Playing

This is where are really big changes are. Once they became confident on their feet it opened up a whole new world of possibilities for them. At first they could only walk well on the thicker fleece in the pen. Then they could walk on the smoother blankets.

I also started getting them out to play on the living room rug. Yang would venture out to the laminate floor off the rug, Yin didn't for quite some time. Yang also was willing to try the toy slide, which Yin still doesn't want to do. She apparently has to mull things over, while he plunges right in.

I also have been introducing more toys to them in the pen. They notice something new almost right away. Even when it is just a different soft toy, similar to ones that have had before. They find them right away. I switch things out every day or so, to keep a variety of things.  They have toys that are soft, some that are harder, some that move and a baby "busy box" that they can step on and make lights flash and causes a variety of noises.

In the next week I will likely try them on a small balance disc that will move under their feet. Then I put a small target board on it so they get introduced to a baby wobble board. I am also thinking about introducing clicker to them this week. I have never done this with infant pups before, but since these are hounds, not a herding or working breed I think it might not hurt to start early on the cause (work with me) and effect (get rewarded by a treat) connection. Since they both like the baby food chicken I used while getting "stacked" photos of them the other day, I have something I can use a a reward for them.

As you can see from the photos and video they are both very interested in tugging right now. I love having a pup that will play such interactive games WITH me, so I hope this continues.

Eating

They were introduced to cereal at just over 3 weeks old. At first it was just (human) baby rice cereal mixed with puppy formula and Tree Bark Gruel. And very soupy. Yin caught on pretty quickly, Yang wore it, for the most part. After they played at eating for awhile, Fada would get in the pen to finish their food and nurse them.

As time went on I made it thicker and eventually added some of Fada's food. That would be Honest Kitchen dehydrated food and also Fromm kibble (though I am using the puppy kibble). The Honest Kitchen does mix with water into gruel, even for my adults, so that mixes into the cereal very easily. The kibble I soak in very hot water for long enough to mush it, then add to cereal.

Now, at 5 1/2 weeks I am making the gruel thicker as we go and they are eating more, leaving less for Fada. In addition to the Tree Bark gruel, I add some kefir or organic yogurt as well. Fada is also less inclined to spend time nursing puppies. Both pups have back teeth,  so will soak kibble less and less as time goes on until they are eating it fairly solid.

Puppy Progress

They have changed SO much in the last week and a half I can't believe it! And while you've been able to see some of the changes through photos, I know I've been remiss about updating the blog about what they are now doing. I will try, throughout today and tomorrow to write about how much they are doing now.

Don't forget that when I upload a photo or two here there are usually many more on the Picasa site!

Yang at 5 1/2 weeks

Yin at 5 1/2 weeks

Puppies go outside

Snoozing!