Five weeks

The pups are five weeks old today. That means we're about halfway through the puppy process, as I expect that they will go to their new homes at about 10 weeks of age. 

Virtually all the feeding and cleanup is now on me since Allison has stepped back a bit. I take her in with the pups occasionally, and she even lets them nurse for a few minutes each time, but then she's got to get out of there because they give her no peace. When her milk dries up and they no longer view her strictly as a food source, she will go back to mothering for some important life lessons, but for now she needs some time apart. 

I relocated the pups' bed and their potty pads to new areas when I took down the border wall, so we've had a messy couple of days. They are getting better at the using the pads for the most part, but there's still a fair amount of poop and pee to clean up off the floor. I've been waiting after they eat to catch anyone who squats in an unapproved spot. If I catch them in the act, I snatch them up and deposit the pup onto the pads, hoping they will get the idea. They are doing pretty well, but I will be glad when they can go outside to eat and then do at least some of their pooping and peeing outdoors. 

They had their first vaccines on Friday and got looked over by a vet. A couple of them had low grade heart murmurs, but that's not uncommon and we hope they will go away as they grow. A couple of Della's pups had them too, but they were gone by the time they were adopted.  On Saturday morning I gave them a dose of de-wormer, weighed them all, and took five week photos, below.

Sojourner Truth (Sojo), 5 lbs. 8.3 oz.

Ruth, 8 lbs. 5.5 oz.

Elliott, 8 lbs. 2.3 oz.

Harriett, 6 lbs. 14.7 oz.

Eleanor, 8 lbs. 1.7 oz.

Dolly still leads the pack at 8 lbs. 10.4 oz.

Malala, 7 lbs. 7.3 oz.

Look at all the wrinkly skin, ready for a growth spurt.

Susan B., 7 lbs. 4.5 oz.

Amelia, 7 lbs. 13.6 oz.

Rosa, 7 lbs, 14.9 oz.

If Rosa has a worried look on her face it's because I sort of stepped on her the night before. The little poopers mob me like they do Allison when I go in there and are always underfoot. I felt her under my foot, she screamed, I almost fell, and she ran for a corner. She could still walk, however, and she ate normally but acted a bit scared and sore last night.

This morning she was back to running around under my feet, and had her tail up again so I think she's ok, but it scared the crap out of both of us. Now when I go in there, I barely lift my feet but sweep puppies out of the way as I walk. I had forgotten how they nibble on everything they can reach when I bend down or squat to clean. I can certainly understand why Allison makes only brief forays in among them now. At least I had pants on. 

I need to start enlarging their bed area too. They need more space.