Have you ever been blessed to experience (and I mean truly experience!) five energetically wriggling, enthusiastically licking, enchantingly adorable, and enticingly cuddly, five week old puppies - all at the same time? Well, let me tell you a little bit about it. Morning begins around here when I get up, usually about 4:00. Almost the first thing I do is let the dogs out of the kennels. The adult and young adult dogs get to run loose during the day, unless we will be gone, but puppies are kept strictly locked up unless I am playing with them outside, so when I let out Cleone, I usually just tell the puppies good morning and leave them in the kennel. Later in the morning, usually around 9:30, I go back out with breakfast: fresh raw milk, straight from the cow (who usually gets milked around 9), an egg yolk, and homemade yogurt. I soak a little bit of kibble (Sport Dog Food, K9 Hero) in water and grab the hose, drag it into the kennel, open the back door to let out the pups, and start rinsing the floor. The puppies still have not all figured out to go outside when I start hosing the floor down, so usually a couple of them huddle in the corner and moan about how wet they are getting until I take pity on them and set them outside. Then the more curious ones slip back inside to stare at the water - until it splashes them, when they back up in alarm and sometimes decide to stay outside. When I'm done with the kennel, I pour off the water from the softened kibble, set the dish down in the kennel, and pour on the milk mixture (formula.) The puppies come back in and start gobbling it up - especially Mac. If it's a day for dewormer, I weigh and dose them, pet them all, and head back inside. On picture days life can become quite lively. Now that the puppies are pretty steady on their feet and their sight, hearing, and speed have improved, they are much harder to photograph. This is because they all want to come climb in my lap while I'm trying to take pictures, and because the lens of my camera is pretty zoomed-in, it is hard for me to take a good picture if they are closer than four feet. To take good pictures of puppies, one must get down to their level and the level of these pups is approximately six inches above the ground. The puppies love this, as it puts me in a very vulnerable position for face licking, etc. One of their favorite tricks is to climb over my left arm (which is usually resting on the ground to support the camera) and wriggle up under my neck. The problem is that they get stuck in the camera strap. So there I am, aiming the camera at one puppy, with at least one other puppy stuck in the strap under my chin, enthusiastically licking wherever he can reach his little tongue. Of course, yours truly dutifully snaps the pictures first, then disentangles the puppy. Sorry for the long digression. In case you wondered what goes on behind the scenes, now you have some idea. The pups are doing great. They are beginning to explore the 2,000 sq. ft. run behind the kennels and have met all the older dogs except for Kep and Inez. They are pretty good about not biting, but will become more mouthy as they grow. Enjoy the pictures! Ollie, the high-drive one of the bunch. Ollie reminds me a lot of Echo - friendly, smart, curious, etc. He will be a handful, but has the makings of a great dog. Mac has become a star at eating and has even been trying out some unsoftened kibble. He is still a bit more reserved than some of the others and doesn't feel the need to come lick me to death, but once he does come over, he really enjoys petting and attention. Logan has made great progress this week, both in growth and in overcoming his timidity. He is much more outgoing than he was, though he is still a bit more easily startled than his brothers. He has been enjoying the opportunities for weight gain afforded by the big food dish and absolutely loves to get his belly rubbed. Relic is big - big head, big feet, with a big appetite (especially for attention!) He is kind of jolly and laid back, but always happy to see visitors. Churchill is a happy, friendly pup - outgoing, but not overwhelming. He is usually one of the first to meet me at the kennel door and, like his brothers, can never get too much attention. And to finish up, here is a picture from New Year's Day. We had several families over and Glori and Julia loved playing with the puppies and asked me to take a picture of them with Cleone and her family. Pop quiz: Can you identify all the puppies from left to right? Post a comment below with your answers!
5 Comments
bompa
1/7/2019 02:04:02 pm
I love puppies at the age. Nice job displaying them and their traits
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Alayna Feldman
1/7/2019 02:07:26 pm
Thank you for commenting, Bompa. Glad you enjoy the updates, too!
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Ely
1/7/2019 04:24:52 pm
Nice pictures. Thanks for the awesome updates. We can’t wait to pick up Logan.
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Becca Boudreaux
1/11/2019 06:58:43 am
They get cuter and cuter each week! We love watching Relic grow. Can't wait to get him home.
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Mauricio
1/14/2019 07:57:48 am
I eagerly await today's photo update of Churchill! I think i can speak for all of us when i say that theses photos are one of the best parts of my week.
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AuthorMy name is Alayna Feldman. I have been greatly blessed and am thankful, first and foremost, to the Lord Jesus Christ, Who has saved me. I am also deeply thankful to my parents, who have raised me in a stable, safe, loving home and taught me about what is most important in life. Archives
February 2022
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