Ellie’s Puppies
Wow, Ellie’s puppies are one week old today. Ellie is a wonderful, loving, devoted mother. She loves to care for her babies. The puppies are doing so well, gaining weight daily and when they are not eating, they are sleeping. With all that eating and sleeping, no wonder they are growing so quickly!
LOOKING BACK – March 21, 2022 – one week old
For the first few weeks of life, a puppy cannot regulate their own body temperature. They need a warm space, their mother and littermates to help keep them warm. Puppies are born with their eyes and ears sealed shut; they cannot see or hear. They have to rely on “smell” and “touch” to find their mother. Puppies are born with a natural instinct to nurse but as the days pass, they have become more proficient at it. The puppies are now experts at nursing; they can smell when Ellie returns to the whelping box. They wake and make a mad crawl to find her and begin their next meal.
LOOKING AHEAD TO WEEK TWO
- Much the same as week one – Eat, Sleep, Repeat!
- Puppies will continue growing
- Puppies still crawl; hind legs will become stronger
- Eyes should begin to open towards the end the week – so exciting !!!
Willow’s Puppies
Willows’ puppies are becoming more mobile as their hind legs are getting stronger. It is quite a commotion when Willow comes back to the whelping box to check on her babies. They wake up and want to eat. Willow isn’t ready to nurse right away, she must clean her puppies first. When puppies are born, they don’t have the ability to go potty on their own. The mama dog “cleans” them with stimulates them to go. The mama dog “cleans” her puppies before feeding them so that they will eat more. She will even lie on her tummy so the puppies can’t have access. When she is satisfied that puppies are cleaned, she then settles down to fed her babies. I am always amazed at the instinct God has instilled in animals. After the puppies have a full tummy, it is time for a nap.
