Oh So Fun

One of the twins was literally trying to get to mom and she was ignoring him laying outside of the pen. She had already fed and cleaned them up 5 minutes before this. His siblings were fast asleep.

He wanted more food. How can I tell? Well dogs stick their tongues in and out when they want food and that is exactly what this one was doing and when that didn't work, he started making noises so mom came over, flipped him on his back, checked him out and decided he really didn't need what he thought he did.

So she came out and laid down and went to sleep. He went to sleep too but he did try to climb out many times before he gave up.

She did allow him to eat extra next feeding. He was the 1st and the last. Oh boy....

PS: the last boys eyes are wide open now.

Will try to get photos tomorrow. I am truly tuckered out and I need to play recovery today.

I am not grooming though I did wash two dogs before they went home but I looked at everyone and said DAY off today. I deserve it. :-)

Practice Makes Perfect

The Abigail pups are starting to practice their walking daily.

They get up, they walk, they get up, they walk over and over again till they strengthen those legs till they can walk without falling over or walking like they are drunk.

This is a normal process and by 4 weeks you will go wow did they ever not walk?

It's amazing how fast the process goes.

But already personalities are starting to unfold and the black and white still says, why open my eyes? I suspect they will be open by morning as he has these little slits now.

All Sorts of Noises

Feed me, I am too hot, I need to go and on and on. When pups make whimpering noises they are trying to tell you something. For instance just this past hour I had all the blinds up and this room got too warm. They let you know. It's not till they are older that they whimper to garner attention.

If you pay attention to them when they are at that stage of saying, I want out, I want up, I want, I want I want and you give in, ooops they know this works and it will escalate till you ignore till it gets better.

Havanese are smart and they do learn what works.

The Abigail crew is eating, sleeping and attempting to move all over the place. The copper gal even crawled into a blanket to get cozy from that sun.

Two Weeks Old Today

Can you believe another milestone? Yes, they are 2 weeks old. Don't you just love this pileup hug?

They are now 3 eyes open and still 1 holding out. There is always one. I suspect his eyes will be open by tomorrow.

For their 2nd week b-day they ate, they slept and they tried walking. Don't you just love it?

No, not much change but it will. Starting week 3 to 4 they seem to change almost daily but the 2nd week you see subtle changes normally and attempted walks.

I spent a great deal of time holding them especially copper and white gal as she tends to be focused on food and mommy and not snuggling yet but she will get there. If she is extra tired and full she enjoys it. Hungry she is frantic for mom. Is this a sign of an alpha? Time will tell. It's simply too early to know.

They all develop on their own schedule and they all get there. It doesn't make one better than the rest or worst. It means 'x' will do this 1st and 'y' will do this first etc.

We just have to watch the journey... and it's fun to do so, at least to me!

Eyes Open on 3

Well tonight we have eyes open on 3. Now this coming week, the excitement begins. The black and white I suspect by tomorrow. One of the twins looks drunk. He was woken up to click as 2 people need to do this and Nathan was taking photos. :-)

Click on Photo for Larger ViewClick on Photo for Larger ViewClick on Photo for Larger ViewMake sure you check out their first video in today's earlier post.

Video Eating Time

Just figured I would share a video of the Abigail pups eating. It's short but sweet.

Almost 2 Weeks Old

Did you know that when a puppy is tanking up on the milk bar their tail goes up and flags back and forth quickly?

I will try to get it on video. I may have already. I tried earlier but no time to look at it yet.

Abigail's pups have started slowing down in their weight gain. This goes along with the reality that they too will start getting up on their feet, eyes opening and the 2 litters will play catch-up getting closer in size. Wasabi's littlest is already bordering a pound.

How did 2 weeks go by so quickly? It seemed like we would never get to the stage where they start trying ti walk, eyes and ears opening and then it began with Wasabi's. With Abigail's pups being 1 day less in age than Wasabi's it will happen anytime for them too.

I can't believe the heats are over. I am catching up on grooming and maybe soon I will feel awake and alive. hahahaha

Today I took each puppy in my arms each feeding after they were done. They laid there enjoying but only after eating. I snuggled and caressed and enjoyed and Abigail loves it when It's just her the puppies and me.

We have Fiona Puppies coming for a visit and it is snowing. We will try to get a video of that too!

Back Sleepers (2nd Update)

Abigail pups really like their backs except the black and white. Each time I look into their whelping box I can guarantee you that at least one is stretched out on their back catching some serious zzzs.

Today Abigail fed her pups extra. Well, I am not sure they took in extra as their weight gains are now starting to slow down but Abigail decided if I was going to sit in with Wasabi's pups when she fed then she wanted me to climb over back and forth throughout to spend time with them both all day long.

I have to get back to exercise now that things have calmed down. Monday is the day but she kept me climbing over and over again so it was as if I was exercising anyways.

Abigail is rather attached to me in a big way. Now that I am sleeping in bed at night she tends to not like it. Was I spoiling her? I can't blame her. She wants equal time with her and her pups. She is getting it but woah boy am I tired.

This cute blanket Debi was able to find for me. Don't they look great on it?

PS: Abigail is hanging out at my feet and Wasabi is out in the hallway on the cool floor. She will be back when it is feeding time. I guess finally wasabi is relaxing and that's nice. Abigail too as she is outside of the pen waiting for perhaps more food. Daddy made steak for them today. YUM!

Belly Rubs

Today, after I made sure the pups were feeding, I gave belly rubs to the pups. They all enjoyed but one of the twins thought it was exceptional.

See, when their focus isn't on food, they enjoy the finer things in life.

Each time I hold them after every single feeding except during the night time, I examine them, hold, snuggle and I am in awe at such tiny beings breathing and sleeping on backs and finding these tiny throws that I am putting in and snuggling into them. I guess I need to acquire more of those. I usually find them at Walmart, Petsmart or Toys R Us these small very soft blankets and the Abigail crew seem to enjoy them the most. I have a cute one that has a teddybear head that sticks up in the center. I think on Sunday I am going to go get some just for this crew.

I think this crew is very tactile. Already spoiled. hahahahahaha

Morning Stretch

The pups are chillin this morning and are now 11 days old. How did that happen?

They eat, the get cleaned, they eat and they just chill.

No one's eyes are going to happen to open today.

You can see when they are as they get a slit slightly open and within 24 hours it fully opens.

But they are starting to move around a bit more than the crawl. Gad are they cute!

I tried to gather them up into a bed and get them all looking forward but FAT CHANCE!

Into the Cave

I put the Abigail crew into this cave bed and they loved it.

Cave beds are great fun for young and the older set. They all appreciate them. Best place to get the cheapest beds are at the All About Pet Show coming the 1st week of April. I just hope I can go but it depends on Treasure's due date. :-)

What can I say about this crew. They are moving all around the whelping box finding their way to Mommy Abigail, eating, sleeping and looking adorable.

Life is good!

Valentine's Day

Puppies are a labour of love for us humans, for the moms etc.

Abigail pups crawl to mom, eat, roll off and sleep. They want for nothing.

They are rolly polly fatties who will lose their roundness when they start practicing their walking.

They can't see or hear but they can smell and they use their sense to find the food and to know what their environment is. It's amazing to watch.

Happy Valentine's Day from the Abigail crew. Take the time to smell the roses and enjoy what is right in front of your face. It's worth it. It doesn't take money, just giving of yourself to make things easier for another and being a part of helping them be all they can be without you mattering more. If we all did that can you imagine how life would be? No excuses, folks!

Relaxing Times

I just finished brushing Abigail and it will be Wasabi's turn next. I have so many dogs that need baths but that will have to wait.

What do I know about these pups so far?

One of the twins prefers his back. The gal likes her belly and legs out back. The white and black, any position will do.

The gal always needs to be reminded it is time to eat. She likes catching her zzzs but once you put her in close proximity she is eating up a storm. If you leave her alone halfway through the boys eating she will show up.

I make sure each is hugged and loved and getting used to the handling. Right now it's just give me the food human, will ya!

8 Days Old

Abigail and the pups are doing well though if I leave the room Abigail if not feeding or watching her pups will whine for me or follow me.

I am not sure if this is due to hormones or that I have had to invest so much time with Wasabi and the pups or I am simply spoiling her. Nathan thinks I am simply spoiling her and she is VERY attached to me.

At this point it is a fact that I spend the most time with the pups. When they get 4 plus weeks the others kick in with an odd time of relieving me. I also spend the same with the moms so they get to rely on me.

Is that good or bad? I think that it is important that they feel loved, needed and they achieve balance. As a mom to 7 I realize how important that is.

Two of the pups have now reached a pound. They are fat rolly polly pups but as everyone knows their growth slows down when they start walking. Abigail pups are always mid-range dogs to the odd one being small.

They are all doing wonderful and I look forward to going back to doing photos etc. Soon....

1 Week Old

The pups are one week old and one just reached 16 ounces. The gal remains the smallest and the twins are neck and neck. It's a toss-up on who is fatter on a given weigh in.

The gal likes to sleep and I often find myself placing her on Abigail as she is trying to catch some extra zzzs but once placed she is eating up a storm.

I will try to get photos later...the operative word is try. Sorry...

6 Days Old

The pups are eating, rolling over, snuggling up to blankets that Debi got for them.

Momma Abigail is so attentive as is Wasabi.

I will be glad when they are older so they can have larger breaks staring at them adoringly with their bellies on the cold floor.

When they are young they have heat lamps and it can get rather warm in the whelping box.

Now they only get breaks to go outside or to get groomed or hugged by me.

5 Days Old

They are 5 days old this morning and weight gains are coming along nicely. The gal is the smallest but that's quite norm. She's sitting at a weight that is comparable to the larger Wasabi pups.

Abigail has it easy, 4 to clean, to coddle to feed. 4 is a nice size litter for a mom as it is easy relatively speaking.

Abigail sure takes advantage of it hanging out on the cool floor looking in on the pups. She's never far away except for her quick outsides or grooming but she has pups that are now sleeping a solid hour and 15 minutes. In comparison Wasabi's are sleeping an hour. It's all about size and Wasabi's time will come just slower than Abigails.

Moms Work is Never Done

As you can see Abigail looks exhausted in this photo but honestly she has been catching serious zzzs.

Her pups tend top sleep a solid hour these days.

This was after she was outside playing - yes playing while the pups were sleeping. If they are awake, she won't leave them. It's as if she has figured out, clean them, feed them and I can rest or play. :-) But she hurries right back just to be sure.

She was only out about 10 minutes but she looked like she killed my grooming job for sure.

Tomorrow I will try for individual photos. Today time got away from me.

Let's see the pups started out as:

copper gal 7.15oz
blackish brown and tan boy 8.35oz
blackish brown and tan boy 7.95oz
black and white boy 8.00oz

On day 4 in the morning they were:

copper gal 10.10oz
blackish brown and tan boy 11.95oz
blackish brown and tan boy 11.95oz
black and white boy 12.50oz

Did you notice that the twins are now EXACTLY the same weight?

The Twins Photo Op

Here are the twins sleeping and this was all in a matter of minutes from beginning to end. You can already tell they are going to be characters.

3 Days Old

I am still trying to take a photo of the duo side by side. See the duo looks black here but if you hold them to the light or the light is filtering in, they don't.

I find that truly fun.

The bellies on Abigail's pups are so funny. They are real chubbies and I like them like that. I look forward to Wasabi's getting larger and fat. She has a couple that already are like that.

The pups at this point eat, sleep, eat, sleep, eat, sleep. hahahaha

Both moms are sleeping on the cool floor outside of the whelping box and both sets of pups are sleeping now for 50 minutes. WOW The moms are finally getting a sleeping break on cool floor. They needed it.

Tomorrow a gallery for each and a video so you can see them moving while they sleep and eating. I just realized it is going on 4pm so today is not the day. Sorry!