Comes the Dawning

So here's what I figured out today... these are strange puppies! They want food in their bowl even when they're not hungry. The pups have always been a little noisy in the morning... say, around 7-8 AM. Everyone else is generally content to sleep at that hour... well, they were until it got to be so hot by 10 o'clock that they weren't all getting enough time in the yard to suit them. But the pups would be awake and making a lot of noise. Since they're in my bedroom, I notice. I get up, go to the kitchen via the bathroom and fill up a dipper of puppy food which I take back and pour into the pups' bowl. The big dogs usually don't even look up. The pups will go sniff the bowl, MAYBE take a bite or two and then go back to sleep. It's not like they ran out of food some time before lights out the night before and are starving. It's not like they wolf down the food or even eat a measurable amount. They simply want food available IN CASE. So be warned... when I tell you the pups are used to free feeding which means having food and water available 24/7, I'm not kidding. And neither are they.

Last night, they slept out of the pen again. This is just the second time and I really meant to lock them up before lights out.However, I fell asleep before Family Feud even started at midnight... the heat is not my friend, air conditioning on or off... and when I woke up again, around 2, the pups were scattered all over the room sound asleep. You've heard the phrase, let sleeping dogs lie? It's good advice. Especially as there were several FULL bowls of adult food (which the babies like.)

Unfortunately, I woke up a little after 7.

12 Days and Movin' On

And I do mean moving'. Cotton's babies are all over the place... when they're awake (which isn't much!) Most of them are already trying to get up on their feet. Usually one end is in the air and the other still on the ground, but they get "A" for effort! Cotton has an interesting way of dealing with their hunger. She still doesn't like it when they cry, so she'll get in with them and let them nurse for 5-10 minutes, then she's back out of the nest and lying elsewhere in the pen. A half hour later, she goes back in the nest. Normally, that is with a normal size litter, 5-10 minutes would be enough for everyone to get some chow, but with this many pups... well, it looks like a run on the bank! And yet, for the most part, they're quiet and they're growing like weeds AND they always seem to have full tummies when I pick them up. AND their bottoms are clean (thank you, Cotton!) At night, Cotton usually stays with them most of the time. I'm torn about starting to supplement them as I don't want them getting loose stools, but I also don't want Cotton getting run down for having so many mouths to feed. (Even though it IS her fault in the first place!)

And by the way
Someone didn't have their fingers crossed when it came to placing this rescue puppy... she's still with me. The family drove several hours to meet her and she, all 6-1/2 pounds of her, was too BIG. Since she's now living with a group of adults, she's doing great... hasn't used the newspaper at night for several weeks and has toned down some of her excessive energy. Guess she feels like a big girl now! She still needs to go....