Rainy Day Fun

Morning feed

We had a thunderstorm and rain Tuesday evening, which made for a wet start for the puppies when the came through the door Wednesday morning. They didn't seem to mind, however, and they went about their routine of sleep, eat, play, and repeat, interspersed with multiple poopy moments.

The only real change due to the weather was that they weren't crazy about the ball pit because it had water in it as well as the colored balls. I saw one pup jump in only to scramble back out as quick as he could. I guess they aren't ready for that yet. I've got half a plastic dog house out there that has a couple inches of water in it, maybe I'll start introducing them to that tomorrow. Many Danes we've known have not been crazy about getting their feet wet.

We had another thunderstorm and more rain on Wednesday afternoon, which delayed the final meal and outdoor time. They gobbled up more food than I've ever seen them consume and then played outside until it was nearly dark. They came back into the shed better this evening. Eight of them came over to the shed and up the steps on their own, without following Della this time. Four were still engaged in play and had to be toted back in. Once inside they were not ready to settle down, however. I saw the most rambunctious puppy play I've seen to date. Everyone of them was engaged in it, mostly in pairs or groups of three, although they traded off pretty randomly.

Paulaner has mastered the balance board.

Peroni has mastered the art of getting someone
to pick her up and hold her.

It's nice to see the pups just hang out with Della rather than
attach themselves to her, at least after their bellies are full.

She likes to have some puppy time during the day too.
We feed them four times a day and spend about an hour or so
outside with them after each feeding. Della comes in and
cleans up any food they've left or spilled.

Carlsberg, Stella, Chimay, Duvel, Allagash, and Killian

Carlsberg weighed in at a chunky 16 pounds
today, along with Modelo. Paulaner is just
an ounce away.

So much fun

Sharing a bench with a friend.

There are so many moments and memories that it's impossible to share them all. I need to download those I've taken over the past two or three days before I get too far behind.

Just hanging out with a friend.

The time I spend sitting under the birch trees in the mornings and evenings with the puppies playing all around me makes all the work worthwhile.

Plenty of toys, plenty of friends.

Della is still devoted to her pups, but she's
glad it's not s 24 hour-a-day job now.

I love being greeted with this when I open the door.

They can play hard at times.

Modelo couldn't commit to getting all the way up.
Two feet on the ground keeps his options open.

They investigate, climb on, and play with everything.

Look at those happy, confident tail carriages.

Girl talk: Peroni and Abita

After morning play comes the morning snooze.

Sometimes you've just got to rest a bit.

Feeding time is always a hit.

Look at the jowls on Peroni. She has become
the sweetest little snuggler lately.

It took a couple days but they have pretty
well caught on to the feeding trough.

On a hot afternoon, I brought out a tray of crushed ice.

Ok, so this is not the way to use the feeding trough, but
I can't argue with that face.

Impossibly cute.

Paulaner working that balance board like a surf board.

Proper use of the feeding trough.

Puppy Action!

Here's a few videos made over the last couple of days. Pups are growing, getting faster and more coordinated, but they still crash and roll over frequently.


The balance board was the first new and different toy introduced after the move to the Puppy Palace. I thought it would freak them out and they would avoid it. Instead, they actually seek it out and experiment with it.

They have a good selection of toys available at all times, but their favorite toy is their nearest sibling.

I was surprised that the pups enjoyed the ball pit the way they do. They are still small enough that it's not easy to get into or out of the wading pool, but they manage, even if they don't get a lot of style points on the dismount.

They are getting better about coming out of the shed when I open the door. In this case Della was there and that made it easier. There's always one that lingers at the end, but not always the same pup.

Della goes out with me every time I visit the pups and she spends more time with them now than she did when they were still indoors. She cleans up food they drop, she teaches some valuable lessons, and she still feeds them some too.

The ramp made it quicker and easier for the pups to exit. There are still steps too, but most use the ramp. They come out of the shed more readily than they go back in.

The tunnel is a lot of fun. Della wasn't crazy about it because they could disappear in there where she couldn't see them or get to them, but the puppies love it.

They have gotten too big to use the two round feeders, so I set up this feeding trough. It didn't work well at first because some of the big guys climbed into and brought it down, so today I supported it better and tried again. It will take some getting used to, but it will teach them to eat out of a raised feeder because I can raise it up as they grow.

The puppy mobile is a good indoor toy. They will choose a toy and tug on it, sometimes two pups on the same toy. In this video one pup plays with the rubber chicken. It makes an unfamiliar noise so Della comes over to investigate.

Move in day at the Puppy Palace

Saturday was move in day. I did some final preparations early Saturday morning, stapling up electrical cords out of reach, switching out air conditioners, and putting up fencing. Then Jan and Paul came over to help carry Della's Dozen from the upstairs guest bedroom out to the new Puppy Palace. It didn't take very long at all for the pups to settle in and start enjoying the new space. There was more room to run and play and they took advantage of it. After an active play session, they crashed, predictably, unaware that even more space, more toys, more excitement awaited them outside.

Clay, Jan, and Paul carrying the puppies
out to the Puppy Palace

While puppies slept off the morning's excitement we did some final things with the outdoor play space. I completed the enclosure with some additional kennel panels and fencing and in the afternoon Erika and company arrived and we opened the big doors to let the puppies out to the yard. It won't be long before they are rushing the doors to get out, but this first time it was new and they didn't even know what they were supposed to do. There were two scary steps at the entrance and these pups had never seen stairs before. We ended up carrying them out but it didn't take too long before they were exploring the space on their own. There were lots of toys out there and new things to climb in, onto, and through. There were kids to play with and adults to snuggle with.

They enjoyed the new space immediately.

It was their biggest, longest, most energetic play session to date. They began to crash, crawling under the steps looking for a cozy place to sleep it off. We got them back inside for a good sleep but then took them out again in the evening. They've become more confident already, playing with the toys and moving around in the space on their own. Della seems to enjoy the new space too. She's been in to nurse them and also sort of playing with them, although I'm sure it's teaching them something they need to know.

Of course, after the initial excitement, it was time for a
group snooze in the new bed.

The pups were exhausted last night and so was I. Della wanted to get up at 3:00 a.m. to check on them, and we did.

Della came out to check on them and even fed them some.

How do you hide a 100+ pound Great Dane?
Cover her in puppies.

We got them all in the ball pit for a fleeting
moment.

They will soon be too big to go through these
but they are there for climbing.

Paulaner gets a ride.

The tunnel was a big hit.

My feeding trough idea didn't work out quite
as expected. Instead of lining up nicely to eat,
some of them climbed into it and brought it
down. Will need some modifications.

Della is actually spending more time with them now.

The puppy mobile has lots of toys hanging from
it. It's in use inside the shed now.

Modelo doing his best "sit."

In the evening they all came to the door when it was opened
but were still hesitant about the steps. They are better at going
up the stairs than coming down.

Della feeding her puppies.

Della's Night Out

The neighbors came to puppysit so Della and Clay and I could all leave the house together. It's the first time Della has been out since the puppies were born except for a trip to the vet I guess. It's the first time since the puppies were born that Clay and I have left the house together.

The occasion was a fundraiser event for Green Dogs at Castle Hill Cider. It's a beautiful place and it was a perfect evening for it. Della was a bit nervous at first but she relaxed and enjoyed herself after a while. She definitely prefers strange people to strange dogs. It was a good place to take her because there were a lot of Green Dogs volunteers and supporters there who knew Della but hadn't actually met her. I met a few people for the first time as well.

And for you puppy-addicted people:

This is all 12 pups around one food bowl. We use two but when the first one goes down, they
all go to that one. Then I pull the three or four smallest ones off and put them onto the second
bowl so they can eat without so much competition. The big ones always get plenty, the trick is
making sure the smaller ones get enough.