Pupdate: The End of the Neo-Natal Period (1-14 days)

Well a lot has happened here over the last 14 days.  Coco and Dougy's puppies are growing by leaps and bounds.  By the end of the day yesterday they were all weighing in at 2 pounds or more.  When they were first born there was very little they could do other than eat and sleep.  They were able to crawl around moving towards their mum or away from or towards the heat source.  They not only needed Coco as their food source but they also needed her to help them eliminate.  They spend so much time with their mother and even at this very early age she is teaching them the behavior they will need as adult dogs.  Research has shown that "the position used by the puppy when licked by its mother when she is cleaning it and activating the elimination reflex will actually become a ritualized submission position used to stop agonistic behavior as a grown up dog." (Pat Hastings, Another Piece of the Puzzle: Puppy Development p.20)

Mr. Brown getting a little help from Coco

Now the puppies are toddling about and all but 2 of them have opened their eyes. I imagine it won't be long before Mr. White and Mr. Brown show us their peepers...

Here are a few more photos taken in the last few days...

Puppy Pile Up - Day 12

Puppies hang out in the laundry basket for safe keeping while I clean the whelping box.

Miss. Orange manged to find her way into my bed on day 13.