Click here to see the Puppies' Growth Chart.  This chart will be updated as often as possible to reflect the puppies' weights.

Click on any thumbnail photo to see a larger version.

June 1 (27 days old):

Well, the puppies took their first "road trip" this morning -- 3 puppies to a small crate.   I loaded up all the dogs in the van, including the puppies, and we drove to Jack-In-The-Box for a burger, and then to the Des Moines Marina to eat it.  We were back home in about 30 minutes -- no one got carsick and no one had an accident in their crate!   Hooray!   The photos above are immediately after our arrival home.  I put the crates inside a double x-pen, opened the door and lunch was waiting for them -- a pleasant experience for all of us!

May 31 (26 days old):

On Wednesday, May 30, Baccarre's family came to visit.   Aunt Alyssa (above left) had fun cuddling the puppies and retrieving them when they tried to scamper down the hallway!   I love the "puppy pin wheel" photo (above right).   

It's becoming more & more difficult to keep the website current as the puppies demand more & more of my time.  Scheduling is quite a challenge these days.   Here are the highlights from a typical day this week.   (Warning to any of my students who ask if I had a good time during my five weeks "off" from teaching -- read the following and then DON'T ask me that question!   OR ELSE!   Just joking...or am I?):

7 am        Fed Keeper breakfast so she could spend some time with the puppies before they ate.   (If she isn't separated from them for at least 90 minutes prior to my feeding them, they're too full and won't eat puppy mush.)
8 am        Got Keeper out of the whelping box.   Fed Ashley, Tyler & Journey.  Took a shower.   Did the first of three loads of puppy laundry.
9 am        Started making puppy mush.  Took the kibble that had soaked in water overnight out of the refrigerator and ran it through the food processor.   Made about 15 cups, hoping it will last the day.
10 am        I've started teaching the puppies to follow me, and to make it worth their while, they are following me from the whelping room, down the long hallway and into the living room where I feed them breakfast in their living room x-pen.   Since my hallway is all vinyl flooring, and since I wanted them to have a chance to investigate, it took about 30 minutes to get everyone down the hall and actually eating.   They had a grand time exploring along the way, stopping to play, climb all over me, etc.   After they ate, they played a little while and then napped, which gave me an opportunity to clean out their whelping room x-pen -- always a pleasant way to start the day!
11:30 am      Got pups back into the whelping room and let Keeper go in with them for a while.  Went outside to scoop the backyard and play frisbee with the adult dogs.
12:30 pm       The sun/shade combination in the backyard puppy x-pen is just right for a little outdoor playtime.   Load the puppies up in the Rubbermaid box, three at a time, and take them outside.   (They can't walk this one yet...there are some steps involved.)   I sat in the x-pen with them to play with them and let them climb all over me.
1:00 pm        Pups are back inside.   I'm ready for a nap, but no time for that...must finish laundry, do dishes, check email, pay bills, etc.
2:00 pm        Time for puppy lunch.   (Refer to 10 am)   Visitors are coming about 4:30 to see puppies...I have to try to make sure they are awake around that time.   So much to do and so little time.   Puppies are very active after this meal, so I have them follow me back to the whelping room.
3:00 pm    Puppies are napping.  Is it time for me to have lunch yet?   Must vacuum, do dishes and make myself presentable.   Oh, yes.   The adult dogs want to play frisbee again...and they need to be groomed.  
4:30 pm    Visitors arrive and stay for  90 minutes.   Puppies should be tired now!
6:30 pm    Need to check email again and do some computer work for FDTC.  I'd love to be able to read the morning newspaper!   Not yet....it's time for puppy dinner.   (Refer to 10 am)
7:30 pm    Adult dogs are more than ready for their dinner, as am I.   Afterwards, I spend a little time grooming them, but don't get everything done.
9:00 pm    I'm exhausted.   Puppies are napping.   Keeper is sent into the whelping room to cover the night shift.   I make a list of things that need to be done tomorrow, including puppy weighing and puppy nail trimming.   And I should spend a little individual time with each puppy.   Ten minutes per puppy times nine puppies is 90 minutes...gotta fit that into tomorrow's schedule somehow.
10:30 pm   I fall asleep reading the morning newspaper!

May 27 (22 days old):

Their second day of eating mush was much more productive and efficient.   If you're a breeder and you're wondering why I'm using Rubbermaid lids rather than puppy pans, it was an experiment -- THAT WORKED!   Just the right size for pups this age to begin eating solid food without having to reach so far down in those "deep" puppy pans!   Today's weather cooperated so they were also able to spend about an hour outside.   (They are still not able to regulate their body temperature very well, so it's tricky to take them outside and maintain a 75 degree temperature at all times!)

Tyler and Keeper insisted on grooming and private frisbee time today.   Tyler, in particular, is wondering why his grandkids are hogging all my time!