The puppies have been eating and sleeping most of their days as I continually monitor them.
I have set up "camp" only feet from their box as I spend my nights on Steve's trusty cot.
This allows me to watch them through the night as well as allow Lily some outside potty time due to the huge amount of food and water she is ingesting to feed them. She obviously has very good, very rich milk because they are fat, roly-poly little ones with what seem to be insatiable appetites.

Laundry is a never-ending chore though I must say that Lily is exceptionally clean and their bedding has been spotless. It is now becoming a bit more of a challenge as they now begin to eliminate on their own and that creates some wet spots. Very soon I will be assembling their yard directly off of their box so that they will quickly learn to use it rather than soil their bedding. Their eyes have been closed so that wasn't an option until recently.

Eyes began to open this past Sunday and when you look into those little faces and see them looking back at you......well, there just isn't anything in this world that can compare to it. Their eyes are blue right now, just as a newborn human baby, and they will begin to change over in coloration to what I typically call an "army green" for just a short period. This is the transition from blue to their eventual color - a dark brown. Each puppy's eyes open at varying times so all are now open. Life begins to get interesting once they can focus and see their siblings and the world around them.

They are vocal when hungry and quiet when bellies are full. To hear a "bark" is comical in that it is more like a very small squeak as opposed to what we might recognize as a true bark. But.....bark they do and they are quick to voice their displeasure when Lily leaves the box before they are prepared for her to exit. She now spends more time outside of the box; sometimes observing them perched on my sleeping cot and at other times far across the room on her pile of blankets. This is how she begins to get them on her own feeding schedule which is now not nearly so continual. It's very interesting to see how Mother Nature programs these dogs to know exactly what to do in raising their young and how it all plays out.

They are also moving around their box and they began this long before their eyes were open.
They are strong and push themselves upward on short legs that allow them to navigate, albeit a bit wobbly right now. But motor around they do and in only a very short time that mobility will turn into play and behavior that gives them a real sense of independence. It is an amazing process to watch and I never tire of it. Their motor skills develop quite fast given their new life and limited world for now. Rolex has managed to come over the edge on the box on several occasions only to find himself a bit frazzled as to how he got there. Lily stands over him and then looks at me to place him back inside, which I do lovingly. Soon........his brothers and sisters will be escape artists as well.

The week ahead promises more activity and they will begin to travel back and forth into their "yard" to eliminate on their own and exercise. Small, soft toys will soon be introduced and in a very short time the play and social interaction among them will become much more apparent and sometimes just too funny for words. It is a blessing that I have to be able to watch them grow and find out about the very stimulating and interesting world around them. Watching them develop and become boisterous shorthair puppies will be my greatest pleasure.

Stay tuned for more adventures coming soon !!

Labels: lily-sparks

Labels: lily-sparks

"Schatzi" - Shomberg's Bayville Shot Quail High - now a Junior Hunter!

Schatzi is from the Shomberg Open litter and her litter name was "Augusta." She is owned and loved by the Edwards family and expertly trained and handled in the field by Scott, & daughter Sarah, of Bayville GSPs.

She completed her Junior Hunter title Saturday and yesterday (Sunday - 01-11-2009) with great scores and again -- his daughter Sarah (14 years old) did it all. Sarah had some very rough obstacles to overcome on one particular run, but all ended well. Sarah kept her cool, kept her dog on point and finished the course with success. Sarah handled "Schatzi" and completed her final two legs with great scores and total professionalism. We are all extremely proud of Sarah as she continues to handle and assist in their training.