It's hard to believe the pups are already 4 weeks old! Only 4 more weeks till they head to their new homes! Only 3 pups still don't have their new homes picked out yet. It's exciting getting to know the new owners. So far, their homes range from Eastern PA, to Ohio, to Colorado Springs (with a couple local homes, as well).
The big news this week is that the pups have begun to eat solid (or semi-solid) food. Their first meal was on Tuesday, and I was surprised at how quickly they figured it out. Usually, I have pups walk through it, sit in it, or otherwise make a huge mess. Though they may have put their paws in it, it was usually to get closer to the food. They have both moistened food mixed with puppy formula or dry large breed puppy kibble available. The food bits are making the pen messier, so changing the pads needs to be done much more often and they are often found with food in their fur.
At first, a couple of them weren't sure how to get to the food. A quick fingerful or two was all it took for them to get the idea.
They still prefer Mom's milk, but it's getting a little crowded! (Ditto prefers the soft wet food mixed with formula to her kibble, so I'm having to refill it more often than might normally be necessary.)
They still sleep most of the time, usually in a huddle. Even when awake, they find comfort in each other.
They like to explore in their expanded pen, and have figured out where the gate is and how to go over it to get to Mom. I keep having to raise the gate.
Last night, there was a jailbreak while I was upstairs! We have again, raised the gate.
Playtime is so much fun. More of them are discovering toys, instead of just chewing on each other.
The challenge now is making sure Mom doesn't steal all the toys out of the pen. Every time I go down, I gather up all the toys that are deposited outside of the pen by Ditto, who doesn't always want to share.
The pups are much more aware now. They hear me when I come into the room. They like to come and get attention.
Two of my young grandsons spent the week with us, and the 3 year old's favorite thing was to go downstairs and hold the pups. He was very gentle with them, and was surprised the first time he realized that their teeth have come in.
I tried to take some nice group photos of the pups like one often sees in magazines, but it wasn't as successful as I would have hoped. I started with the boys. Puppies wiggle!! I'll try again when I have some helpers.
All in all, it's been a busy week with a lot of growth. It'll be exciting to see what new things next week brings!
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