Friday, April 19th, 2019 (Week 11, Day 85)

I am so excited to report that Vista has finally found her forever family! She was visited by Jason and Kristie Augustin today along with two of their daughters and they fell in love with her.  She is going to be a perfect fit into their active and on-the-go dog-friendly family. She gets to keep her Litter V name and will have an active and wonderful life with them filled with exciting opportunities to get out into the world and experience all kinds of fun things, including hunting and hiking. We are just thrilled for her and her new family, she is such a sweet and well-behaved pup. What a GOOD FRIDAY it has been indeed!!
 

Thursday, April 18th, 2019 (Week 11, Day 84)

Wednesday, April 17th, 2019 (Week 11, Day 83)

Vista has been back at Hickory Hollow for 3 weeks now after receiving an alarming diagnosis of Megaesophagus from a vet in Kansas City, but since being home I have literally seen no evidence of this disease since that first evening on March 28th.

This history has led me to seek another opinion from my trusted vet Dr. Jen Feuerbach at Frey Pet Hospital, so I forwarded the barium study films (15 total) to her for review and scheduled an appointment with her for a consult today. I thought it would be a good idea to have my vet actually see her, do a physical, lay her hands on her, listen to her lungs and evaluate her current condition. Dr. Feuerbach said Vista looks good, healthy weight, no fever, her heart sounded perfect and her lungs were clear; all physical signs are within normal limits so we are happy about that.

So, In Dr. Feuerbach's review of the barium study done by the diagnosing vet, she indicated that she cannot confirm the original diagnosis of MegaE because in her opinion the barium study is inadequate. She further expounded on her statement saying that there is a formula for figuring out barium dosing for the study based on each individual dog and in Vista's case it appears not enough barium was used to coat the entire esophagus which is required to see it's overall size and shape. Instead, only parts of it are highlighted at different points in time throughout all the related films. Since the esophagus is not entirely highlighted by the barium, the entire study is inadequate to confirm the diagnosis of MegaE or rule out Persistent Right Aortic Arch (PRAA) which could be responsible for an enlarged esophagus that can be corrected with surgery. She also indicated that MegaE is extremely rare in puppies of this age and that they usually see cases where the dog is much older before a diagnosis is made usually after a history of having recurring bouts of regurgitation, inadequate weight gain, or a diagnosis of aspiration pneumonia.

Dr. Feuerbach further indicated that in a couple x-rays she could see that the esophagus looked a little enlarged in her upper throat, but that alone does not warrant a MegaE diagnosis because it could've been swollen from recent trauma (an isolated choking incident unrelated to MegaE) which caused her family to take her to the vet in the first place or due to a congenital defect called PRAA. In addition, her family had never reported any history of the other tell-tale signs and symptoms associated with the disease before the diagnosis and had just had her to the same vet three days prior for a wellness puppy exam and she had received a clean bill of health which further makes the diagnosis suspect.

Then Dr. Feuerbach asked me what "special measures" I am taking with her at home such as sitting her upright while eating like in a Bailey Chair or feeding her food in chunks like meatballs and she was surprised when I said I am doing nothing other than using an elevated food bowl about 4" up off the floor and she's been doing just fine. I also described how she plays roughly with her littermate Vanna, then gulps mouthfuls of water and returns to playing without so much as a cough or sputter or regurge of the large amount of water she just drank. She was also surprised by that statement.

So, our course of action at this point was to take additional x-rays during today's visit which she will send to a board-certified radiologist for further evaluation. Then we will know more and how to proceed with further diagnosis if necessary. After her initial glance at today's films she indicated they "looked good", so at this point I am cautiously optimistic that her MegaE diagnosis could be overturned. I'm anxious to hear what the radiologist has to say about the new films. Today's consult has certainly introduced a new twist in this ongoing saga.
 

Friday, April 12th, 2019 (Week 10, Day 78)

Vista is available again, her latest family backed out, not sure why because I was not given specifics, but she still needs a new home. Asking $800.
 

Tuesday, March 28th, 2019 (Week 9, Day 63)

I have GREAT news to report, Vista has a new home! She will be going to Davenport next weekend to live with the Mosher family and will have two young children to play with and another dog named Willow.

She has been doing really well since she got back, no more coughing or any regurgitation noted since that first evening. She's been eating free choice out of an elevated food bowl and I haven't witnessed any recent issues with her whatsoever, so we are cautiously optimistic that she will do just fine in her new home as well.
 

Thursday, March 28th, 2019 (Week 8, Day 57)

Vista is back at Hickory Hollow, she was returned today around noon and Vanna and Vyron were glad to have her back, another playmate, YAY! Benelli appeared shocked at first when she went to visit her pups in the cottage that we now have three again. Her reaction was fun to watch, she literally did a double-take, LOL.

I have been watching Vista closely since she returned for signs of her MegaE condition. She is doing some coughing, in short, soft little puffs, seemingly due to an irritated throat I'm assuming because of all the recent palpation of her esophagus and trachea during her recent diagnostic procedures, and not because she's trying to clear her bronchial tubes. I am pleased to report that when I fed the pups, she ate well and her belly appeared to be full so food is getting in there. I think part of the worry with MegaE is malnutrition for lack of food getting to the stomach, but at this point I don't think that will be an issue for her. She did regurgitate a small part of her dinner during playtime tonight after running around and romping roughly with her siblings on a full stomach, so next meal we are going to ensure she remains calm for about 30 mins after eating. I am also feeding free choice too and will try to always keep food in the bowl, which allows her to eat a little bit every now and then instead of gorging on a meal all at once. This particular time she had eaten a lot at once because the bowl had been empty so I believe that contributed to her regurgitation episode along with the fact that her throat is irritated. We'll see going forward.
 

Wednesday, March 27th, 2019 (Week 8, Day 57)

We received some sad news today, Vista will be coming back to Hickory Hollow after being diagnosed with Megaesophagus. Her family took her to the vet when they thought she was choking on a foreign object. Her presenting symptoms were coughing, gagging and dry heaves. MegaE is a congenital issue where the esophagus is slightly enlarged which affects the peristaltic action that moves food to the stomach. Since this process takes longer than in normal dogs, the food can get caught in the tube and cause issues. Much of the food will eventually reach the stomach, but can also be regurgitated which may cause the pup to breathe in (aspirate) the contents during the process. This could cause aspiration pneumonia in severe cases.  

I have personally spoken with the diagnosing veterinarian and he indicated to me that she has a mild case of MegaE and that he has seen much worse. Apparently the underlying cause for this disease is a neurological one and there is a possiblity that as the pup ages she will grow out of the condition once her neurological system is completely developed.  On the other hand, there is a chance that her condition will not improve or could get worse.  He did a Barium Study on her where they have her swallow barium liquid and take x-rays at predetermined times after the swallow. I have copies of these films that I could share with those considering providing her with a home in case you would like to consult with your veterinarian about her case.

She will be coming back to Hickory Hollow under my puppy health guarantee so we are looking for a home for this special girl where her condition is understood and will be managed properly. If you're interested in taking on this special needs pup, please contact us or fill out our Adoption Application to get the ball rolling.
 

Saturday, March 23rd, 2019 (Week 7, Day 53)

Two more pups left the nest today.

First Vegas's new mom and dad, Alan and Kelly, drove over from western Iowa to get their new baby. His name will be Jaxson, just "Jax" for short and will have the opportunity to hunt with an older and experienced Irish Setter.

Later, Valentine met his new family. He will be headed north to Minnesota with the DeBruyckeres -- Arlyn, Kim, Kathryn and Jamie -- plus their 14-yr old setter named Jack who has been watching the LIVE Puppy Cam and the YouTube videos anticipating his arrival right along with the rest of his family. Valentine's new name is Remington ("Remi" for short). We heard that Remi and Jack have become fast friends as Remi snuggled up to Jack for most of the ride home.

We've had really good reports so far on several of the pups that have traveled long distances saying they've done just great! We're excited for their new adventure-filled futures.

Only two pups remain, our darling Vanna and her brother Vyron who will be going home the following weekend.
 

Friday, March 22nd, 2019 (Week 7, Day 52)

A couple more pups have gone home recently, one on Wednesday and again today.

Vincent flew to South Carolina to meet his new momma Lindsay, his new name is Tracker. He will be tagging along with his momma to work frequently as she works at a veterinary emergency and trauma center in Columbia. Here are a few photos at the airport and after Vincent arrives home with Lindsay and Tony.  He loves his Snuggle Puppie which accompanied him on his flight and has been a great surrogate for his missing littermates.

Vortex went home today with his new daddy Cole. His name has been shortened to just "Tex" and he'll be living about 3 hours away in southern Minnesota. He will have lots of opportunities to hunt and reach his full potential. We are excited about Tex becoming part of the new Hickory Hollow Llew Crew if he passes his health testing you will see him again as the sire to HHLS litters in the future (looking forward to 2021!). Thanks to everyone on Facebook that played the Name Game to help us come up with an official registered name for Tex on his pedigree. Congratulations to Angela Renken who suggested the name "Hickory's Tex's Hold'em", we're sending a free HHLS t-shirt for submitting the winning name!  
 

Tuesday, March 19th, 2019 (Week 7, Day 49)

Week 7 Developmental Milestone: Pups go home!

Now is the time the pups are able to embark on a new life and head out to their new homes. Most of the pups in this litter are staying here in the midwest, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, but one pup is lucky enough to be headed to warmer weather in the south to South Carolina. They are SO ready to leave as they are tired and completely bored with their playpen and are ready for so much more. They are now creatively destructive, and have figured out that there is a rubber mat under all that pine bedding, so last night they unearthed it and had it pulled way back, chewed a couple holes in it and made a mess! They've had their 6 week distemper/parvo vaccination and are eating the dry kibble really well and are now fully weaned. They're so ready to get outta here and embark on a new adventure!

Puppy portraits for week seven will be taken with their new families for the pups that are leaving this week.  And speaking of, Vivian was the next to leave today. Her new dad (Randy from Houdini Llewellins in Minnesota) came down from the frigid north to get his little girl today. He was able to see the beautiful litter that his boy Rev sired. He commented on their conformation and was impressed, not to mention smitten with his new baby girl.  Her new name is Levee and we're looking forward to seeing her as part of the Houdini breeding lineup in the future!
 

Sunday, March 17th, 2019 (Week 6, Day 47)

HAPPY ST. PATTY's DAY EVERYONE!  Hope you have fun on the holiday and get to enjoy some corned beef and cabbage along with a green brewski! (yeah, I don't really do that either...) We have a St. Patrick's Day parade in our town of Cedar Rapids so lots of folks go enjoy that. Should be a good day for it weather-wise. In the meantime, we are preparing for pups to start going home!

As has been the trend with this litter where things are happening a little early, one pup flew the coup today, LITERALLY! Violet's new daddy Jeff is a pilot, and so her family flew up in a private plane from Manhattan Kansas to pick her up. We met them out at our little local airport in Vinton only just 12 miles away which was really convenient for all of us.  Violet was a great traveler both on my lap on the way to the airport and also on the kids' laps during the flight to Kansas. Here are a few photos for you to enjoy!

Violet's new name is Timber and she will have an older Llew sister (actually half-sister named Stella -- aka Odessa, Litter O -- they share the same momma, Benelli!) and two human kids (ages 9 and 10) to play with. They are also looking forward to flying back up in a few months to pickup her niece, a new little pup from Litter W!
 

Friday, March 15th, 2019 (Week 6, Day 45)

Week 6 Puppy Portraits have been posted. Sorry I'm posting so late week but it truly is 1 week later than the day the pups were photographed last week, plus I've been assembling puppy document packets in preparation for pups going home in a couple days already, one is headed out this Sunday. Again, it's amazing to see how much they've matured in only 1 week. I hope you will continue to take their weekly photographs for a while after they go home, time goes by so fast and it's fun to have these early photos to look back on.
 

Thursday, March 14th, 2019 (Week 6, Day 44)

Time is drawing near... the time when pups fly the coup for better days, so I'm enjoying the last week I have with them here all together. They are getting so bored with the space within the walls of the puppy playpen and are thankful to get out for playtime in the cottage which has become chaos with 9 pups doing their own thing. Now is the time when stepping over the pups is no longer allowed, rather I have to shuffle my feet because if I were to step, no matter the strategy for picking a place for footfall, it would wind up on a pup somewhere, usually tails or feet.  They want and love to be underfoot, literally, except when stepped on!  

I just posted a video from March 12th which I titled "EVERYTHING is a Toy!" and it's true. No expensive puppy toys are needed when anything and everything around you can be played with.  This is why the Puppy Cottage is so chaotic right now, it can be challenging to keep track of them all!

Johnny and I took the Week 6 Puppy Portraits which will be posted soon. They turned out SO CUTE (but how could they NOT considering the subject matter), so stay tuned for that!
 

Tuesday, March 12th, 2019 (Week 6, Day 42)

Week 6 Developmental Milestone: Fully weaned / Eye color changes

This week, the puppies are considered fully weaned because they are eating dry kibble, are drinking water from the automatic water bowl and no longer nurse on momma. They follow her around but don't really try to nurse from her any more.

Their eyes will noticeably start to transition from their current baby blues to their final adult color; gold (chestnut pups) or brown (black pups). It's too bad they have to lose those beautiful baby blues so soon... The transition takes about a week or so and the color mix during the transition is neat to see.

Here's how the pups weigh-in at 6 weeks old:

Pups were microchipped today for those folks who requested that service and all the pups were given their first Distemper/Parvo vaccination.
 

Sunday, March 10th, 2019 (Week 5, Day 40)

Today the pups had an eventful day when my sister, two nieces and a friend came out for the afternoon to visit and provide the pups with some socialization. We laid a blanket on the floor of the puppy cottage and let the pups loose! It was total chaos for about 15 mins, then the pups settled down and played nicely for about another 45 mins or so before cashing out. I was able to capture some really awesome closeups of the pups with my phone camera which are posted above with the other miscellaneous litter photos for Week 5. The rubber ball toys in the photos are called Hol-ee Rollers and come in several different sizes and colors and are perfect for these little pups because they are easy to pickup and carry around.

I just love the personalities of the pups in this litter, just like the last one between Benelli and Rev, these pups are overall just so sweet and easy going and fun to be with.

The pups are now eating dry kibble exclusively so sometimes I will leave some in a food bowl in the playpen with the pups so they can get a snack when they need to. Momma Benelli still spends the night out in the Puppy Cottage tending to her babies, but spends the majority of the day back in the house with us. She is not allowing the pups to nurse at all anymore, but is still concerned about them and asks to go out and check on them frequently.
 

Saturday, March 9th, 2019 (Week 5, Day 39)

The older the pups get, the longer their play sessions before they cash out for nap time and right now they are certainly evolving into little monsters. They attack and chew on whatever part of you they can sink their piranha teeth into so playtime wasn't as fun as before. They are also extremely inquisitive and into EVERYTHING, so nothing in the Puppy Cottage is safe. Now is when I have to start corralling them in a gated pen while I'm cleaning so they don't interfere as well as chew up something they shouldn't while my attentions are elsewhere. These pups certainly are a lively bunch.

The pups are large enough now that I have removed the platform from underneath the waterer and replaced it with stepping stones. The pups got the hang of that pretty quickly. Violet likes to hang out underneath the water dish and lay inside the circle of stepping stones with her head propped up on one. I think she feels safe under there, just like our adult dogs like to go hang out and sleep in their hard-sided kennels. This is partly why I think crate training is such a great idea. The dog has it's own place to retreat into giving them the feeling of safety because they are surrounded on all sides by the kennel walls. It's also a great way to help house train young pups and keep them safely contained during times when they cannot be fully supervised. FYI, we strongly DO NOT recommend wire crates for several reasons, so please if you're going to crate train your pup, get a hard-sided airline-approved type kennel.
 

Friday, March 8th, 2019 (Week 5, Day 38)

I think my potty training efforts are starting to pay off because during playtime I have noticed that many of the pups are now returning to the playpen to potty, YAY! For the accidental messes on the cottage floor I quickly cover with pine shavings so the other pups don't step in it and get messy. I've also noticed that once there's shavings on the floor, they will gravitate to those areas to pee, so they are definitely making the association with the shavings and potty.  This is good, these pups are very smart!

The noise conditioning exercises are also going well. This morning I recorded a video titled "Percussion Session". As you can see I have a captive audience while performing all sorts of taps, raps, clinks, clonks and bonks. The pups aren't phased by any of it, in fact at times they were distracted by momma and would rather give her their attention than some random noise.This is great and is exactly why I'm doing these exercises.

In an effort to provide you all with more videos, I have also uploaded a short BONUS clip titled "Recall Training". One of the most important things you should teach your dog during obedience training is the "come" or "here" command. At Hickory Hollow we start the recall training early to help instill this behavior. Using whichever command you choose, the recall should be practiced using the same command repeatedly to produce consistent results, and the pup should be rewarded each time for the correct behavior. In this case they are rewarded with praise and attention.
 

Thursday, March 7th, 2019 (Week 5, Day 37)

Puppy selection went smoothly over the past several days and am happy to report that most of the folks were able to get either their first or second pick pup which is wonderful! This litter is now officially all spoken for since all the pups have been selected, meaning no one opted to roll their reservation to the next litter leaving a puppy available in this litter.

The weaning process is still progressing nicely. The pups are currently eating dry kibble and canned food without adding water to soften any more and I have upped the feeding frequency to 4 times per day instead of three times since momma Benelli is not spending as much time out in the Puppy Cottage anymore and therefore is not supplementing meals by nursing as frequently as she used to. Pups are still gaining weight nicely.

Quick note to mention: BLOG posts will be a little more infrequent now as I am going to be spending the majority of the time taking care of the pups as well as preparing the documentation for puppy packets to send with clients on pickup day.

Week 5 puppy portraits have been posted above. ENJOY :0)~
 

Tuesday, March 5th, 2019 (Week 5, Day 35)

Week 5 Developmental Milestone: Puppy Selection / Noise Desensitization / Socialization / Potty Training

This is one of the most anticipated times in this process for many because of Puppy Selection, although for the males the picks already started a few days ago. All the folks on our reservation list will now be able to choose the pup they want to make a part of their family and take home in a couple weeks.

Now that the pups are old enough to have visitors, they will have lots of opportunities for socialization with our big dogs, adults and children. I will also continue to concentrate on acclimating them to noises of all varieties so by the time they leave they will be desensitized to strange sounds. During each play session I will start incorporating what I call "percussion sessions" into the mix. During that time I will make a variety of different sounds while increasing then decreasing volume and severity including tapping on metal pans, knocking on walls, stomping the floor, opening and closing of doors, running a can opener, playing christian pop music on the radio, and whatever else we can think of to condition them for life after Hickory Hollow.

The pups are also in the first stages of potty training. Some of the pups have already started to figure it out and will return to the playpen to potty during playtime. Those that don't and start to potty on the floor are swiftly airlifted and placed into the playpen to finish the job. This reinforces the area where I desire them to potty. By the time they go home, they associate the "place to potty" with the pine shavings so I always suggest taking home some of the shavings from our playpen to place in the yard when potty training pups to go outside. That association with the pine shavings and the place to potty can help speed up the house training process.

Here's how the pups weigh-in at 5 weeks old:

Pups are now being fed a mixture of dry kibble (NutriSource Puppy - Small and Medium Breed) and canned food mixed with hot water to soften. This is the last week of weaning because by the end of this week the pups will be eating solid dry kibble and momma's milk will be removed from the mix.  The pups need to be on solid dry food for the last week they are here so they will be ready to leave at 7 weeks.

Miscellaneous litter photos from Week 4 are now posted! ENJOY  :0)~
 

Monday, March 4th, 2019 (Week 4, Day 34)

I'm excited to report that Puppy Profiles are FINALLY done! After evaluating the pups over the course of several play sessions and then performing the temperament-type testing, I think we now have a well-rounded idea of the pups' current dispositions. None of the pups were frightened by a startling noise, they stopped and listened and some sought out the location of the noise, but none cowered and ran in the opposite direction. All the pups reacted well when presented with the pheasant wing, they were excited by it, tried to snap at it and followed it readily when it was moved away from them.

Please note these are simply my observations at this point, as the personalities of these pups will continue to develop throughout this first year and can be shaped by training and other environmental factors. In a couple more weeks it will be up to their new families to provide guidance with a gentle hand and training for these pups to be the best that they can be.

Please check out the Puppy Profiles section above.
 

Sunday, March 3rd, 2019 (Week 4, Day 33)

Puppy selections have started already which is great! I usually wait until 5 weeks before requiring a selection to allow everyone adequate time to see how the pups are developing and after the personality profiles are posted. Vegas was chosen last evening by the first pick folks who came to visit the pups yesterday. Therefore, we can proceed with the male picks as folks are ready to make their decision. We are still waiting to know which female Houdini Llewellins will choose, so we will proceed with the female selections after that pick has been made.

This morning at breakfast I served the pups their meal in two flying saucer bowls. This alleviated the pile up on the pans. They are now being served canned puppy food mixed with a small amount of goat's milk (because I still had some on hand) to make it a little softer than directly out of the can.  Pups are still eating with gusto and clean the pans in literally 60 seconds or less.

I am planning to work on more personality profiles this afternoon along with doing the temperament type testing so stay tuned for that.
 

Saturday, March 2nd, 2019 (Week 4, Day 32)

The pups had special visitors today. Two of the families that will be getting a pup from this litter came to meet them and form their opinions so they will be prepared for puppy selection that is right around the corner on Tuesday March 5th. The first thing one of the couples said was that they were so much smaller in size than they imagined. Yeah, we get that a lot. It is really hard to tell size in their weekly portraits because there is nothing to gauge against. Right now the pups are weighing in around 4 pounds and are on average a little less than a foot long from head to base of tail (not including the tail).

The pups did not disappoint during the visits, they were full of energy and we had a fairly long play session while the first couple was here before they finally cashed out. The second play session wasn't quite as long as the first, but the pups got their second wind and were able to be interactive for a decent amount of time. During those sessions I jotted down some notes to add to the personality profiles so a few more of the pups have been updated.  I also checked on the amount of ticking I think they will have so I added a ticking prediction for some pups near the top of their stats.

UPDATE: The first pick pup folks were one of the couples that visited and on their long journey home made the decision to choose Vegas.  He has now been marked as "RESERVED".
 

Friday, March 1, 2019 (Week 4, Day 31)

The pups have graduated from the single flat feeding pan to the flying saucer pan already. It's quite a bit larger and has a cylinder in the middle to try and help keep pups eating on the outside edge of the pan, but after only a couple meals using the bigger pan I've already realized that the need even more room. I will add a second flying saucer pan soon so that everyone has a fair share of the meal. These pups are growing so fast!

During today's weigh-in I checked all the pups' bite alignments and everyone looks good at this point. Poops are also looking good, nice color and well formed which is a huge plus with the food transition they are currently going through. Their eyes are already starting to change color a bit, they used to be so blue, but are now are turning more grey.

Pups will get their third deworming dose this evening.  
 

Wednesday, February 27, 2019 (Week 4, Day 29)

The pups are finally able to roam free in the entire puppy playpen! We were able to get the slider door frame mounted and the playpen set up with fresh pine shavings, a kennel bed and a newly revamped platform under the waterer. After several litters, the rubber on the platform was chewed on all corners and coming off, but now it's like new again! I also captured the pups first moments in their new enclosure in a video clip I titled "Newfound Freedom". Click here to see all videos for this litter.

By now you've probably already noticed the new view from the LIVE Puppy Cam. Thanks to our new HP IP Cam, we have a broader field of view and can see the entire playpen area whereas before with the older camera we could only see about half of it.  

Week 4 puppy portraits have also been posted for your viewing pleasure! ENJOY :0)~
 

Tuesday, February 26, 2019 (Week 4, Day 28)

Week 4 Development Milestone: Rough Play

Play behavior started early in the pup's third week, but this week it will turn rough and rowdy with pouncing, pinning, biting, head shaking, chewing and growling. By the end of this week I will lovingly refer to them as "my little monsters", because they will bite and chew anything they can get their mouths on, including their siblings, show laces, toes, ankles, fingers and long hair. A play session on the floor with the pups can be painful at times and sensitive areas of the body need to be protected!

As their personalities emerge this week, I will start posting puppy personality profiles as they are realized in preparation for Puppy Selection starting next Tuesday!

Here's how the pups weigh-in at 4 weeks old:

Weaning is progressing nicely, the pups are enjoying their special meals and everyone is eating with gusto. For breakfast today I started mixing in canned puppy food along with the goat's milk and baby rice cereal to start adding more flavor and bulk. A few of the pups noticed Momma Benelli's food bowl and even started trying to munch on the dry kibble so I promptly removed the bowl.  The kibble is too big and hard and I don't want them to choke on it.

After a meal I let the pups explore and play for a while and get all the pooping done before putting them back in the box. During playtime I noticed Vivian was interested in the automatic water dish which is mounted on the wall. Since she's so little yet, it's mounted way too high for her to properly investigate so she was sitting up on her haunches to get a better look. I lifted her up to allow her to inspect, she dipped her nose in the water, got startled, then tasted it and put her head back down and started drinking! She lapped a good drink a few times, I was really impressed. She's a smart one. I repeated the process with a few other pups to see if they were also thirsty and none of them were interested.

Miscellaneous litter photos from Week 3 are now posted above. I've also begun to formulate Personality Profiles for each of the pups and will post updates as things develop.
 

Monday, February 25, 2019 (Week 3, Day 27)

My silent partner has been hard at work again behind the scenes here at HHLS. Last evening we got a call from a concerned neighbor that a young cougar had been spotted in the area and that the DNR was actively tracking it. In order to further protect Benelli and our precious pups out in the Puppy Cottage, John went out at 9:30 pm in the bitter cold and 40 mph winds to install protective fencing across the top of the Puppy Cottage's dog run. It gave me peace of mind that Benelli and pups would be safe and that a wild animal whether cougar, coyote or raccoon would not be able to get into the cottage through the dog door. Oh the joys of country living!

Now on to more exciting news, the pups all gained a significant amount of weight since yesterday morning's weigh-ins after starting the weaning process. They were fed two weaning meals in addition to momma Benelli's normal nursing schedule.

Here's how the pups measure up today: (notice the jump in weights!)

Lastly, I am excited to report that I have posted our breeder pick as Vanna. Randy from Houdini Llewellins (owner of Rev) is narrowing down his breeder pick. We have also decided to sell Vortex with a stud contract for future breeding. This means he can be selected by someone on the reservation list, but we will be picky about where he goes. He obviously must be kept intact and preferably will be selected by someone who will hunt him and who lives within a reasonable distance so that we can use him to sire future litters with our HHLS girls.

Quick update on the cougar situation, the DNR reported back to my neighbor that the big cat turned out to be a bobcat and has been dealt with, however if there's one there's bound to be more in the area. 8-(
 

Sunday, February 24, 2019 (Week 3, Day 26)

The weaning process has begun! Pups got their First Cereal Meal today which I captured on video. See the Video Clips section above. I started with the pups that have had the least weight gain over the past few days so they could get a head start, then added the rest of the pups in later. A couple of them still had fat bellies from their breakfast at the milkbar.

It will be interesting to see the weight gain for the next few days after starting weaning with all the extra meals the pups will be getting. Starting at 4 weeks, I usually discontinue the daily weigh-ins and start doing them on a weekly basis, but I plan to continue doing daily weigh-ins throughout the next week just to ensure they are all gaining as expected.

Here's how the pups weigh-in today (before the first cereal meal):

Friday, February 22, 2019 (Week 3, Day 24)

Pups have been moved to the Puppy Cottage and are snug as a bug in a rug! Our LIVE Puppy Cam is now broadcasting from the new location. Notice the new view (LIVE Puppy Cam in the corner sitting on a duct taped shelf, LOL). I wanted to give you an "up close and personal" view before the pups are allowed to roam the entire playpen and the camera goes up higher and farther away so you can see the entire area.

I continue to feed pups that are not gaining enough weight and hate to keep boring you with the daily weigh-ins, but that problem should correct itself once the pups get going on the weaning process which I plan to start this weekend.

Here's how the pups weigh-in today:

Week 3 puppy portraits are now posted above, ENJOY! :0)~  FYI, I updated coat color again for Vanna as I think she is going to be the rare lemon color. She has a brown/pink nose instead of black. My prediction for Vegas may also change from orange to lemon, but still keeping an eye on him. Time will tell!

Pups were given their second deworming dose today.

Now off to the laundry mat to wash all the whelping box carpets in the industrial giant-sized machine! Oh I wonder what fun will I encounter at the local laundry mat on a Friday night??? 
 

Thursday, February 21, 2019 (Week 3, Day 23)

I hope you've been tuning into the LIVE Puppy Cam more frequently lately as the pups are doing some really cute things.  I've noticed puppy tail wags, and play behavior such as pawing at/chewing on each other and they are becoming a little more active. They also come over to see me when I come in the room and a few pups are already giving puppy kisses!

I checked again today and the ear canals still aren't fully open yet, but the pups are starting to hear really well. They can be woken up from sleep with my voice or a startling noise in the nursery.

We have been frantically prepping the puppy cottage for the big move after completion of the new tile. We are almost there, all that's left is to build an entryway door to the playpen so they don't escape, so starting tonight I will move the whelping box out there to keep them safely contained until the door is finished up tomorrow. Therefore, the LIVE Puppy Cam will also be in transition sometime this evening. Boy am I looking forward to a good night's sleep tonight and it's been a LONG time coming! Benelli has been getting me up at least 2 if not 3 or 4 times every night to go outside. This has been going on since early-pregnancy starting around mid-December and I'm just exhausted from lack of sleep.

Week 3 puppy portraits were taken today and will be posted soon.  They turned out SO CUTE I'm just thrilled! The secret to getting good, sharp photos of the pups is to catch them when they're milk drunk right after a meal, they tend to be in a daze and don't move around a whole lot so it's fairly easy to snap some good ones between yawns, LOL!

Tuesday, February 19, 2019 (Week 3, Day 21)

Week 3 Development Milestone: Play Behavior / Weaning Begins

This is my absolute favorite time with the pups! Their eyes are open and they are noticing things around them, they are hearing better so they react to your voice and other noises and they are walking around and actually keeping their balance and are becoming playful and inquisitive about their surroundings. This week the pups will start playing with each other, bowing, yipping, pouncing and gently chewing on each other. Their individual personalities begin to emerge and they will begin to do some of their natural doggy behavior for the first time instead of just sleeping and nursing all the time.

I will also start the weaning process with the pups. Normally I start around 4 weeks of age, but will probably start this litter a little early since momma Benelli is having trouble producing enough milk for everyone based on the daily weigh-ins. They will be fed supplemental meals from a flat pan on the floor rather than tube feeding or from a baby bottle. I'll start with Esbilac Puppy Milk Replacer mixed with Gerber baby rice cereal for the first few meals so they can get used to lapping up and swallowing a thick porridge, then transition to goat's milk with canned puppy food, then graduate to canned puppy food mixed with soggy kibble, and later mixed with dry kibble, then slowly remove the wet food until they are on solid dry. This progression will happen through the next few weeks until they are given only dry kibble starting at week six.

The pups' ears are not quite fully open yet, but they are definitely hearing things now. Today was the first time I noticed a pup react to sound, Vyron turned his head and looked toward the baby gate when the door snapped into the latch as I was leaving the nursery.  

The pups are also becoming quite vocal. Last night around 3 am we were serenaded for about a half hour by a persistent pup that was howling for momma to come provide a meal. Actual barking, versus yips, is becoming more and more frequent which is another great reason to move momma and the babies out to the Puppy Cottage soon. I'm looking forward to enjoying my first full night of uninterrupted sleep since mid-December.

Here's how the pups weigh-in at 3 weeks old: (pups with weight loss or not enough gain are in red and will be closely monitored and fed supplemental meals when necessary to promote weight gain)

Miscellaneous litter photos from the past week (Week 2) have now been posted. ENJOY! :0)~
 

Monday, February 18, 2019 (Week 2, Day 20)

I can't believe the pups will be three weeks old already tomorrow, how time flies! Our petite little Vivian finally crossed the 2 pound mark, which is a great milestone for her! Since this litter is on the larger side and Momma Benelli has had a hard time keeping up with the milk demand, I will plan to start the weaning process a little early just to ensure that they are getting the appropriate amount of food each day. Pups are getting around pretty well now, less wobbly and with more stability, so they should be able to stand at the edge of a food bowl and lap up dinner. Stay tuned for that later in the week.

Here's how the pups weigh-in today: (pups with weight loss or not enough gain are in red and will be offered supplemental meals to promote weight gain). At this stage I am also looking back two or three days and averaging the overal gain since sometimes a significant jump in one day can mean they just ate a huge meal which doesn't mean they actually gained that much.

Sunday, February 17, 2019 (Week 2, Day 19)

As we are yet again getting 6-8 inches of fresh snow dumped on us today, the pups are staying cozy warm underneath the heat lamp. They are now cutting teeth, the sharp points have emerged from the gumline so going forward their mouths will be painful for both momma and my fingers! I have also witnessed a few moments of the beginnings of play behavior between pups which is next week's developmental milestone.  

Here's how the pups weigh-in today: (pups with weight loss or not enough gain are in red and will be offered supplemental meals to promote weight gain)

Saturday, February 16, 2019 (Week 2, Day 18)

Today we spent the majority of the day out in the Puppy Cottage applying grout to the new tile. It looks so nice and I am really excited about it. We are now pressured for time as it's just about up. The pups will be moving out to the cottage next weekend so we are down to the wire to get the cottage put back together. We still need to re-install the automatic waterer and the doggy door and build a new removable sliding access door to the playpen so we're not done yet.

Meanwhile in the puppy nursery, Violet escaped the whelping box while we were out working in the cottage and was just chilling out with Momma Benelli when I came in to let her out for a potty break.  I promptly installed the half-door to the box so we don't have any more little escapees!

Here's how the pups weigh-in today: (pups with weight loss or not enough gain are in red and will be offered supplemental meals to promote weight gain)

Friday, February 15, 2019 (Week 2, Day 17)

We did puppy pedis today! All the pups got their nails trimmed as their little claws were getting pretty long and sharp. Momma Benelli will have enough rough edges to deal with once the pups' teeth come in, so the trim will help reduce the scratches during nursing.

A few pups also got their first bath and blow dry today! We had a pooper in the bunch that created quite a mess in the box and some of the littermates got into it. They're still so small right now that I can hold them in one hand and run them under the faucet. At this age I do not like to use shampoo because I don't want to expose them to any chemicals, so basically they just got a good rinsing.  The poop stains their fur a bit, so I wasn't able to get them completely white again. The process has already begun where momma Benelli starts taking care of them less and less and I start taking care of them more and more.

I've been checking their ear canals regularly and they are deepening for sure, but are not quite open yet. I was thankful for that today when I was giving those few pups a bath as it would not be good to get any water down in there first thing.

So now back to the old familiar subject of weigh-ins.  I am really happy to report that the pups I have been giving extra attention to over the past several days are making a comeback and their numbers look good today again without much intervention yesterday. I am keeping a closer eye on Valentine now as he is the one that has not gained enough weight for the past couple days. He was given a supplemental meal at breakfast time and is being closely monitored throughout the daytime.

Here's how the pups weigh-in today: (pups with weight loss or not enough gain are in red and will be offered supplemental meals to promote weight gain)

Pups were given their first deworming dose today. I also just posted a new fun video called "Little Busy Bodies" in the Video Clips section above.
 

Thursday, February 14, 2019 (Week 2, Day 16)

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!  I hope you are sharing this special day with loved ones. I am fortunate to have my wonderful hubby John by my side, who is a partner to me in every way. He is a silent partner in this Hickory Hollow Llewellins business, but he really does a lot behind the scenes. When I had been up for over 24 hours straight the night this litter was born and was completely exhausted, he fixed me breakfast and prepared the nursery for the pups by setting up the whelping box and the warming lamp among many other things. Raising these pups is truly a labor of love, but I couldn't do it without him! I am also surrounded by our loving Llews and nine beautiful pups that bring us great joy! Here is a little something special for you on this special day of love!

I am encouraged by this morning's weigh-ins, both Violet and Vivian gained at least one ounce without much intervention yesterday. I pray the trend continues. Violet's eyes are fully open today.

Here's how the pups weigh-in today: (pups with weight loss or not enough gain are in red and will be offered supplemental meals to promote weight gain)

Week 2 portraits are now posted above.
 

Wednesday, February 13, 2019 (Week 2, Day 15)

The rest of the pups eyes are open this morning (or mostly -- Violet is at 3/4 open), YAY! Therefore, I plan to take the Week 2 portraits sometime today and will try to get them cropped and posted soon. Also stay tuned for miscellaneous photos from Week 1 later today.

Violet continues to get stronger and gain weight after an additional four supplemental meals yesterday of about 30 mls each, however she's not out of the woods yet with an overall weight gain of less than one ounce. Vivian is still staying petite, but is a very strong little pup and nurses with the most gusto of any. Both she and Violet received some extra fluids yesterday to help them stay hydrated. At breakfast this morning, I purposely withheld the biggest piglets (Valentine and Vincent) from the milkbar so the smaller pups could have a better chance of getting a good meal. Violet was able to get a full belly out of the deal, but Vivian still needed an additional tube feeding to fill her belly.

I did offer a supplemental meal to both Val and Vincent since they missed their normal milkbar breakfast, but they refused the bottle too so I gave them about 20 ml each via tube just so they didn't skip a meal altogether. The last thing I want is to cause the pups that are doing good to start going downhill. Also, I have no worries about Vista's weigh-in this morning even though she weighs the same as yesterday, because the day before she showed a significant amount of gain (4.5 ounces -- probably due to a full belly because of a recent meal at the time of weigh-in), so I have flagged her weight, just to ensure that tomorrow she shows a normal weight gain spread over the three-day timeframe.

Here's how the pups weigh-in today: (pups with weight loss or not enough gain are in red and will be offered supplemental meals to promote weight gain)

Week 1 miscellaneous litter photos have now been posted. Stay tuned for Week 2 portraits.  
 

Tuesday, February 12, 2019 (Week 2, Day 14)

Week 2 Developmental Milestone: Cutting Teeth / Ears will open

Now that most of the puppies eyes are open or are nearly open, they will begin to see clearer and clearer each day. Supposedly they can only see shadows for the first few days, but pretty soon they will begin to notice me as I come into the nursery and will wander to the edge of the box for some love and attention.

Just as significant as the eyes opening, the ear canals will deepen this week until they will become completely open and allow the pups to hear crisp noises and not just muffled sounds. Later this week, the pups will be noticeably affected by all the new sounds around them, so we must be very careful for the first few days to introduce them to noises gently and not harshly.

They will also begin to cut teeth, first the canines will poke through followed by the incisors a few days later.

Here's how the pups weigh-in at 2 weeks old along with eye opening status: (pups with weight loss or not enough gain are in red and will be closely monitored and fed supplemental meals when necessary to promote weight gain)

Since not all the pups have their eyes fully open yet, I will wait to take Week 2 portraits until later in the week to allow them the time needed to finish opening.

Notice many of the pups are now hitting the 2 pound mark today. As a general rule, my vet says that "normal" weight gain is approximately 1 pound per week, so most of the pups are right on target. Valentine is this litter's "piglet" weighing in at nearly 3 pounds, and little Vivian is lagging behind at a little over 1-1/4 pounds.  She is a petite little gal as compared to her littermates.

As far as the new regimen for Violet and Vivian, they gained a good amount of weight overnight. Violet is back to nursing on her own after pumping her full of over 100 ml of supplemental milk replacer meals yesterday, so her weigh-in number looks good this morning and her hydration appears back to normal althought she's still not as strong as I would like her to be so continued monitoring today is a must. Vegas is the next pup that will be closely monitored and maintained today.
 

Monday, February 11, 2019 (Week 1, Day 13)

Well, I'm afraid to say my fears are starting to come true with this litter as the same things are happening around the same timeframe as Litter U. Due to morning weigh-in stats not being as good as I expected the last two days, I have started weighing a few pups two or three times daily to get a better handle on their condition. It seems Benelli is running out of milk before the entire litter is fed, so pups are losing weight and becoming weak and lethargic. The pups that need supplemental meals (Violet and Vivian) are now refusing the bottle for some reason, so I have had to resort to tube feeding them again plus I have given them a drop of honey under the tongue to give them a suger boost in case they are hypoglycemic. Since the pups aren't getting as much of momma's milk as they should, I also noticed that they feel slightly dehydrated (skin doesn't snap back as fast as it should), so I will be starting them on subcutaneous fluids to help with hydration as well as the tube feeding.  I was really praying that this litter would go better than the last one...

I have upped Benelli's meals to 3 per day (6 cups ) from 2 meals (4 cups per day) plus a bit of Prescription Diet canned food to wet it all down and a huge dollop of cottage cheese on the top. She always has free choice dry kibble available too, but she's just too spoiled to eat much of that, but at least it's there so she can eat it if she wants. She's also getting a supplement treat called "Oxy Momma" for this litter which is supposed to aid in milk production which I was hoping would help keep this from happening.

Here's how the pups weigh-in today: (pups with weight loss or not enough gain are in red and will be offered a bottle fed meal to supplement and promote weight gain)

Sunday, February 10, 2019 (Week 1, Day 12)

Today's stats:

Saturday, February 9, 2019 (Week 1, Day 11)

WHEW! The pups are now pooping on their own and there is definitely a new odor in the house, LOL!  Up to recently, the pups had to be stimulated by momma to poo and pee so she was right there to clean it up immediately, but not anymore! Now that the pups are walking better, they are also strong enough to stand up and do the poo squat.  Luckily the poops I've actually seen are the correct color and well formed.  That is a blessing as compared to Litter U at around this time where some of the pups were having white-ish diarrhea.  I'm thankful this litter is going much better.

There has not been much change in the eye-opening status, updates are posted with today's weigh-ins. Again, we had one pup that lost a little weight since yesterday's weigh-in.  With 9 pups and only 8 milk faucets I'm not surprised and feel this will be a continuing trend up until weaning time, however I'm grateful that it's rotating through a different pup each day and is not consistently the same pup which might indicate a medical problem.

Here's how the pups weigh-in today: (pups with weight loss or not enough gain are in red and will be offered a bottle fed meal to supplement and promote weight gain)

Friday, February 8, 2019 (Week 1, Day 10)

During this morning's weigh-in, I noticed that Vincent was looking at me through one beautiful baby blue! His left eye is completely open, although his right eye has not started to open yet. This is very interesting to me for a couple reasons. In past litters, it has been a trend that the smallest pups' eyes open first with the larger pups opening later. Vincent is definitely not one of the smaller pups, in fact, he's a strapping brute of a plump pup that hit the 2 pound mark today! Secondly, it usually takes a couple days for eyes to fully open once they start. I had checked all the pups yesterday for eye opening status and he did not show any signs of them opening yet. So, to go from a status of "not started" all the way to "completely open" in less than 24-hours is really something!

I've added eye-opening status to the weigh-in stats for each pup so I can report on that too.

Here's how the pups weigh-in today: (pups with weight loss or not enough gain are in red and will be offered a bottle fed meal to supplement and promote weight gain)

Also, during the Super Dog exercises, I've already noticed some personality differences between the males and females. Typically the females put up more of a fuss when being held in certain positions, but the males tend to be more laid back and not fight it, especially the larger males, Vincent, Valentine and Vortex. This is a typical behavioral difference between the sexes in this breed which continues into adulthood, I just think it's interesting that it's apparent this early already.
 

Thursday, February 7, 2019 (Week 1, Day 9)

This afternoon I took the Week 1 portraits of all the pups (now posted above). Wow, is that a labor of love! I think the photo session lasted nearly an hour and I took around 350 photos of the 9 pups, most of which landed in my computer's recycle bin. Some of the pups cooperated and I got some good shots, but for the rest I sincerely apologize for the lack of quality and not for lack of trying. Puppies are extremely hard to photograph because they are constantly moving, thus making for poor poses and blurry photos. It's such a shame because the subjects are just SO CUTE, but really hard to capture in a photo. By the way, these pups are now taking their first steps. I witnessed this first hand today as some of the pups were getting pretty frustrated with their photo session and just got up and walked off the set, literally!  :0)~

 A few of the pups eyes are almost ready to start opening as I noticed the creases between eye lids are pretty deep now, the process will hopefully be complete by the time the Week 2 portraits are taken.  

We had another good day of weigh-ins, again most pups gained an acceptable amount but one, this time it was Vegas who fell short. He gained some, but not enough so he was given a milk replacer meal for breakfast and eagerly guzzled down about 0.6 ounce in one sitting. At this point I want the pups to gain a bare minimum of 1 ounce, but normal gain should be around 2 ounces or more. Notice Valentine crossed the 2 pound mark already! A few days ago I thought Vortex would be the first to reach that milestone with Vincent not far behind, but Valentine surpassed them both, putting up a good challenge.

Here's how the pups weigh-in today: (pups with weight loss or not enough gain are in red)

Wednesday, February 6, 2019 (Week 1, Day 8)

This morning we are very thankful that we still have our home and everyone is safe, including our adult setters and all nine puppies.  We had a chimney fire last night! It started around 7:30 pm as I was loading our wood stove with a few more logs. Everything appeared normal, the stove was at optimal temperature (not too hot) and there was a nice bed of hot coals but not many flames, so I kept the doors open for a bit to let some of that warmth out into the room and soak into my skin. But then I heard a huge rush of air that sounded like very loud humming, almost like a freight train coming, and when I looked up I noticed black smoke billowing back into the house at the junction where the stove's flue pipe entered the wall to go up and out the chimney. The house quickly started filling up with black smoke and all the talking fire alarms started beeping and saying "There is a fire, get out now!". I quickly closed the doors and all the vents on the stove and ran outside to see if I could see anything going on with the chimney up on the roof and against the black night sky I could see lots of orange embers coming out. John wasn't home at the time, so I put all the dogs outside immediately and called 9-1-1 and the Shellsburg Fire Dept came out.

After they determined the fire was out, they used giant fans to suction the smoke out the front door so it got pretty cold in here with doors and windows open, I think the outside temp at the time was around 14 degrees. I suffered a little from smoke inhalation and coughed for about 45 minutes, but we are all okay. I had closed the door to the puppy nursery so I don't think the pups were affected by the smoke or the temperature as they were still asleep and snuggled under the warmth of the heat lamp. Thank God the fire stayed contained in the chimney and didn't spread to the house, the firemen said we were lucky that the house had been constructed with a clay flue pipe surrounded by cinder block all the way to the roof, otherwise they say chimney fires can easily spread into the attic. This morning the house still smells a little smoky and other than some black residue on the wall where the stove pipe enters the chimney and some bubbling of paint on the cinder block chimney that comes up through our mudroom, we haven't noticed any further damage.  We will have our chimney inspected in a few days and before we light another fire in the stove.

On a happier note, the pups are still doing well with no apparent residual effects from last night's episode. I am starting to check for eyes opening but nothing yet and will keep everyone posted on those developments as they happen.  There was only one pup that needed to be bottle fed this morning, and that was Vortex who is normally a little piglet and has plenty of weight gain in a day. Otherwise all the pups had good weight gain since yesterday and little Vivian finally weighed over the 1 pound mark! YAY

Here's how the pups weigh-in today: (pups with weight loss or not enough gain are in red)

Tuesday, February 5, 2019 (Week 1, Day 7)

Week 1 Developmental Milestone: Eyes will open

During this week, the pups will reach an exciting milestone. We are anticipating the opening of their eyes. It should start happening around day 10 of this week and will take a few days to fully open. When the pups are born, their ears and eyes are closed to keep out the amniotic fluid and any bacteria encountered in the birth canal. The eyelids are fused together but there is a crease that defines the upper from the lower lid. As their eyes start to open the crease starts to deepen and separate starting at the corner of the eye by the tear ducts and working it's way across the eye until they are completely separated. The opening process can take a couple days from the first peek of the glistening eyeball beneath to being able to entirely see those beautiful baby blues. Once their eyes are open, the precious little babes take on a whole new personality.

Here's how the pups weigh-in at 1 week old:

Notice there are NO pups in red today!! And bless her heart, I thought little Vivian was going to cross the 1 pound mark when I first put her on the scale this morning, but once the reading equalized it had dropped to 15.8 oz. This is still a good gain for her over the last 24-hour period so I'm not complaining!

Believe it or not, even with as small as these pups are they are incredibly strong. I have to be very careful when picking them up that they don't wiggle right out of my grip. If you've watched them on the LIVE Puppy Cam, you have probably noticed that they can powerfully and rapidly scoot across the carpet with ease. They are also starting to bear more weight on their legs and are now getting their little bellies up off the carpet more and more and it won't be long before they are taking their first real steps.

Miscellaneous photos from Birth Week are posted above.
 

Monday, February 4, 2019 (Birth Week, Day 6)

Momma Benelli is now taking some frequent breaks from the whelping box to get away from the heat lamp which is still needed to help keep the puppies warm. They will not be able to regulate their own body temperature for a while yet, so they need the extra heat from momma and the lamp. The pups are just so cute right now, when Benelli is away and they want her back, they chirp and yip. It can get quite noisy when all nine are doing this, but the noises they make are just as cute as can be (right now anyway) :0)~

We had another fairly decent weigh-in today, most of the pups are gaining steadily with a few little piglets emerging in the group, but two of the pups didn't gain as expected so they had a bottle fed meal first thing. The new Dr. Brown's baby bottle makes this task a breeze and both pups readily accepted their supplemental breakfast from the bottle without issue. This is a huge relief! I will continue to monitor them throughout the day and add supplemental feedings when necessary.

Here's how the pups weigh in today (pups with weight loss or not enough gain are in red):

Sunday, February 3, 2019 (Birth Week, Day 5)

ANOTHER DAY OF GOOD NEWS! All the pups gained weight over the last 24-hour period! Vegas was the only pup that was bottle fed yesterday, so they are gaining weight on their own just from nursing.  I pray this trend continues but assume that due to the number of pups vs milk faucets at some point bottle feedings will be necessary again.

Here's how the pups weigh in today:

I have also noticed some golden hairs on Vegas's head, so I have updated his color to orange.

I have started doing the Super Dog exercises on the pups. You can read more about it here: http://www.hickoryhollowllewellins.com/AboutUs.html#Super_Dogs

Saturday, February 2, 2019 (Birth Week, Day 4)

MORE GOOD NEWS! All the pups gained weight over the last 24-hour period! The bottle feedings really did the trick and ALL the pups are now weighing in over their original birth weights for the first time!

Here's how the pups weigh in today:

Friday, February 1, 2019 (Birth Week, Day 3)

Dew claws were removed today.
 

Thursday, January 31, 2019 (Birth Week, Day 2)

Here's how the pups weigh in on day 3 (pups with weight loss or not enough gain are in red):

Wednesday, January 30, 2019 (Birth Week, Day 1)

Today has been a busy day again so far.  Pups have been given a Litter V name, all body markings have been mapped, birth week portaits have been taken and this webpage updated. Notice the color of pup #1 has been changed from belton to white/orange. This is because the orange hairs are so light they are almost indiscernible at birth so yesterday I thought she was a belton, but upon closer examination and in the right light, some of the hairs reflect golden, thus I have changed my color prediction on her from belton to white/orange which is also reflected in her body markings diagram.

Pups are doing okay, however several pups have lost some weight after their birth weight was recorded yesterday.  This tends to be somewhat normal for the first day with a bigger litter, although like last litter I'm going to keep a close eye on things.  If you're comparing against past history like I will be ("Litter U" - Benelli x Rev) and know what a hard time we had keeping weight on those pups, I am not going to get alarmed just yet.  Benelli has much more milk than last time, which we fought from the very beginning, so that's a good thing in our favor this time. She is feeding nine pups with only eight teats, so just need to make sure that each pup is getting a fair share of the milk and all have a good rotation.   

Here's how the pups weigh in on day 2 (pups with weight loss or not enough gain are in red):

Tuesday, January 29, 2019

2:27 am: heavy panting begins
3:13 am: visible soft contractions, irregularly spaced  
3:30 am: hard and regular contractions

3:38 am: PUPPIES ARE COMING!!! Check out our Facebook page for minute-by-minute updates and photos!