The puppies are growing fast! This is the one that Jim has picked out to join our mushing team and has named Silver Moon. She is a very pretty light silver color that keeps getting lighter with age. She is the largest of the litter, and the most inquisitive. She also seems to have a very even temperment and doesn't seem to get flustered during puppy play with her siblings. Her eyes are a moderate blue which will probably lighten up to crystal like her parents.
For those wondering, Freya had 6 puppies from an unplanned midnight rondezvous with her co-leader Yukon. We had wanted to wait another year for her to mature prior to this mating, but Freya had other plans. These are the two I did want to see matched, but not at so young an age for Freya. She is 14 months old, and we had wanted to wait for her to reach two and a half first. Regardless, though, she did very well with the pups being so young herself. She did, however, develop an infection from not pushing out the last of the afterbirth, but a quick visit to the vet and some puppy-safe anti-biotics ensured she recovered well. I did end up helping her clean the puppies and break the sacs, but she did cut all the cords and clean up. Consequently I believe the pups bonded partially to my scent. Sometimes they will whine and not sleep until I pick them up and hold them for up to ten minutes and then they are out like a light. Other times, I need to encourage Freya to clean them so they can relieve themselves before sleeping.
Samantha is the mother and Demon is the father of these puppies.
Almost all of Samantha's puppies have a silvery tone to them and their markings are not very clear cut. Freya's on the other hand are all very purely Siberian Husky markings, very crisp clear black and white, red and white and silver and white markings. They are almost all very striking and could all be show potential depending on their movement and how they grow. The only exception being the runt of the litter may not be large enough to meet minimum requirements, but he is cute as a button and has the most striking markings of all. I like his personality too so far. For such a little guy he has a giant's perseverance and the temperment of a saint so far. I personally like the little guy a lot. He's the one in the top center of the puppy pic.
For those wondering, Freya had 6 puppies from an unplanned midnight rondezvous with her co-leader Yukon. We had wanted to wait another year for her to mature prior to this mating, but Freya had other plans. These are the two I did want to see matched, but not at so young an age for Freya. She is 14 months old, and we had wanted to wait for her to reach two and a half first. Regardless, though, she did very well with the pups being so young herself. She did, however, develop an infection from not pushing out the last of the afterbirth, but a quick visit to the vet and some puppy-safe anti-biotics ensured she recovered well. I did end up helping her clean the puppies and break the sacs, but she did cut all the cords and clean up. Consequently I believe the pups bonded partially to my scent. Sometimes they will whine and not sleep until I pick them up and hold them for up to ten minutes and then they are out like a light. Other times, I need to encourage Freya to clean them so they can relieve themselves before sleeping.
She is the main reason for a bit of an hiatus from the blog, mostly to care for her, her puppies and Samantha and her puppies and keep the peace in the household between the two girls. Fortunately there have been no scuffles, the two have been very civil to each other even though it is plain they both want to steal the other's puppies. They have been separate for the most part but I have allowed them to interact in neutral territory under strict supervision simply because of the mother instinct will cause them to react violently to anything they consider a threat to their puppies. But they have actually surprised me and been very nice to each other after the first couple of stand-offs and corrections of bad behaviors (snarls, low posture, ruffs up) and encouragements of good behaviors (sniffing, sitting, laying down, only glancing indifferently at each other, or even standing side by side happily waiting for treats).
Samantha will even let Freya sniff her pups and vice versa. Licking, however, is right out for now. Again, no confrontations, just posturing, but plainly communicated and listened to. Dogs will tell you a lot about what they will tolerate and what they won't if you listen with your eyes, ears and heart.
Samantha's puppies all have their eyes open and small milk teeth are starting to push through the gums. Consequently she doesn't want to feed them any more, and we have been supplimenting their diet with wet and watered down puppy food. They have flat out refused the bottle feeding, ah well. Some of the pups have even begun to demonstrate good hygene and move off their fluffy bed onto the papers to do their business. What good little puppies they are! We encourage their good behaviors as much as possible. I think they will make very fine and well adjusted dogs that will be pretty well trained by the time they are ready to find new homes.
Samantha's puppies all have their eyes open and small milk teeth are starting to push through the gums. Consequently she doesn't want to feed them any more, and we have been supplimenting their diet with wet and watered down puppy food. They have flat out refused the bottle feeding, ah well. Some of the pups have even begun to demonstrate good hygene and move off their fluffy bed onto the papers to do their business. What good little puppies they are! We encourage their good behaviors as much as possible. I think they will make very fine and well adjusted dogs that will be pretty well trained by the time they are ready to find new homes.
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