Puppies!

Puppy Plans moving forward.   Next weekend will be a crazy one, for sure!  Two litters in one house - madness!

Pauli & pups are all doing well.  The antibiotic took care of whatever was ailing her last week.  She's her lively ravenous self again, and spending more and more time upstairs in the family room with the other dogs.  She's laying on the rug in the family room right now, shoulder to shoulder with her dad Argus, waiting to eat.  I think this week I will start walking her a few blocks in the evening and eventually work up to biking her again.  She'll be going home to Wendy when the pups are weaned at about 6 weeks, and will probably resume her show career (on a more limited scale) in the fall.

Pups are growing fast, spots are coming in now, and by this weekend we will start doing some home hearing testing.  They will remain un-named until I know their hearing status.   Some litters hear as early as 12 or 13 days, but I normally keep retesting until about 18 days before I am sure.  I can tell them apart by their face spotting (and of course the patched ear on one), but once their spots come in it's a lot easier.  Marking patterns look real nice, none too dark, nice spot distribution.  Nose trim is finished on 4 and moving quickly on the other 2.  Eye rims coming in nicely as well. Not anticipating any blue eyes on this group, but like deafness blues can show up in any Dalmatian litter.  Unlike deafness, blue eyes are not a fault according to the American Dal judging standard, BUT I'd prefer all dark eyes.

Lucy and her pups will be coming down next weekend for their BAER hearing testing in Rochester.  Jordyn will go back home with Patti & Grace, and the boys will stay with me for placement in appropriate homes.  Two of them are promised, so I just have to decide if I am going to keep or sell Captain Rex.   That's Christopher pictured above, Patti's favorite puppy, who is probably going to Oregon once the logistics are figured out.  This litter has been super socialized with kids, adults, seniors, other dogs of other breeds, and car trips.  They have visited many people in many locations, and are very well adjusted and outgoing.  Their good genetic dispositions have been enhanced by extensive socialization, which will help insure that they will be wonderful companions in their new homes.  The time invested in puppies (as in children) makes an enormous difference in how they turn out.