PUPS DAY 4

Sad news. On Day 4, the smallest pup, a girl born at 8 ounces passed away despite all desperate measures to save her. She had a difficult delivery with the inability to sustain life.

Umbilical cords have fallen off as nicely shown here with one of the girl pups.

Boys at the ' MILK BAR '

More pictures showing meal time is group affair at times in a very nice lineup which doesn't usually stay seen in the pictures as each pup juggles for the prime nipple.

Putting on puppy weight. Nice round belly after a good meal.

This pup is travelling around the whelping box by pulling herself forward on the belly in this early stage of development.

Time with Mom

That time again....this is a familiar scene throughout the day for the puppies to grow and develop with exponential weight gain each day. A 10 % weight gain in the puppies first days after whelping is ideally what you want with your litter.

The GIRLS

Moving along the mats side by side, both heading for the same corner. You would think it was a race, a belly drag race at that!!

Blue boy seen giving a hug to his brother

Lots of meal times

This girl pup has a white star on her chest just like her Mom, Rose.

Brotherly hug

In the warming box while the whelping box cleaned ie change of blankets.

Noses in the air or on their backs with paws in the air the pups are really quite comfortable.

Red boy pup searching for a nipple. Pups are blind, deaf with only their sense of smell to find their mother's nipples in order to eat.

Pups seen with strong sucking reflex pulling the nipple away from the chest wall.

Here is a view of the specialized tongue allowing the pup to hold and strongly suck on the nipples.

Whatever it takes over or under...must have nipple

Note the shape of pup's tongue

Rose with her pups.