Friday Flashback – Friday 27th September 2019

Friday Flashback

It’s Friday Flashback and I’m being all puppy broody. I was looking back first to 2011 just after Aristotle was born. It’s funny to think he didn’t even know he was going to stay here then.

Good Morning Puppies

I love coming down in the morning to hear the excited little squeaks of my protégés. My Mistress would have had a good long night’s sleep if I hadn’t been sick as soon as she had gone to sleep and then  the rest of the house woken her to come and sort me out. In reality, I didn’t mean to. I think I may have got a bit carried away eating bird seed yesterday.

I’m looking forward to today’s midday weigh in as I think some of them might be gaining quite well and Shadow seems to be feeling better than she did a day or so ago. I think she has more milk again, which is good news for everyone.

Sorting out their homes

Today the puppies move into their ninth day. It is still early stages for them, but we are already talking in detail to the people whose homes they may go and live in. There are so many important things to arrange. Obviously, I need to meet all the prospective owners and give them a good sniff.  We need to talk to each of the puppies about the sort of home they would like to go to and especially with Aristotle we need to think if anyone is even nearly special enough to have him as part of their family. Then we need to ask each of them to buy a comforter, like one a baby has and to sleep with it under their arm pit for a few days, so that it really picks up their scent. Then they need to bring it for their puppy so that he or she can get used to it and have Shadow’s scent mingling with theirs. That way when they go to their new home it won’t seem quite so strange and the little puppies will settle more quickly.

Then just in case you haven’t had enough of puppies, Mum said I should look at 2015 when Shadow’s final litter were born.

Shadow improving

Della is eating for England and had a lovely long time bottle feeding earlier. As much as possible our Mistress is trying to get them to feed from Shadow so that her milk flow continues, but when one is clearly struggling to find a teat or is crying as they cannot get enough our Mistress is scooping them up and trying to supplement them. They are all going the right way, but progress is slow and we are hoping that trying the sponge method tomorrow will be easier. Little by little Shadow’s infection seems to be clearing so we are hoping it will only be a day or two before her milk supply is good enough to feed the pups as much as they demand. Shadow is eating quite well so that’s good. Our Mistress says that the diarrhoea seems to have improved, for which she is grateful, but Shadow now has unpleasant wind, which in a small room being kept warm and draft free is not the best for them all.

Bottle Feeding

I think our Mistress is going to have a serious attempt at bottle feeding them all at bedtime in the hope she will get at least a couple of hours sleep before they want their next feed. As yet they haven’t got into any pattern, but that will come in time. D’Artagnan and Duchess are both showing early signs of being quite strong willed. Our Mistress says she will be paying careful attention to that and talking to their prospective owners. I suspect  they will be like their Mum and will just need an human to make clear who is in charge.

I really do have to stop there. Have a great Friday

Love Wilma