To all the prospective puppy owners, I thought that you would like to see the photographs, videos, and updates of the Mackland puppies while they are still with me. These Border Collie & Shetland Sheepdog puppies are lovingly bred and raised in my home. This blog lets me show you step by step how your baby is raised. It highlights each step from mating to 8 weeks old. I hope that you all enjoy reading about them as much as I enjoy having them in my house!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Day 22
Today the babies each had a nice brush... Also a nail clipping (courtesy of Lynn Scholtz).
They were introduced to the grass. The first 20 minutes were a bit stressful but they soon learned to explore around their pen! Photos to follow...
They were introduced to the grass. The first 20 minutes were a bit stressful but they soon learned to explore around their pen! Photos to follow...
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
Weights at 3 weeks
Tank 1787g
Supermodel 1600g
Jet 1565g
Celine 1455g
Mel 1452g
Bart 1440g
Ditto 1288g
Spot 1235g
Supermodel 1600g
Jet 1565g
Celine 1455g
Mel 1452g
Bart 1440g
Ditto 1288g
Spot 1235g
3 Weeks!
Wow! I can't believe it is 3 weeks already! Time is flying!
The babies were dewormed again this morning - what a mess! Also they had 2 breakfasts one after the other and their tummies were HUGE! I gave them some goats milk and Chak got so jealous she climed into the whelping box as well and lay down so they finished the milk and latched onto her!! PIGGIES!
They will each be introduced to a brush this evening.
Side view pics coming tomorrow.
The babies were dewormed again this morning - what a mess! Also they had 2 breakfasts one after the other and their tummies were HUGE! I gave them some goats milk and Chak got so jealous she climed into the whelping box as well and lay down so they finished the milk and latched onto her!! PIGGIES!
They will each be introduced to a brush this evening.
Side view pics coming tomorrow.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Preparations
Preparations are under way for the next week's activities...
This weekend the babies will be introduced to the lawn, as well as:
· x-pen
· shade tent
· shadecloth
· crate
Next week I will add some different surfaces to begin working with them:
· wobble boards
· rocker board
· dogwalk board
· rubber platform
· carpet/ mat
· sack
They will also be introduced to some "obstacles"
· pool noodles
· chair
· pvc pipes
· mini tunnel
· jump crossbars
· fencing
· jump wings
Photographs, of course, will follow!
Celine & the ball... Tank & the pillow
Today I put 2 things in the whelping box - a pillow, and a red ball. They were fascinated with the ball, and Celine was particularly interested when it moved. She followed it around the box!
The pillow - they just love! Someone lies on top of it, and the rest snuggle up against it :)
(the pups are wet because they had another milk bath!)
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Goats milk!
Well, today Chakotay came to me early this morning and pleaded for a cuddle. Shame she has been used and abused by the 8 little terrors! Her tummy is so sore. When they decided to yell for breakfast she buried her head ni the duvet and begged me not to take her there yet :)
So I got up and fed everyone else and decied to see how far from lapping they were (it is still a bit early, I thought) but poured out some goats milk into the puppy feeder bowl.. and lo and behold, they went NUTS!
Tank, Ditto, Celine and Jet got it right away, lapped up the stuff immediately. The remaining 4 - I put their front paws in and they preferred to lick it off their paws and their brothers and sisters bodies than from the bowl. Eventually those 4 were licking the top rim of the cold dish, and they were happy with that :)
hehehehe I will try and get a photo later today.
So I got up and fed everyone else and decied to see how far from lapping they were (it is still a bit early, I thought) but poured out some goats milk into the puppy feeder bowl.. and lo and behold, they went NUTS!
Tank, Ditto, Celine and Jet got it right away, lapped up the stuff immediately. The remaining 4 - I put their front paws in and they preferred to lick it off their paws and their brothers and sisters bodies than from the bowl. Eventually those 4 were licking the top rim of the cold dish, and they were happy with that :)
hehehehe I will try and get a photo later today.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Two and a half weeks' update
So the babies are 2 and a half weeks old already! They are making me work really hard!! I have never seen so much pooh in fur! (eek) The cleaning is escalating fast!
It has been really hot and the babies have been amongst ice packs for 2 days, but at least it is cooling down. They are showing more and more little bits of personality now.... for example:
Supermodel should have been called MONA! Flip, she doesn't stop moaning and grouching. she likes to stomp around and push her way through the pile of pups to get where she's going!
Little Spot doesn't take sh1t! If someone shoves him or stands on his head he throws a wobbly at them. He's always reaching up with his neck hoping that I will pick him up first!
Celine has quietened down, I hardly hear her any more. She is a fat pudding still (glad it's not my ass)!
The twins (Jet and Mel) are much alike, very sweet and docile, and both enjoy a little cuddle.
Bart and Tank are also sweethearts, but Bart likes to take a lot of naps, while Tank hauls ass around the whelping box at a rate of knots. Now you see him, now you don't!
Ditto is very quick to move around as well, very light on his feet, and not shy to tell anyone off if they push him around!
Oh it is a HARD choice to pick from a "breed" perspective!!! I find it much easier picking for workability first!
They will be introduced to the lawn from the weekend... I can't wait for that!
It has been really hot and the babies have been amongst ice packs for 2 days, but at least it is cooling down. They are showing more and more little bits of personality now.... for example:
Supermodel should have been called MONA! Flip, she doesn't stop moaning and grouching. she likes to stomp around and push her way through the pile of pups to get where she's going!
Little Spot doesn't take sh1t! If someone shoves him or stands on his head he throws a wobbly at them. He's always reaching up with his neck hoping that I will pick him up first!
Celine has quietened down, I hardly hear her any more. She is a fat pudding still (glad it's not my ass)!
The twins (Jet and Mel) are much alike, very sweet and docile, and both enjoy a little cuddle.
Bart and Tank are also sweethearts, but Bart likes to take a lot of naps, while Tank hauls ass around the whelping box at a rate of knots. Now you see him, now you don't!
Ditto is very quick to move around as well, very light on his feet, and not shy to tell anyone off if they push him around!
Oh it is a HARD choice to pick from a "breed" perspective!!! I find it much easier picking for workability first!
They will be introduced to the lawn from the weekend... I can't wait for that!
Monday, October 10, 2011
HOT HOT HOT
PE is over 40 degrees today!
The babies are hot hot hot and very unhappy. Their bedding was removed and replaced with newspaper, and I added some ice packs which they seemed to LOVE!!
The babies are hot hot hot and very unhappy. Their bedding was removed and replaced with newspaper, and I added some ice packs which they seemed to LOVE!!
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
Weights at 2 weeks
Tank 1355g
Jet 1180g
Mel 1179g
Celine 1150g
Supermodel 1133g
Bart 1118g
Spot 920g
Ditto 894g
Jet 1180g
Mel 1179g
Celine 1150g
Supermodel 1133g
Bart 1118g
Spot 920g
Ditto 894g
Escape! ...and meds
Celine tried to leave home today... I had to explain to her that she is a bit young. She must have vaulted over one of her brothers or sisters and clambered over the door of the whelping box.. I found her fast asleep on the wooden floor on the outside of the box! Just lying there like a fat slug... :)
Then later it was Ditto's turn, screaming and performing trying to get back in.. hehe time to do up the whelping box door!
All 8 babies were dewormed today (much to their horror). But that's over with for a week at least...
Then later it was Ditto's turn, screaming and performing trying to get back in.. hehe time to do up the whelping box door!
All 8 babies were dewormed today (much to their horror). But that's over with for a week at least...
2 Weeks!
I can't believe it is 2 weeks already! They are all getting SO active!
Little things that I have noticed during the week, other than the obvious (eyes opening):
Ditto stood up for me yesterday! He seems to like human interaction, and shuffles over to me and cuddles and snuggles. Spot is a squirmy worm! Loves to wriggle a LOT! Tank is the gentle giant, hardly makes a sound now, loves to be tickled. Mr Handsome (Bart) is very impatient when he gets caught under a rail and would rather scream than wriggle free, much the same as Celine! Supermodel is a fusspot, non stop moaning. The twins (Jet and Mel) continue to be so alike it is scary. Very quiet 2 babies :)
Sorry about the dark video - this was taken with my phone last night when I changed the whelping box. They were NOT charmed at being put in the basin for 2 minutes!
Little things that I have noticed during the week, other than the obvious (eyes opening):
Ditto stood up for me yesterday! He seems to like human interaction, and shuffles over to me and cuddles and snuggles. Spot is a squirmy worm! Loves to wriggle a LOT! Tank is the gentle giant, hardly makes a sound now, loves to be tickled. Mr Handsome (Bart) is very impatient when he gets caught under a rail and would rather scream than wriggle free, much the same as Celine! Supermodel is a fusspot, non stop moaning. The twins (Jet and Mel) continue to be so alike it is scary. Very quiet 2 babies :)
Sorry about the dark video - this was taken with my phone last night when I changed the whelping box. They were NOT charmed at being put in the basin for 2 minutes!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Eyes!
It is day 13 and almost all the babies' eyes are open. Here is tank modelling his new eyes for us :)
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
We have a winner.....!
The eyes have begun opening! And first off the mark was little Spot! His 'Chinese' eyes have changed into big ovals :). Hopefully the rest will follow later today!
Also this morning we had a 'poo party' - So Tank had his first bath! After changing the bedding Chak and I left the room to get breakfast, and on returning 5 minutes later, the whelping box was a new shade of yellow brown! UGH Everyone miraculously escaped being smeared with it, except Tank who was sitting in the middle, a lovely tri-colour border collie! What a little angel! He let me wash him in warm water, and Chak finished the job :)
Next... I realized that I have a 'growly girl' in this litter too! I have been hearing little gurgling whines for a week, like purring... and today it escalated into "stop shoving me" growls.. hehehe Supermodel does not like to be crawled on, pushed, shoved, or forced to do anything!
Also this morning we had a 'poo party' - So Tank had his first bath! After changing the bedding Chak and I left the room to get breakfast, and on returning 5 minutes later, the whelping box was a new shade of yellow brown! UGH Everyone miraculously escaped being smeared with it, except Tank who was sitting in the middle, a lovely tri-colour border collie! What a little angel! He let me wash him in warm water, and Chak finished the job :)
Next... I realized that I have a 'growly girl' in this litter too! I have been hearing little gurgling whines for a week, like purring... and today it escalated into "stop shoving me" growls.. hehehe Supermodel does not like to be crawled on, pushed, shoved, or forced to do anything!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Puppy Litter Names
People have been asking me how the babies got their names.... and why they are named. Well, I like to have litter names to identify each puppy and it's traits, and it is easier for people to refer to a specific puppy. Here is how they came about:
Tank
He is the big boy of the litter, came out first, got stuck, has remained the biggest.
Spot
He has a little round spot of black on his left side in the white ruff, near the elbow.
Jet
He came out really fast, with a jet black closed area on the top of his head.
Celine
She came out screaming, and often yells when she is lost in the whelping box, or if she wants a drink.
Bart
hehehe... He came amongst a series of 3 farts............ it just rhymes...
Supermodel
She has really flashy markings, and reminded me of a runway model!
Ditto
Easy.. 2 teeny white patches on his back resembling 2 commas.
Mel
Just perfect, and a textbook border collie, as previously ordered by my friend, Mel, so she was named after her.
Tank
He is the big boy of the litter, came out first, got stuck, has remained the biggest.
Spot
He has a little round spot of black on his left side in the white ruff, near the elbow.
Jet
He came out really fast, with a jet black closed area on the top of his head.
Celine
She came out screaming, and often yells when she is lost in the whelping box, or if she wants a drink.
Bart
hehehe... He came amongst a series of 3 farts............ it just rhymes...
Supermodel
She has really flashy markings, and reminded me of a runway model!
Ditto
Easy.. 2 teeny white patches on his back resembling 2 commas.
Mel
Just perfect, and a textbook border collie, as previously ordered by my friend, Mel, so she was named after her.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Puppy Weights at 1 Week
Tank 794g
Celine 731g
Bart 712g
Supermodel 705g
Jet 700g
Mel 649g
Ditto 607g
Spot 555g
Celine 731g
Bart 712g
Supermodel 705g
Jet 700g
Mel 649g
Ditto 607g
Spot 555g
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