Changes

That's Max near the new puppy shed.

Changes are happening beginning tomorrow, Monday. Not so much with the pups, but Clay will be starting a new job so he won't be around as daytime puppy sitter.

Della and Serena go outside with me pretty much every time
I walk out the door. Della likes getting some outdoor time and
Serena likes having another Dane as a playmate. They mostly
hang out with me when I'm puttering around.

That's not so critical at this point. The pups are over four weeks old now and they are eating mushy food, well on the way to solid food. Della isn't with them all the time so we don't have the concern about them getting crushed. And I'm still working from home in the room across the hall so I can hear them scream if anything happens.

It has been really nice having Clay at home during these first few weeks, however. We did feel the need to watch them all the time, and to weigh them daily (twice daily for the first few weeks) to make sure everyone was growing. We have not both left the house at the same time, together or separately, since the puppies were born. It's also the most time we've spent being constantly together, virtually 24/7 for the past four weeks.

We haven't killed each other, we really haven't even gotten on each other's nerves very much. It's also given me the chance to see a nurturing side to Clay that I didn't really know existed.

I often let Max and Theo out of the dog yard when I take the
Dane girls outside too. They hang around because they are
 shepherds and expect me to doing something fun any minute.

I'm glad he's starting a new job, we need it, and the timing is perfect. But it has been invaluable to me to have him home for the past few weeks, sharing not just the chores, but the worries of being responsible for Della's dozen.

This little corner will be "my" space when the
puppies move in. Eventually this will be my
shop shed and I'm planning shelves to hold tools.

The pics are of the new shed/habitat being developed in the backyard for the puppies when they outgrow the guest room. And there's a couple puppy pictures too, just because.

The air conditioner is in but I'm not running
it yet. 

I've put in wire fencing along the bottom of the
shed to prevent the pups from getting under it.

The kennel panels went up last night, making it look like a
real puppy play space.

That's Della laying outside, keeping an eye
on what I'm doing. She's doing well with a
reduced nursing schedule and she's beginning
to put on some weight for herself.

Yet to come is the linoleum flooring that will protect the floor
and walls, and make clean up easier. The tall exercise pen is
being used a fencing to keep the pups out of "my space."
I expect to be sleeping out there with them at least in the beginning.

This is the view out of of the back side of the outdoor puppy play space. I've put up wire fencing
on the four board fencing to keep the puppies out of the pasture.

They are all over six pounds now, some are over seven.
They are more active and playful for longer periods each
day. They are poop producing machines, but they use
the papers, not their bedding.

The puppies are being fed five times a day by us, and Della
does it when she feels like it, maybe three or four times
each day for short periods.

Clay is introducing them to the "sit"
command. They come over to him and
he pets and praises them when they do it.
Maybe he can teach Serena next.