This x-ray was taken less than three days before birth to help us count the number of pups to expect.

For many years now we have had a naming theme for our litters. This year’s theme is “The Odyssey” taken from Homer’s poem and inspired by the movie of the same name. Below are the names we are using for each of the pups, correlated to the color of their collar. These names are not permanent and only used by us to keep accurate records and provide easy distinction.

Sage is a great mom and really loves her pups.

In the two pictures above, the pups are just five days old.

Twice daily whelping box bedding changes means we need to put the pups somewhere cozy for a little bit of time. The incubator works great but, as you can see, at 11 days of age the pups are getting a bit cramped. The time for a bigger holding area is fast approaching.

Daily checks on weight correspond to their daily ENS and ESI activities out to the age of 16 days. Here you see Mentor getting his first whiff of decaying leaves. A different scent, introduced every day, has been found to stimulate neurological development, build confidence, and improve future scent-detection capabilities. Just another way we try to give our pups a great start in life.

We tried to capture this moment in a better way but just could not get the pups to cooperate. At day 10, we saw the pups starting to pull themselves up on all fours in an attempt to walk. If you look closely at the picture on the left you can see a shadow under Zeus’ rear end formed as he pulled himself up. Also, Athena has pulled herself up and is on all fours as she moves toward mom for a little drink. In just a few days they will be moving are pretty well.

Girls

Pink collar - Penelope

Light blue collar - Athena