I thought this video would add a little sunshine to our rainy Monday.
A Little Sunshine For A Rainy Monday ☀️
Yeah!……Ellie’s Babies Are On The Move
Since birth, Ellie’s babies have spent their days and nights in our bedroom which is a warm quiet space. Now that they are 3 -1/2 week old, it is time to make the big move to the main floor. This is where the puppies can get accustom to the sounds and happenings of our busy house. As the puppies grow the puppy area will gradually get expanded to include a play area
For the next couple of days, the puppies will only have access to the whelping box and potty area which is just outside the box. It is important to begin “potty training” at this age to take advantage of the puppies natural instinct to move away from their sleeping area when they need to go. For the next few days I will spend my time moving the puppies to the potty area when they wake and after they eat. If they start learning that “there is an acceptable place to go potty” at a young age, they won’t develop bad habits that later need to be broken. This will make housebreaking easier when they go to their forever families.
April 10th – The Big Move
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See Ellie’s Babies …….. They Are Learning To Play
Happy Saturday to everyone. Ellie’s babies are continuing to develop – they are learning to play with each other. Puppies learn so much from their littermates which is an important part of their development. Through play puppies improve their physical coordination, develop social skills, learn the inhibited bite, and learn about dominance and submission. This is why it is so important that puppies stay with their littermates for at least eight weeks of age.
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Look At These Adorable Puppies’ Three Week Portrait
Ellie’s babies continue to progress rapidly and are become harder to contain. When we do our daily whelping box cleaning, I usually put the puppies in a laundry basket. This is no longer an option as many of the puppies are able to climb out. I am now using a large tall storage container to contain them while I work.
Yesterday the puppies turned three weeks old so, after I cleaned their whelping box, we returned the puppies and got ready for the photo shoot. You can see how much energy the puppies have, it is hard to keep these puppies still.
We only have a short window to do our photo shoot though, because the puppies have a burst of energy and then quickly drop off to sleep. It is always a challenge and a two person job. My daughter Kendra is always willing to help me out with this task. She places all the puppies in a row and I quickly try to snap the pics. After a great many attempts, the puppies tire and fall asleep. We then look over the photos and try to choose the best pic. Fingers crossed that we get at least one. If I get most of the puppies looking forward and all the puppies are still (no blur), than we were successful!
Ellie’s 2021 three week puppy portrait
How many puppies colour collars can you guess? (Answer at the bottom of post)
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Three Weeks Old Today, Ellie’s Puppies Are Growing Up
Three Week Old Puppy Huddle
LOOKING BACK
Three weeks old already – how quickly time passes! This week Ellie’s puppies have been progressing rapidly. They continue to gain weight and grow bigger with each passing day. Their eyes are fully opened and vision is improving. Their ears have started to open and they are beginning to hear. Their hind legs have become much stronger and they have been practicing walking on all fours. The puppies are much more aware of their surroundings and have begun to play with each other. They have become quite noisy as they practice their vocalizing. It is so cute in the daytime but not so much in the middle of the night LOL. They still continue to sleep much of their day/night
Today I decided to try something new in my puppy raising process. The puppies have just started to go potty on their own so I thought I would add a potty area right in the whelping box. Let’s see what happens. After the puppies woke up, some went over to the corner and actually used the potty area. Watch Dark Pink Girl – I am truly amazed!!!
Sleeping Puppies
LOOKING AHEAD TO WEEK FOUR
- Puppies will still sleep much of the day/night as they continue to grow rapidly
- Puppies will play with each other developing important social skills
- Puppies hind legs will continue to become stronger as they walk more
- Hearing will improve
- Puppy milk teeth will erupt
- Puppies will be moving to the main floor towards the end of the week
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Puppy Pics To Brighten Your Monday!
Puppies alway put a smile on my face. I thought I would share a few pics of those adorable faces!
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Puppies Going To Their Forever Families
This week was bittersweet – it was time to say good-bye. I have loved and care for Ruska’s puppies for the past (almost) nine weeks. I saw each come into this world, made sure they were fed, and introduced them to so many new experiences – all to prepare them for their forever families. This is Ruska’s final litter which made me more emotional than usual as I said good-bye to her babies. She has been an amazing mama and taught me so much over the past four years. I know that she will continue to help our other mama’s with our coming litters for years to come. Ruska has so much love to give!
Ruska wearing her “blanket scarf”. The puppy blanket that we send home smells like their mama. The familiar scent will be a comfort to the puppy in their new home.
Going Home Photo
ARCHIE – Light Blue Collar Boy 
MILO – Orange Collar Boy 
TWIX – Yellow Collar Boy 
BELLA – Purple Collar Girl 
MURPHY – Dark Blue Collar Boy 
ASHER – Black Collar Boy 
GEMMA – Green Collar Girl 
AUDIE – Pink Collar Girl 
MIKA – Red Collar Girl 
WILLOW – Grey Collar Girl
LOOKING AHEAD
I have spent the past two months loving, caring and teaching our puppies. I am so thankful that our puppies have joined such amazing families and know each will be loved!
Forever Families, continue to provide new experiences each day, always include play, and never stop training your puppy. It won’t be easy because they are still young but, with patience and consistency on your part, they will grow to become well-behaved adult dogs that you will enjoy for their lifetime.
Keep in touch ….. it always makes my day when I receive an e-mail from one of our puppies families! I love hearing how they are doing and seeing pictures ! When I started breeding, I came across this poem which describes just how I feel!
Ellie’s Puppies
Ellie’s puppies continue to grow and progress. Eleven puppies is a large litter to keep fed and clean. Ellie is an amazing mama that loves to care for her babies!
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Look At Ellie’s Sweet Babies Learning To Walk
Ellie’s Puppies
Ellie’s puppies are now learning to walk on all fours. Their hind legs are getting stronger with each passing day. The puppies are so adorable with their wobbly puppy walk. All the puppies eyes have now opened but their sight is not yet clear. Their ears are starting to open and if you listen closely and you can hear them starting to vocalize. The puppies are now wearing new adjustable collars made from parachute cord. (Light pink girl is now wearing a pink camo collar)
Ruska’s Puppies
Tomorrow the remaining of Ruska’s puppies will be leaving for their forever homes. Since all the puppies would be getting a bath anyways, I decided to take them on an adventure and let them play in the yard. Ruska was so excited to have her puppies with her. The other dogs joined in as well and the puppies loved their time running and exploring together. In the end we had some dirty tired puppies!
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Look At These Beautiful Eyes!
Ellie’s Puppies Are Two Weeks Old
LOOKING BACK
Another week older – Ellie’s puppies are now 2 weeks old. We have had a great week! Ellie continues to be a loving and attentive mama. She just loves to look after her babies! Monday was an exciting day because we could see the puppies eyes beginning to open. Their eyes will continue to open over the next couple days. I always think this makes them look more alive! The puppies have gained strength in their hind legs and are slowly moving around the whelping box . Ellie’s puppies are gaining weight daily and they have now all reached the milestone of doubling their birthweight. With all that eating and sleeping they can’t help but grow.
LOOKING AHEAD TO WEEK THREE
- Puppies will still eat and sleep most of their day
- Puppies will continue growing
- Eyes will continue to open wider and their sight will become clearer
- Ears will start to open and they will begin to hear
- Puppies hind legs will become stronger and they will practice walking on all fours
Ruska’s Puppies
Ruska’s Puppies have started to head to their forever homes. It is such an exciting time for the forever families. You have watched the puppies grow from that tiny newborn to the fluffy puppies they are today. On Friday, we will say good bye to the last puppies from Ruska’s litter.
Ruska is continuing to teach. Yesterday, I captured this video of Ruska teaching her puppies. It might look mean to us, but this is how mama dogs teach their puppies to submit which in turn produces well mannered puppies. Watch for one puppy submitting by lying on its back.
The five puppies that remain and are enjoying playing with each other. Today we had outdoor play in the morning, lunch and then the puppies spent a lazy afternoon sleeping in the warm fresh air.
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Eight-week Old Puppies Ready For Their Forever Homes!
Ruska’s Puppies
March 28, 2021 – DAY 56
LOOKING BACK
Eight weeks have passed since Ruska’s babies came into the world and filled our days. Remember how tiny they were…..I could hold them in the palm of my hand. They have learned so much over these past eight weeks. I have loved raising them to the point where they are ready to join their forever families. This week Ruska has been working on submission. This comes easier to some puppies than others. I love to watch to see how quickly the puppies will submit to their mama and which ones will need “extra coaxing” LOL. Just like children have different dispositions, so do puppies. As with each week, we have enjoyed our puppy cuddles and during that time we have been working on what is acceptable behaviour – mainly the difference between nipping and kisses. Puppies are not always consistent but, have made great progress in this area. I just love puppy kisses!!!
LOOKING AHEAD
Puppies are going to their forever homes. Lots of work lies ahead for your family as you continue teaching your puppy! They are still learning, but the time and work you put into them now pays off when you have a loving well behaved dog that will love you as only a dog can – unconditionally. You will be the most important person in the world to them.
It is always a bittersweet time when I have to say goodbye to our puppies. I have enjoyed every minute of their care and they have a piece of my heart. Why do I do this? It brings me joy to see their excited families smiles and to know that our puppies are joining such wonderful forever families. I know that our puppies will be loved!
Ellie’s Puppies
DAY 12 – Sunday March 28, 2021
Ideally puppies should double their birth weight between ten to fourteen days. We have had three puppies reach this milestone yesterday, three more puppies today with the rest of our puppies on track to double their weight by day fourteen. Ellie is doing a great job feeding her little ones!
We have a daily routine caring for our puppies. We weight each puppy daily and record their weight in the log. This helps us track each puppy’s growth. Healthy puppies should gain weight every day. At this time, we also check their collars and adjust any that have become snug. Puppies grow so fast, so it is important to check them a few times a day. Then we clean and disinfect their whelping box. Finally, we line the bottom of the whelping box with a clean “Vet Bed”, a product that resembles sheepskin. This man-made product is great because it is easy to clean and keeps the puppies dry, warm, comfortable and provides good traction. A puppy moves forward by pushing its hind legs backwards. When a newborn puppy is placed on a surface with inadequate traction, its feet can slide right out from under it and may cause the legs to extend and adduct. By providing a surface with great traction (Vet Bed) when the puppies are moving around and learning to walk helps reduce the stress on their growing joints.
Pics of Ellie’s sweet babies
