Seventh Week

Yasemin's pups 2/19/06. This is a photo of the pups sleeping. I know they don't look large in this photo but trust me, they are :) The strings you see have a bunch of toys tied to them for the puppies to play with. Boy do they play !

This week the pups have a lot going on. Today 2/20/06 the vet is coming for the entire afternoon. This is the time we have spring vaccinations for all animals on the farm. The pups will get physicals, their first set of puppy shots, microchips will be put in by the vet, they will be weighed and wormed by the vet. A lot for those little guys & gals for today.

We will continue socializing the litter and they will have their individual play time each day with a human apart from the rest of the litter. We will continue playing the radio each day on a different station with different types of music. We will try the weed eater again.

Depending on the weather we hope to graduate to the outside pen. It is a huge pen the size of a foot ball field. This will be a huge transition for them as there are more sights and sounds.

However, our weather changed drastically this week so we may not be able to take them outside. This past weekend we had winds up to gusts of 50 mph and the temp. dropped rapidly to - 30 below O. So we shall see what occurs.

The pups will be introduced to gun shots. My son Steve will do the honors of acclimating the pups to that sound.

If the pups are outside then I will run a farm tractor all around the pen. Hopefully a truck as well. But, it does depend on the weather. Some of you are coming for your puppies this next week. Others will go to new homes very soon. Either way it is a bittersweet time for Ed and I. We have met so many very nice people that are giving our puppies new homes. We have made so many new and we feel lifelong friends.

The vet spent the afternoon doing the usual thing that all our farm animals need in the spring. She also took care of the litter of puppies.

She checked each and every pups heart, lungs, and for hernias. All puppies passed with flying colors. No problems or issues were noted.

Each puppy got their first set of puppy shots, wormer, and they were microchipped. Each puppy will come with their own health record showing all that has been done for them. The vet recommended that each person check with their own vet for the next set of shots. She recommends 3-4 weeks maximum for the next set. So, please check and see what your vets want/like.

She also said, " This is the healthiest, prettiest, and cleanest litter of puppies I have ever seen. Usually puppies are dirty. You have done a super job keeping them clean." She also said that they were well on their way to being housebroken. The puppies do poop in the same area of the pen all the time. She said by our keeping it so clean they will housebreak easier. She said they are all set to go.

Yasemin has weaned her puppies on her own as if yesterday evening. I am feeding them milk 3 times a day (6 am, 12 noon, & 6 pm). Dried food is out for them all the time. Free choice. Also, there is fresh water for them at all times too.