On their fourth week, only four weeks left with us. It always flies by so quickly!

Misty’s babies have changed a great deal since their last entry. Teeth have begun to surface and this week they will be trying food for the first time. They are vocal and becoming more confident with each interaction. They practically spill out of their whelping area when I open the door. They are ready to start pushing for new places to explore.

We played with these little guys for a good chunk of the afternoon, it was good for them to be away from Misty for that period of time. They were apprehensive at first, the tunnel and plastic balls were all new to them. They cautiously walked through the tunnel together. Towards the end of the playtime, they were sprinting as quickly as they could through the tunnel that they knocked it into the couch. We try to make each playtime enjoyable, but expand what they are used to without pushing them beyond their limits.

Once we could tell that they were ready for another feeding and wanted their momma, I brought them one-by-one back to their whelping stall. By the time I brought the last puppy to Misty, her brothers and sisters were already sound asleep from playing so hard.

In the next few days, we will have them back in several times. First we will expose them to the same toys that they had today, but we will have the tv turned on and a radio playing in the back of the house. I will walk through with a pot and pan and tap on in a bit while walking around their play area. The next day the vacuum will be making an appearance. The goal is to slowly desensitize them to sounds that would naturally cause fear if they aren’t exposed to them early and regularly.

Soon, we will be able to take them on social outings that we already have planned. There are several shops downtown where I will be pushing their stroller. Plus, a few trips to Lowes! We look forward to sharing more of their progress and outings!

XX,