WE HAVE PUPPIES !! THERE ARE 2 BOYS AND 4 GIRLS THEY WERE BORN MAY 8th

MORE PUPPY PHOTOS You can see them on FLICKR by clicking HERE. To see them as a Slideshow, just click the icon in the upper right of the Flickr screen. 7-3-08 Update -- Before, during and after breakfast this morning, the puppies had a very noisy celebration of their 8-week birthday. Howling was heard for the first time (this is the precursor to baying), and they insisted on being released for a frolic. Softened kibble is now served only at supper, and meat accompanies both breakfast and dinner. Everyone is doing well with their leash training, and they thoroughly enjoy the trips to the front porch; the landscaping is quite tasty (day lillies are a favorite), and there's much to explore. Yesterday marked the first day of "dual-puppy training" -- we take them out two at a time, and walk greater distances. During daytime, the garage door is kept up about 3" for ventilation, and Mango likes to lay on her side and look out; the pups were thrilled to discover big sister's snout protruding below the door. Great nuzzling ensued. Pineapple has now shed her T-shirt for the morning and evening visits; a random few pups still try to nurse, but they quickly lose interest and just want to play and cuddle with Mom. She still cleans and inspects each pup carefully before settling down for some quiet time with her brood. They're spending more time out of the Puppy Empire pen now...and demanding even more; they love to explore and bound about the garage -- every nook and cranny is an adventure, and every object (familiar or not) must be growled at and/or yapped at. Within the last few days, they've begun to groom and clean each other. Previous pup-to-pup contact was gnawing, chewing and biting, but now occasionally softens to a kinder, gentler touch; they're starting to grow up, and it's quite touching. Naps are less frequent now, and shorter in duration; much more time is spent playing, talking to one another, and communicating with the adults on the other side of the pen. The crate has become a popular place to hang out and attempt to conceal a chosen toy from intruders. Weight gains were a bit more modest this week, as they should be...and they're running/playing enough to really burn calories; kibble volume has been increased appropriately. CLICK TO SEE PREVIOUS UPDATES CLICK TO SEE PUPPIES' WEIGHT CHARTS. CLICK TO SEE PINEAPPLE'S PREVIOUS LITTER