Dachshund diaries 6 weeks old TODAY

Hi there and a Happy Easter for tomorrow! It's been a very very busy week with lots of playtimes and feed times for the puppies and then a quick escape to get some things done when they fall asleep for an hour or two... As above.

Here's Jack having one of very many cuddles . This was on the 9th April at one of the 4-5 playtimes in the day.

Here he is in profile: handsome chappie isn't he? We think so and he's very easy going, happy chap. No buyers yet but then I haven't sent in the Kennel Club registration yet either: still thinking up a suitable KC name.........mmmmmmmm

Still Jack and with A's crochet- her very own and she's very adept at it!- and my rainbow blanket wools in the background. Side view to show he really is looking like a proper dachshund now!

This is Lucy top view by the sofa to show how small they still are even though they seem really big now- relativity is such a conundrum isn't it?
This is Tom of course still preferring the personal treatment at breakfast though I have today had him eat all 4 meals by himself in the puppy cage and he did it beautifully.... at last...

This is to commemorate how my dear sleepy children have been helping with the early morning ( from 6 am) puppysitting/puppywatching as I make the breakfast or clear up their messes....

After breakfast within a half hour or so of a chopped hard boiled egg Tom finds himself a quiet soft and warm spot to fall asleep: Pippa's cushion in the sun by the patio doors.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Lucy beside two of her favourite toys: a furry santa pull-toy and a shoebox- aaah so delicious to chew!!!

Having been pulling at a corner of this fleece : quite suddenly- just like human babies!!!_ the puppy dozes off......Head down, eyelids droop......zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

This next bit doesn't look so good but I want to remember how hard work this puppified Easter holiday is/was!!! 4 meals a day which initially 3 of which were fresh cooked beef- fried by me - then minced in the blender and mixed with rice....

They don't like the pedigree chum dry kibble or the science plan one at all yet..... But I HAVE now - at the end of this week- found they like the pedigree chum pouches for pups and also they like readibrek made with water but with puppymilk added and with a sprinkling of tuna......YUMMY!!! What a relief- that's sooo much easier to do!

Remember remember : all that beef mince, frying, mincing, blending, washing those puppy bowls, all that rice........etc etc.

Doesn't Lucy look GOOD on it though? Glossy coat, shining eyes, cute wet black nose......

And here's TOM our second fella up for sale.......!!!! Another VERY HANDSOME chap! JJ especially adores his slim aquiline features, very lean very like his dad I think.

Playtimes are fun if it's tug of war or chasing a ball or they trot beside or after us like we're the Pied Piper: so cute and funny: 3 little black dogs with prancing paws and waggy tails.

BUT I didn't know how much fighting is just instinct! Talk about sibling rivalry: they are at it constantly! Ears get dragged, sometimes 2 against 1, paws get chewed, tails chewed or pulled at, bite bite bite until we intervene or one of them sqeals.....

I'm sure it IS all play as they roll around holding ears or a tail or paw in their mouth and sometimes they lock jaws or have a head in the mouth..... Not my scene but it's only natural.
Here's Lucy with her big Puppy-dog eyes: Is it Dinner/tea/lunchtime yet??? What do you mean I should NOT bite that?????It's only your SHOE/FINGER/ANKLE/CHIN/belt/bag/crochet throw/etc etc.....

This is Tom asleep by mum on the sofa as he was waiting for his 8 pm supper time and could not stay awake for it....Mum could not be groomed yet as the grooming parlour owner advised against it: risk of airborne virus transfer apparently. So she's still looking scruffy but she's been brushed thoroughly. Doesn't she look ''fluffy''?

EEEEK! Eeerie! Dogs can sleep with their eyes half open or just a slit showing..... I find it a bit eerie but it's fine.....

And after the 8 pm suppertime today on their 6 week ''birthday'' they are cuddled to sleep by daughters and husband while watching Robin Hood/ Britain's got Talent/ Little Miss Sunshine and then they are transferred back to their pen with some blankets.

They snuggle up together and Tom cheekily has Jack as a headrest..... This is how they are NOW as I type this on the eve of Easter Sunday....Just behind me in their pen.

Wishing you all a very HAPPY EASTER!!!!

I will write in a few days as we are visiting my mum : Pippa and all 3 puppies are having a journey by car and a new house to explore!!!!

Dachshund diaries day 36: 5 weeks and a day.

These days have been very busy as it was the last week of term and there was soooo much on!
So here is a really BIG collection of pictures to catch up on the last few days.

First we have playtime several times a day now- twice last week and from Saturday 3 to 5 times a day/ evening too.... Above they have cardboard tubes- 2 out of sight and mum's ball...










But within a few minutes they lose interest in the ball and go exploring...










Teeth are used all the time, it's non stop playbiting/ fighting for the boys and Lucy too but to a lesser degree, she chews blankets and rather ''manically'' has a go at a daughter's finger.She was much sweeter looking in real life but the flash caught a weird moment...



Then we still have 80% sleep time too, they eat and play for 30-45 minutes and then sleep again for at least 1-2 hours. Above is JACK.

Ans this is TOM

Being held is Lucy in drowsy mode.

Breakfast is served in the puppy cage which is a lovely ''safe '' area for a new puppy, this was Pippa's 3 years ago and we feed the pups in here to familiarise them with the cage so they'll like it when they go to thier new homes and have a similar cage for a few months or a year.

Tom however does not eat unless fed so here he is being spoilt again.

He just LOVES a cuddle so he's got it made: this way he gets personal attention, a cuddle AND food!

After breakfast Lucy tastes the cage: not as nice as the eggs....

The boys return to their paly-fighting while Lucy investigates an escape.

Mum also LOVES the eat egg so the cage keeps her nicely out of the way while the puppies eat or otherwise she would eat it all for them!

Back in their box they ask to come back out again and by Friday 3 April Lucy climbed out and trotted off into the hallway all by herself....The boys watched but didn't follow. We were watching and let her have a little explore before scooping her up for a cuddle.

They are all very individual now BUT sometimes the boys can still look remarkably alike.

Can you tell the difference?Above from left to right are : JACK, LUCY, TOM.

Sometimes it's easy but from other angles the boys look very alike, Lucy is very different: more ''whiskery'' and with a broader skull .
They ALL look totally adorable, especially head on when they look you straight in the eye.

LOVELY lovely charming faces- soooooo pretty!!!!! Even my husband agrees- it's not just me...

I have tried and tried but I can't get a good likeness on camera in the ''head on'' way like you get when you have a cuddle and they sit or lie on your chest.

They have a good long look at you and then usually creep up a bit closer and lick you on the nose! The books say dogs don't look you straight in the eye BUT these puppies -and Pippa too for that matter- they do! It's as if they are trying to read your mind?!

During or after playtime mummy comes to join in BUT as soon as she appears they run to feed and she lies down willingly.

Then only a few minutes later she shrugs them off and joins in with playtime, rolling around with them and playbiting too. She lets them climb all over her, hang onto her tail and bite her ears and mouth. Then she does it back to them but very very gently.

Then quite suddenly they climb onto a person or whine to be picked up and fall asleep on a lap or in some - very willing!!!- arms. Who is this then? ( on the jeans)

And this? On my hand- crocheted throw?Answers in the next post which may not be tomorrow as it's Easter holidays and therefore blogtime is almost non-existent!

On a technical note: they have been wormed at week 2 and now at week 5 and alas Jack and Tom are for sale......We will miss them I'm sure but although advertised we have no buyers yet- so my kids sing HOORAY hooray....

Will we become a 4 dog family? To be continued.......

Dachshund Diaries day 5

Day 5 dawns and even less sleep than ever was had last night!

At least my carrot tops are starting to grow: WOW ! Such a great colour and lovely GREEN shoots- all feathery and soft and so hopeful!

Did you used to grow these as a kid? I did and it takes me back I can tell you. Luckily my own kids adore this sort of thing it's just so rewarding to watch them grow so fast!

Talking of fast growth: the pups were at it a lot last night: squeaking away every hour or so and poor mum got quite FED UP with the whole business of just lying there and being tugged at by lusty youngsters...

Here she is when she walked out of the whelping box for some rest : she got into her old basket and looked dolefully at me: Can I have a break now?

I'm ready for some : ''ME'' time!!! Besides this basket is soooo much more comfortable than those newspapers in that wooden box... GIVE ME SOME PEACE.


D
Don't you agree ? That sulky look says it all doesn't it. And who can blame her? She had a carefree existence of playtimes, sleep and eating with a few walks and some cuddles thrown in .And WHAM here she is confined to a box with demanding sucky babes, all that responsibility!

The bottom washing, the lying on one's side for hours on end, the lack of outdoor walks, huh no fun.

This is what 80 % of the time is devoted to: acting like a milk machine....might as well be a cow? MOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Mind you have you seen how big they are getting? And how they line up side by side? So cute!!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

Every day I weigh them and here is A holding Lucy who is a bit more relaxed and laid back today and not nearly as wriggly.

Let's have some statistics after all : after the first 5 days ; at 4.30 pm today they had gained weight as follows:

Lucy : gained 330g equivalent to 81% gain from her birth weight.

Jack jnr : gained 232g or 79%

Tom: gained 200g or 73% but don't worry I'm quite sure he'll catch up when the weaning process starts 10 or more days from now.

Here they are asleep after a feed: the red mat is a heat pad and measures: 33cm by 44 cm so you get some idea of scale.

ooooooooh I forgot to TELL YOU!!! ALL of these pictures are CLICKABLE : which means if you click on them they appear very much bigger on your screen and you an enlarge even more or look at specific area in more detail. GOOD EH? Boy I DO love technology!



Just before we say goodbye for now to the puppies: here is GUESS WHO?- much more relaxed and even more confident- if that's possible- now lying quite voluntarily on it's back.

HA , I didn't say he or she did I? Did you guess? Try clicking it and searching for clues....

Let's leave today on the cheerful note that the birdfeeders- wonderfully colourful and eco - sound as they ARE recycled materials- will very soon no longer be needed unlike this morning when we had another sharp FROST. Yes my daughters made this one, at Brownies I believe.

And as a celebratory note : some balloons for a party we will have for some birthdays in March.

Bye for now and hope to catch up with you again , I'll let you know WHO in the photo above too so please DO come back to see us all again soon?

And feel free to leave a comment, just click on the word comment at the end of the post and you can say what you think!