Busy day

I started Sunday well before dawn, as usual. After getting up far too early and then making the dogs wait until there was enough light to feed, I took Bailey out for a four mile hike. That was good. She met an off-leash dog but it was a golden and both dogs handled themselves very well. Meeting a couple of other human hikers was more unnerving for her. The mountain bikes that passed didn't bother her at all. There were quite a few squirrels and a few deer that make the hike worthwhile. 

Woody went to his new home! There was much rejoicing from everyone here. He's a sweet boy but he can get on your nerves. 

I did some more mowing and made another batch of cream of chicken soup for Della and Marvel. The puppies continue their routine of eating, sleeping, and growing. 

This is Bridget. She belongs to some friends of ours and she's very sweet. She was the only dog at Decipher Brewery this afternoon and everyone came to see her. She's very friendly but is particularly attentive when you're holding a treat. Her ear position depends on gravity and air currents. 

Mavel approved of the new soup.

Storm surged ahead of Wakanda today. I don't entirely trust the scale but I weighed her twice and got the same number. Everyone showed growth, that's the main thing.

A sunny Saturday

Hurricane Helene gave us a weird weather pattern. We got some rain but no storm to speak of on Friday, but the storm moved west as it went north, so we had a sunny day today. Quite a beautiful day in fact and I took advantage of it by getting much of the grass mowed while it was possible to do so. We will be getting some more rain from Helene as the remnants are finally pushed east again by the prevailing currents, starting Sunday evening and lasting into Tuesday as currently forecast. Today was definitely the day to mow.

Jan and Paul came down to visit Della, bringing chunks of salmon which she very much enjoyed, but I think she enjoyed the visit and attention just as much. 

I delivered one of the doberman pups, Cara, to a new foster home Saturday morning, and then put the sole remaining dobie pup, Rex, out in Daneland with Norman and Bailey for the day. Bailey was a bit much for him. I'll just give him Norman alone tomorrow, but then Rex also has a new foster home to move to early next week. I made arrangements to farm out Marvel and the puppies to another foster home as well, reducing the load for our house sitter to manage while we are gone. 

The puppies still have their eyes closed but they are getting more physically active and mobile, although they still can't really walk. Marvel is more comfortable spending at least some time outside, away from the pups, enough to bark at the other dogs. She continues to enjoy my soup in two of her four daily feedings, and she's getting some plain yogurt and cottage cheese mixed with her dry food for the other two. 

Della was outside with me when Jan and Paul came walking up the road. She took off running to the front fence, on three legs, as soon as she spotted them.

Marvel had never met Jan and Paul but she greeted them like old friends, even in the presence of her puppies. This girl really likes, and trusts, people. 

Fortunately, all the identifying colored collars have stayed on.

My soup gets better reviews from Marvel than from Clay. That may say more about my cooking than anything else, but make of that what you will. 

Clean space and clean blanket after this evening's weigh-in.

They are much more mobile today, and more vocal too.

Everyone posted good weight gains today.

Another rainy day

We got a lot less of the hurricane rain than we might have and really none of the storm, thankfully. It was a rainy day for the most part but I still managed in get in two, three mile hikes, one in the morning and one late afternoon when it wasn't doing much. I've been pushing the walking as hard as possible lately in the hope of dropping some weight, but it really isn't happening. 

The adult dogs in the house are bored with being stuck inside but the puppies seemed unaffected by the rain. They are comfortable, dry, and well fed along with momma Marvel. 

Marvel looking concerned when I'm holding one of her pups.

I think my weight for Storm yesterday was inaccurate. Today's correction is probably closer.

Marvel pups, one week later

Marvel's puppies are one week old today. They were born September 19th, one before they left the shelter that morning, and the next four during the second leg of the transportation where Marvel had a large space in the back of a SUV and plenty of time, space, and privacy to do it all herself. She continues to do it all herself. She will allow me to handle the puppies when I weigh them, but it makes her anxious, understandably, and she'd prefer that I just leave them all alone. We will be handling them a lot as they grow up, however, so everyone needs to get used to it. 

There's plenty of bed space out there but I often find them on the bare floor of the whelping box.

That's where Marvel usually lies too, she may prefer it for ease of cleanup, I don't know.

Sometimes they are together, sometimes apart.

One sleeping with their head over another one is a common position.

Storm

Elektra

Wakanda

Rogue

Thor

I changed the blankets, cleaned the floor, and then everyone was ready to eat again.

Storm's weight really jumped up today. May have caught her with a full belly.