Monday - September 18, 2006
They have arrived!!!
1) Male (15.4 oz.; 1 lb 2.0 oz) - born 12:36 a.m. - Light Blue
2) Male (1.0 lb; 1 lb 2.6 oz) - born 12:56 a.m. - Green
3) Male (15.6 oz; 1 lb 2.0 oz) - born 2:58 a.m. - Red
4) Female (1 lb. 2.4 oz; 1 lb. 4.6 oz) - born 3:03 a.m. - Pink
5) Female (1 lb. 5.4 oz; 1 lb 5.8 oz) - born 3:28 a.m. - Purple
6) Male (1 lb. 1.4 oz; 1 lb 3.8 oz) - born 5:06 a.m. - Orange
7) Female (1 lb. 1.2 oz; 1 lb 3.4 oz) - born 5:43 a.m. - Yellow
8) Female (6.4 oz; 7.2 oz) - born 9:18 a.m. - Our "No Ribbon" Runt
Mother and kids are doing well. The puppy cam is not very exciting yet...be prepared to see lots of eating and sleeping :)
We can already see distinct personalities, whether it be laid back or "mouthy." The orange male has a small streak of white down the middle of his forehead--just like Andy!
Sunday, Sept. 24 (6 days old)
Be sure to look at the individual pics in the new photo album. Although they are not even a week old, the babies have changed so much. Not only are the a lot bigger, but the pads of their feet and their noses have just about turned black. Newborn puppies are born with their eyes closed and their ears sealed until they are about 10-15 days old. It is amazing that they sense when Abby enters...and they seem to know exactly where to go to find their meal. It is truly amazing to watch the puppies change and develop as each day passes. Like newborn babies, they have somewhat of a startle reflex and they move their mouths in their sleep as if they were nursing.
I do have a favorite, although we are definitely not keeping a puppy from this litter. The orange male reminds me so much of his father and he is so laid back. I will have the puppy weight chart uploaded this week. In the meantime, here is a comparison of the weights at birth and today (6 days old):
Birth 9/24
Light blue 15.4 oz 1 lb 14.4 oz
Green 1.0 lb 2 lb 0.4 oz
Red 15.6 oz 1 lb 14.2 oz
Pink 1 lb 2.4 oz 2 lb 1.0 oz
Purple 1 lb 5.4 oz 2 lb 0.6 oz
Orange 1 lb 1.4 oz 1 lb 15.0 oz
Yellow 1 lb 1.2 oz 2 lb 0.4 oz
"Runt" 6.4 oz 11.8 oz
Abby is doing well, although she is eating an extraordinary amount of food to keep up with mild production for 8 babies. She is a very good mother--sometimes too attentive. The other dogs aren't really interested in the puppies--although when I showed one to Andy, he licked him on the head! I'm not entirely sure he was being "fatherly," but it was a nice gesture nonetheless.
