Almost 1 week old!

The puppies spend a lot of time sleeping, but when they are awake, they are wiggly as a worm.  It's hard to keep them still to take a picture.

 For the first 14 days of a puppies life, they live in silence and darkness.  They can neither hear, nor see.  Their ears and eyes are completely closed.  But their sense of smell is very keen and they are acutely aware of their surroundings.  They may be fast asleep in a heap, but as soon as the mother enters the whelping box, their is a whirl of activity amongst the puppies.  They know she is there!  They squirm along as best as they are able and find her cozy side in no time flat. 

Although the pups world is limited, it is still very important that they have human contact.  Even just holding them a few minutes begins their bonding with people.  We also have a blanket with people smells put in the box, so they are quite accustomed to the scent of humans since birth.

Today, the puppies weight check indicates gains of 3-4 oz since birth.  They range in weight from 11.3 - 14.2 oz. They are growing well.

Dixie never looks terribly comfortable as the puppies nurse with great enthusiasm.  But she is very patient and certainly puts her puppies well being above her own comfort.