This Sweet Life: Growing Up Fast

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Growing Up Fast

Leah's puppies aren't cute little puppies anymore. They're cute little dogs!! Nine weeks old and growing like crazy, they are so much fun to watch. They run and jump and wiggle, just because it's fun! Chewing ranks right up there, too. Their sharp little teeth attack anything within reach, including twigs, pine cones, actual dog toys, the edges of their dog box, my fingers, shoelaces, pant legs, and such. They are learning to come when we call "Puppies! Come on puppies!" and watching all six of them run toward me with ears flopping is quite a sight.

Robin and I took the litter to the vet for their second round of vaccinations and wormer a few days ago. It was quite a noisy ride over the mountains and back, 45 minutes one way. Everyone got a good report, and their weights ranged from 13.3 to 14.8 pounds. No wonder I can hardly pick up two at a time any more! Their personalities are developing along with their squirmy bodies, and each of them is stealing our hearts in a different way.

Moving the puppies to the outdoor dog pen in the middle of winter was a very hard thing to do. I really had no choice, however, since they had learned how to escape from the puppy palace in the basement. Besides that, they were really noisy sometimes and the basement was getting a little stinky. The pups made the transition just fine, despite my concerns. Their outside box is insulated on all sides and their little bodies produce more than enough heat to keep them warm when they're all inside. When they're outside, running and playing do the job. I think they like being outside, too. The fresh air does them good. On cold nights, especially when the wind blows, I still worry about them a little, though.

Here are some of the most recent photos. The first ones were taken last week when we got 14 inches of wet snow. At first the pups were puzzled by the white stuff, but it didn't take long for them to jump in, literally!