Puppy Facts

Monday 1/05—Day 366...Happy Birthday, Little Guys. We miss you but we know that you're happy in your homes now. We're not the only ones who miss you. Even though the live Puppycam is gone, people still come by to check on you and to remember you. As of 1/04/2009 there had been 17502 visitors from 73 countries. We get pictures of your, but not so many as we wish, of course. We did see Maisie in December and have included a picture of her looking over her mother's shoulder. She seemed to know Sugar Plum and tried to nurse. Sugar Plum may have recognized her because she checked to make sure she was clean. Maisie is a doll and has the prettiest brindle coat with almost blonde splotches. If the others are as cute and lovable then we feel entitled to the love and pride we have. Love to you, kids. Sugar Plum hopes you like the Christmas picture.

Saturday 3/01—Day 56...Eight-weeks old today. Look out world, here we come. The morning ritual known as "cleaning the barn" is done. The Prunes have been weighed in a stainless steel mixing bowl on postal scales. Not totally precise given their wiggling, etc., but close enough to see whether they are gaining and on-track growthwise. The pen has been cleaned and wiped down with Clorox wipes. The little guys will get a good cleaning with baby wipes and will sport new rick-rack collars. Maisie's new parents are coming at 11:00; Fyffer's and Murphy's mom is coming at 1:00, Davis's parents at 2:30, and Lucy's aunt and uncle when its convenient for them. They, by the way, were Bob's foster parents; therefore, they are part of the family as soon will be the others. Big day ahead for everyone. Again, look out world, here we come!

Friday 2/29—Thank goodness it's leap year. That gives us an extra day until March 1. That's a rationalization if ever there were one. It looks like Fyffer will get to the three-pound mark tomorrow. She is just .1 ounce away today. As the puppies have become larger, the dramatic weight gains are definitely not as apparent. In fact, the morning weighings are sometimes marked with slight losses before breakfast. Only one more morning weigh in and the books will close. We'll fold the pens. The living room will become a living room again; the kitchen a kitchen; and the bedroom is almost restored for company next week. The puppycam will go on a shelf somewhere. Each puppy will leave with a gift bag the same color as their rick-rack containing towels (also color-coordinated), books with all their records, the blogs, your good wishes in the guest book (please sign if you haven't), toys, goody bags from the vets, special cookies donated by Oscar, and more. It's been fun. They'll be missed by all of us, but the new parents promise to keep us posted. Thanks to each of you for your support and for sharing this adventure with us. It's been great. Sugar Plum will stay with us and Bob and Sophie Rose. Miss Orange is resting is a special place in the yard where everyone passes her without knowing it. And life goes on.

Thursday 2/28—I'm sure Greg and Carolyn and Victoria and Kristen and Michael and Larry and Wendy and Judith not to mention temporary fosters Chrissie and Martin are all anxiously awaiting the weekend when their new wards will leave mother Sugar Plum and begin to become Plums in their own ways. Who decided they were prunes anyway? Two more days, guys, just two more days.

Wednesday 2/27—It’s hard to believe they won’t be here next week. The changes day-by-day are more than one can follow. Each is so much an individual physically, emotionally, and psychologically now. They all want to eat and romp and explore and play, but each has his or her own approach. Lucy likes to climb and lead. She will be a handful, but she gives back everything she takes. Maisie is simply the petite sweetheart of the group: fun to watch, fun to hold, fun to tease. Davis is the little man (or is that “mon”). If he could, he would swagger, but he’d look over his shoulder to make sure it was approved. Murphy and Fiffer will be a great pair. Murphy is assertive, the one who stands tall for what he wants even if it means climbing and yelling. But it is too cute to get upset over. Fiffer has always been the loner, but she will mix it up, too. What choices these folks made. Question: can we get Fiffer over 3 pounds by Sunday?

Tuesday 2/26—It's now Lucy (Miss Blue), Maisie (Miss Yellow), Davis (Mr. Pink), Fyffer (Miss Magenta), and Murphy (Mr. Black). What a team. The big fun on Tuesday was leaving the puppy crate in the pen and watching them open and close the door, close one up inside, and then bow to the imperious Lucy who climbed atop to survey her world. Too much fun. There was also a feeding frenzy when they emptied their dish in about 15 seconds. They could also be known as the Five Typhoons.

Monday 2/25—The Prunes are still tired, and Sugar Plum crashed early last night, too. The baloons are gone now for safety reasons, especially the ribbons. Westies will ingest almost anything. Almost every Westie owner has an emergency or near-emergency experience. Ask Kim about Christmas presents wrapped with pretty ribbons. Lucy, Maisie, Fyffer, Davis, and ??????. Can you keep them straight? So far the new families promise to keep us updated and we will set up a gallery for each one.

Sunday 2/24—Our very first party. Members of the Westie Club of the South and new parents came today (see the balloons?). We were busy and we are pooped. Don't expect much excitement out of the Prunes tonight. Here's the score:

>Miss Blue—Always first, Miss Blue was chosen last weekend. She will live in Virgina and she will be named "Lucy."

>Miss Yellow—Cute little Miss Yellow will stay in Georgia close to her mother, Uncle Bob, Aunt Sophie, and her brothers and sisters. Her name will be "Maisie."

>Mr. Pink—Mr. Pink will be close to home, too. His name will be "Davis."

>Mr. Black and Miss Magenta—Mr. Black and Miss Magenta are going together. They will make a beautiful pair with her Cairn-like brindle coloring and his rich, full Westie white coloring. She will probably be named "Fyffer" and he will be named from a list of six choices.

. A special thank you to all those who came today. We know the Prunes are going to carefully selected homes where they will receive lots of love, lots of attention, and lots of care.

Saturday 2/23—Little Miss Blue had a touch of diarrhea last night, but seems fine now. If you are following the weights, you will notice the amount gained varies from day-to-day. It makes a difference in such little guys where they are in their eating and digestive cycle. The important thing is the graph trend keeps climbing for each one of them. They are each becoming more independent of each other, but still want their mother. They tried to nurse last night with the result of a lot of slurping and sucking, but probably no results. Sugar Plum has physically changed and is no longer producing much, if any milk. She is becoming a part of the adult pack now and was first out of the door this morning. She seemed not to be house trained at first, but shows no issues now. One of the great things about Westies is that they learn from each other. Sugar Plum has learned to sit by watching what Bob and Sophie Rose do. Of course, they all three get rewarded to solidify the learning. She is also beginning to vie for her share of lap time.

Friday 2/22—The buzz today is Miss Plum's new look. Go back to the home page to see how much hair she originally had. She was groomed once before the puppies came and again yesterday. The apparent lack of care when she was a stray was so evident in the matting that it was easier to cut it off yesterday and shape her face. The Prunes are all on track weight wise and developmentally.

Thursday 2/21—Wow, what a night last night. The Prunes went on a field trip. Each one went outside to view the eclipse through the clouds. The moon was of no interest to them, but the new sounds, the new smells, the breeze, and the strangeness intrigued them immeasurably. Ears were up, noses were twitching, and heads kept turning to see the sights. With Bob and Sophie Rose playing with them through the pen, they are getting well socialized. They are also encountering the adult dogs on the sofa. These are curious, happy little guys all the way through. Mr. Black will relax and sleep in your lap.

Wednesday 2/20—As a group, the Prunes have now gained 600% of their birth weight. Total weight gain for all each day equals the birth weight of Miss Blue. More on what they are like:

>Miss Magenta—This is the most independent one. If she were in school, she would be the best student. She takes her time and observes her world and doesn't mind being by herself.

>Miss Yellow—Definitely Miss Congeniality. Smallest, but with the most endearing features. Loves to be held and spoken to.

>Mr. Pink—The big boy brindle. All boy. Strong and affectionate; sometimes bold; sometimes laid back.

>Mr. Black—Adventuresome and very vocal. Has very think soft fur. Hard to ignore, often seen trying to climb the corner of the cage for attention. Great kisser.

>Miss Blue—Most adventuresome, active, gregarious, and curious of the pack. A real handful. Unafraid to go anywhere or do anything. Often seen sitting in the doorway of the crate or on top. Loves to lie on her back and get her tummy skritched. Good choice, V.

Tuesday 2/19—Mr. Black weighs 3 pounds today, and it looks like he's the new Big Dog. Other than that, a quiet night, rested dogs, lots of energy, lots of noise. Watch tonight when they are in the big pen. It's hard to decide which one to follow.

Monday 2/18—-Where to start? These guys are totally out of control or, more appropriately, totally in control. Miss Blue is going out of state and will leave here March 1. Yes, V, that is your Miss Blue on top of the crate tonight, always first and foremost. Bob and the dogs played through the pen with a great round-and-round chase which exhausted Bob, but left the kids ready for more. Sophie admired and "kissed" through the pen. Sugar just barked in exasperation at everyone. Opening and closing the crate door is another new game, especially when someone is inside. Finally, there's one that is bound to become an Olympic event: chase and climb the towel. Foster parents are tired, too. Colons still very active.

Sunday 2/17—The puppies love the X-Pen in the living room. They have so much energy and they release it using all of the space. The new toys are a big hit, too. The other dogs in the house—Bob and Sophie—are curious, especially Bob. Sugar Plum stands her ground with them. Leaving the puppy crate in the cage is popular with Miss Blue who seems to think it is hers. Ah, the alpha is back. We learned today that a gift had been made to the Westie Club of the South in memory of Sugar Plum’s “two lost angels.” Thank you.

Saturday 2/16—Miss Yellow's weight was wrong yesterday; it should have been 2 pounds 4.9 ounces. She's still the petite one. Fat Miss Blue has slipped to second behind Mr. Black. Mr. Black is also assuming a slightly more assertive role, but none wants to be left out now, especially if there's mischief. When Miss Blue got out of the box this morning and landed on the floor, she just stared at all the new, enormous space she found. Mr. Black followed with the same reaction. All of a sudden, they're dogs, little dogs ready to romp. Tomorrow one will be chosen by his or her new family. Wonder who?

Friday 2/15—Is a puppy blog a plog? It’s Friday night…ok? The puppies went to the vet today for their six-week checkup and shots. We would like to think they brought the office to a total halt. They were certainly fawned and oohed and aahed upon. Medically, they are fine. The white ones are clearly Westies…of good stock. The brindle ones have Cairn coloring, but Westie faces. All were pronounced to have excellent teeth and bites which means good facial features. The first adopter family comes this weekend to pick their pup. We have a quiet bet going on which one they will take. Don’t fear. The puppies will not leave until March 1 when they are fully eight-weeks old. That does mean only two more weeks of puppy cam. We will try to follow up on their new families in the gallery.

Thursday 2/14—Happy Valentine's Day. All are well and growing. As Miss Yellow approaches the two-pound mark slowly, it is becoming very apparent that she is the smallest, but by no means the runt. She is showing good proportions and a strong and confident personality. Miss Blue and Mr. Black weigh the same today.

Wednesday 2/13——Personality traits:

>Miss Magenta—She is settling down to be one sweet little girl. She is curious but also a bit laid back. Her physical features are becoming very distinct.

>Miss Yellow—Most distinctive face and body development of all, she is totally laid back. Beautiful fur coat. She and Miss Magenta are great looking dogs now.

>Mr. Pink—Big Boy Pink is the best candidate for lap dog, but he can also lead the pack into mischief.

>Mr. Black—Mr. Black and Mr. Pink team up. Mr. Black, with just a touch of Wheaton in his coat, is beautiful. He is the one you see standing up in the corner and the one who barks the most for attention. He's full of fun.

>Miss Blue—Miss Blue is still alpha and the group ring leader. She will be the first to climb on, into, over, or out. She is inquisitive and has one of those puppy faces that looks at you and through you in such a way that you just have to pick her up and hold her.

Tuesday 2/12—Weighing this morning very active; Miss Blue and Mr. Black found it great fun to get out of the box where they go while the cage is being cleaned. One would get out, get put back in, and the other would get out. Their movements now are very stable: they walk, they run, they romp but they don’t wobble as much as they once did. They are also becoming more independent of each other, too.

Monday 2/11—Their first night in the dark went without incident, except Mr. Black woke up hungry at 5:00 and called for his breakfast. Developmentally, they’re almost impossible to keep up with now. Teeth abound and teething habits are strong. They are not sharp enough and the bite is not strong enough that you mind them using your fingers and hand, but not for much longer. They are getting better at using the grate in the cage, but one of them hasn’t gotten the memo yet.

Sunday 2/10—They're back on track with weight gains in the ounce-plus range. Basically, they are weaned which happened much easier than anticipated. Sugar Plum is now more interested in her own diet than theirs and is out of the dairy business. The Prunes get four meals a day of soaked and warmed high quality, all-natural puppy food mixed with puppy "formula." Increased input definitely leads to increased output. This afternoon half of the bottom of the cage will be removed leaving a grate for them to expel wastes into a pan under the cage that is easily emptied and cleaned. With the more open space, they see and respond to everything from daylight to the furnace fan. Their play is also much, much more aggressive and animated.

Saturday 2/09—Five-weeks old today. The dropping in weight gain is apparently due to Sugar Plum’s not nursing as often or as long as she previously did, perhaps something to do with puppy teeth? The Prunes continue to become more distinct individuals:

>Miss Magenta—In size, she is number four. She is fractionally away from the elusive two-pound mark. Having gone from aloof the first couple of weeks to challenging Miss Blue for a couple of weeks to a settled down little sweetheart seems to make her more well rounded. Her eyebrows still give her a pensive look.

>Miss Yellow—Still the little girl, but a little more out-going now. Probably still the outstanding brindle puppy, she will usually be the odd dog out when they are in a group. Very lovable little girl.

>Mr. Pink—Second biggest and loudest and most wiggly, Mr. Pink (so named because we put the pink rick-rack on the wrong puppy) has a feisty streak. He loves the pink octopus. He and Miss Blue and Mr. Black seem to have a small clique going, but he is not upset to be alone.

>Mr. Black—Mr. Black gets better and better everyday. He is the middle dog size-wise and showed a slight drop in weight today; however, that is probably because he just released a six-pack right before being put on the scales.

>Miss Blue—Miss Blue is the pig of the litter at almost two-and-one-half pounds, but that’s two-and-one-half pounds of curiosity, playfulness, and love. She is still alpha, but she is becoming feminine in the same way that her mother is. Originally, it seemed Mr. Black would be more like Sugar Plum, but it seems now that Miss Blue is going to take that honor with her size, her silky, white fur, and her penetrating eyes. They still have a slight downcast look to them.

There are no favorites; they are all wonderful fun-filled, nosy little puppies. Whoever chooses first will have a hard decision, especially after meeting them. The foster parents urge taking as long as they wish…and then some.

Friday 2/08—The most dramatic change today is that needle-like eye teeth (they call them canines sometimes, don't they) are coming through. Their curiosity now out weighs all fear and when out of the box for cleaning and weighing, they are all go, go, go.

Thursday 2/07—Weight gains now are far less dramatic, most in the half-ounce or less range. Don't know if this is the changing diet or not. Doesn't stop them from having fun. They are almost impossible to keep up with now when they are awake.

Wednesday 2/06—TEETH! They all now have one or two molars and more ready to erupt. When the front teeth come in, momma will probably resign. They are eating mush now and seem to like it but they like every new experience.

Tuesday 2/05—Curiosity is the word of the day. Nothing can happen in their environment now without immediate response. Tail wagging in on the increase. Sometimes you will see the blur on the puppycam. Wrestling is the big game. Nothing is off bounds for a puppy mouth: ears, jaws, legs, tails, noses, etc. Sometimes you’ll catch one trying to get out of the box, too.

There are no favorites here. Each is a wonderful, warm, beautiful puppy in its own right. Whoever gets the first pick has a hard decision to make. Of course the foster parents hope they’ll take their time…as much time as they want.

Monday 2/04—Mr. Pink and Mr. Black passed the two-pound barrier catching up with Miss Blue. Miss Magenta was asleep and dreaming a few moments ago. She was wiggling and growling. The others were just jelling. They are beginning to react independently of each other to people and to Sugar Plum, although none will turn down a good suckle. Weighing each morning (when you see them disappear singly around 7:00) is becoming more game time than chart time. Putting them in the doggie bed and "dumping" them back into the box is such great fun watching as they explore and absorb. Gonna miss these guys.

Sunday 2/03—Mr. Pink just can't get above the two-pound mark—1 lb 15.9 oz—so close. Looking at their features, Miss Yellow is the outstanding brindle one and Mr. Black is the outstanding white one. Interestingly, they are the two more subdued of the five, but in a world where no one's a loser, they're all great and great fun.

Saturday 2/02—Today, the Five Prunes are four-weeks old. Miss Blue celebrates by cracking the two-pound mark with Mr. Pink less than an ounce away. Mr. Pink was slightly larger than Miss Blue when they were born and the largest in the litter. Collectively, the Five Prunes have grown 458% from less-than-two pounds to barely over nine pounds. Their individual average weight gain per day is 1.62 ounces. Miss Yellow, who weighed the same at birth as Miss Blue, is now the runt at 1 pound 7.0 ounces, more than a half-pound behind. Her average gain is 1.2 ounces each day. Even so, she is still a hefty, healthy dog

Friday 2/01—Three more escapees on Friday: Miss Blue; her pale companion, Mr. Black; and the brindle male, Mr. Pink. They don't get far; Sugar Plum keeps them herded

Thursday 1/31—What is there to say? Is it possible to be too cute?

Wednesday 1/30—As they grow larger, the daily weight gains seem to be smaller; however, all are still in the ounce-a-day range. Here are some observations as they develop physically:

>Miss Magenta—black face and paws, the darkest coat, and her eyebrows give her a serious look.

>Miss Yellow—black face with a white blaze on her chest, white goatee, and white tip on the left hind paw.

>Mr. Pink—black muzzle, large white blaze on chest, and the lightest coat (mostly tan).

>Mr. Black—Thick white coat with traces of Wheaton, black pads, classic carrot tail and almond eyes.

Tuesday 1/29—Watch closely as they really begin to interact and play.

Monday 1/28—The kids are great and growing as you can see. They are little dogs now. Watch their physical growth, especially the ears and now the eyes—they focus and follow. The puppies respond to sound and look at the source. Each is more individualistic, though roles might be changing. Miss Magenta is less of a loner and more assertive. Miss Blue may be becoming more of a bully and less alpha except as a bully. At weighing time tonight there were two pairs and then Miss blue to the side. Time, again, will tell. Bottom line: they're wonderful...enjoy. .

Sunday 1/27—The puppies are displaying much more individuality and are playing more. Their little puppy squeaks are punctuated with a occasional attempt at barking (Miss Blue, of course) and more frequently with grumbling and growling. Physical development is becoming prominent; espcially obvious are the ears. The fur is becoming thicker and lustrous. Their nails were clipped yesterday which Sugar Plum seems to appreciate.

Saturday 1/26—Features are becoming very individualistic and distinct. Westie features are strong.

Friday 1/25—The Prunes will be three-weeks-old tomorrow. It's been almost 43 hours since the last weighing. Increases are more dramatic with the males—Pink and Black. The white ones—Black and Blue—have quadrupled their weight. All are active and responsive to holding and gentle rubbing. Magenta and Blue are getting more feisty; Blue even seems aggressively playful toward others. Walking is the in mode of transportation. Sugar Plum spent more time with them today than yesterday. She is still attentive and very protective but is also building a rapport with the other two adult dogs in the home.

Thursday 1/24—They're beginning to show personality traits:

>Blue is definitely alpha at this time. First to sit, first to walk, first in line.

>Black, even though male, is most like Sugar Plum. He squeaks a lot.

>Magenta is still the independent one, often out of sight behind Sugar Plum.

>Yellow is cuddly and lovey.

>Pink is the largest of the brindle ones and the most energetic. He wiggles.

Wednesday 1/23—This is one of those days where the changes seem to be coming too quickly. Rather than reflect, it’s time to just sit and watch. They’re beautiful and amazing. Sugar Plum is becoming a little more pensive, too. She is starting to spend time outside the whelping box away from the puppies.

Tuesday 1/22—They are all getting around very well now and when Sugar Plum lies down there’s a rush of little puppies and a jockeying to get the best position. It’s seems appropriate to move Miss Yellow to the back for better advantage.

Monday 1/21—Blue is almost walking and the others are trying. It is amazing how they change from day to day. Miss Blue and Mr. Pink seem to be gaining faster than the others, but Mr. Black is only marginally behind. It appears that Miss Yellow is going to be petite.

Sunday 1/20—Litlle puppy claws are sharp especially when little puppy feet are so soft. Tails wag every now and then. They love being held, but the primary goal when they are awake is to eat.

Saturday 1/19—Two weeks old now. Kim and Judy came today. They are very supportive and their experience is appreciated. Blue is sitting and trying to walk. Very, very wobbly, though. Their little fat features are starting to show definition. It’s very clear now these are going to be dogs…very pretty dogs.

Friday 1/18—Initially, their only job was to eat. It’s fun now to watch as they take on the rest of the world: responding to sound by turning their heads, suckling fingers, “challenging” each other, and experimenting with each new experience..

Thursday 1/17—They are aware of each other and are starting to play at (not quite with) together. Blue better at sitting, but still rolls over on her little round butt. Black seems to be just behind her in development; the brindles lag another day or so.

Wednesday 1/16—Bluewas described earlier as either a bully or the alpha. She is clearly the alpha dog in this pack. Can’t tell for sure, but the eyes seem to be developing into more than just little bulges on their faces. None seem to be open however. Ears are getting really cute.

Tuesday 1/15—Not much to report. Blue is trying to sit, but more often than not flops. This would be a good time to mention that Sugar Plum and the Five Prunes are all foster dogs under the care of the Westie Club of the South. They will all be available for adoption after the first of March. There is a link to the WCOS website on the home page if you want further information.

Monday 1/14—Home, thank goodness. Thank you Patsy and Bobbie and Ricky for loving the little guys for us. It’s been three days since we’ve seen them and the growth and change is dramatic. It’s mostly is weight gain, but also features are becoming more distinctive. The heads are beginning to show angular definition rather than just roundness, the ears are starting to show shape, the toes are getting cute (and they have pointy little claws), the noses are sweet, and they all have characteristic Westie carrot tails.

Sunday 1/13—Now have a domain and a web server and puppycam is back. We sure did miss those little guys and we’re certain we can see obvious growth and change in the two days we were out of touch. Thanks to Ricky for pointing the camera software to the new site and thanks to you for your patience. My apologies, but they’re back.

Saturday 1/12—One week old. The puppycam is gone and we’re at the opposite side of the continent for a 70th birthday surprise. It seems that the bandwidth is limited to one gigabyte and it didn’t take but six days of puppy watching to eat it up. Can’t really report much on the puppies because we can’t see them. The wonderful neighbors who are coming in during the day and the pet sitter who is spending the night report all is well.

Friday 1/11—Puppycam is running well at this point and the little guys have plenty of friends now. Features are becoming more distinct, although they are still pudgy little blobs of puppy protoplasm. Fur is more obvious and growing at a healthy rate. Patterns are clear on the brindles and the little Westie boy had a wheaten caste. Mr. Black and Miss Blue—the white ones—seem to be growing slightly faster than the brindles.

Thursday 1/10—The whelping box now houses Sugar Plum and the Five Prunes. Sugar Plum’s crate is behind the puppycam. She spends slightly more time outside of the box, but is still very protective of the little guys. She has never warmed to the male foster parent. Perhaps now we know why. Their mobility is improving, but getting around is still by creeping and crawling. It’s okay, they only have one destination. Momma keeps them clean. It appears that Miss Blue is either a bully or the on-coming alpha of the pack. Little Miss Yellow seems demure and has to be plugged in sometimes. She is not suffering weight wise however.

Wednesday 1/09—Unhappy news: we lost Miss Orange last night. She had eaten and was fine about 7:15; at 7:30 she was gone. This is a hard defeat, but realistically she was not making any progress, just holding. The others are fine and fattening out gaining two ounce each in three days. They are weighed in an Oklahoma peanut bucket on postal scales. Puppycam is running smoothly most of the time, but black frames are occurring. Have tried different rates and it seems like 10-seconds works, but 15-seconds works better.

Tuesday 1/08—Sugar Plum is a good mother. She and the puppies sleep most of the day, so she is there when they need her. She also has a crate in the bedroom, too where where she eats. She is very defensive of the puppies. Part of the daily routine is recording each puppy’s weight each morning to make sure the trend is growth. Miss Orange is not losing weight, but she is not gaining either despite being bottle fed formula every two hours and nursing. The puppies went to the vet yesterday and all checked out well. Sugar Plum is underweight so she is eating puppy food five times a day. The family is now officially dubbed “Sugar Plum and the Six Prunes.”

Monday 1/07—Still in a bit of shock. Kim, Judy, Kathy, and Mary Jane came to the rescue yesterday with food, formula, scales, a hot disc, a hot water bottle, towels, a thermometer, a baby monitor, toys, flowers, books, feeding dishes, a whelping box, a portable pen, a puppy carrier, and an extra crate. They also brought colored rick-rack for collars to identify the puppies so now we have Mr. Pink (oops…meant for the first girl born), Mr. Black, Miss Blue, Miss Orange, Miss Magenta, and Miss Yellow. It’s hard to tell them apart except for white blazes and splashes on the brindles and the size of the whites. Bottle feeding the little one—Miss Orange. She really is trying hard and we think she’ll make it if she can learn to hold on to the nipple when she suckles. She is getting lots of positive support. They are now in the whelping box where Sugar Plum can come and go as she desires, but the puppies can’t, not that they are trying. Webcam—Puppycam—is being developed with Bill’s help.

Sunday 1/06—Sugar Plum came to us to foster during the holidays, hence the name. Her new furever family was set to meet her Tuesday; however, last night she shocked everyone by having seven puppies. Sugar Plum, according to the vet, is spayed. One was still born. Among the surviving six Westie-mix puppies three are white and very Westie-like; three are brindle and very Cairn-like. There are two males: one white and one brindle. One of the little White girls is about two-thirds the size of the others. She had trouble and only started breathing after being held up and stroked. She seems to want to nurse with the others, but doesn’t seem to be getting anywhere. We are greatly concerned for her. BY the way, Sugar Plum, according to the vet, is spayed. Also, all the dogs were to be cared for this weekend by Ricky, the pet sitter. He’s glad we weren’t able to leave town as we had planned. Sugar Plum was exhausted.

Colors associated with the puppies refer to the rick-rack collars each wears.