennel on paper so they are out of the weather.  But its my KITCHEN.  That often involves moving out my table and chairs or moving them around some to accommodate a big area for puppy play.  And the papers need to be changed often.  They will be on food then and nursing too.

about 2 weeks old

The pups are now about 16 days old.  We are beginning to show pups to those on a waiting list.  The is only one male, the light caramel brindle pup.  The rest are girls.  You can see the white pup is remaining the largest!

 I can't wait to see if the others catch up to her or if she will remain the largest on of the litter.  She is like a little bulldozer pushing the others out of her way when she is hungry.  Salty is content to nurse and then come into the kitchen to rest and play with the other dogs.  She spends less time washing her pups and laying with them.

They are beginning to walk around a little bit, although they are not so good at it --all staggering and falling over.  They can see their mom when she comes in and they reach up and find what they need if she stands up!!   Little sucker-faces....