The Summer of Puppies, Part II

These pictures start around five weeks, just before the move to the Puppy Palace. It was at this point that they became fun to have. The first few weeks were miraculous, but there was a lot of stress and worry. The fun began when they began to look, act, and play like puppies.

I wasn't going to cover the floor initially, but
I'm very glad I did. I'm not sure it was necessary
to do the walls, but it didn't hurt and I have
wiped some nastiness from those walls that
would have soaked into the wood.

Once the puppies could go outside to play, it
opened up a whole new world for them and
for us to find ways to entertain and challenge
them. The ball pit was an instant hit.

The tunnel was another instant hit on the first
day. They needed no instruction or encouragement.

It was very clear that they loved getting into and underneath things, anything. They were so into
getting under the steps that I eventually blocked them off because I was having to move the steps
every time I wanted to get them back inside. Besides, they were growing so fast they would get
stuck under there.

One of my favorite moments is opening the door and being greeted by Della's Dozen as they come
tumbling out the door and down the steps. Getting them back inside is fun too, but not as fast.

Some of the pups really liked the cozy confines of the chimney
tiles, but they soon outgrew them. No one ever got stuck.

They would always begin to gather at the steps when they
were tired and wanted to go back inside to nap.

The elevated feeding trough was one of my better ideas and they look very cute all lined up to eat.
They will need to be re-trained to eat out of an actual food dish.