Update 9-25

Hi all!

While I make Meghan (daughter) clean the puppy pen, I snuck off to do this update. ;)  

All the pups are doing very well! Growing nicely, and getting big. They are enjoying their 3 meals of puppy mush a day and momma really appreciates that as they are getting their teeth in and use them during nursing. She still feeds them, but she's starting to taper them off now - which is totally normal. She is an early weaner usually and typically has them off the teat by week 4-5 and on puppy food and kibble 100%. She knows what she's doing.

Teething is a tough time for these potatoes. They whine and they get very grumpy. Much like human babies. During this period of time, they're given toys to teeth on and I don't over-stress them with long photo shoots. So, you'll get your individual updates, but you might just get a picture or two or a dozen depending on if they're whiny or not.  

Today they got wormed for the first time. I worm with Nemex-2 at this age. It tastes good (apparently), so they readily accept it. I don't expect worms but it's normative to have them in pups. They get worms through the momma's milk. I worm my dogs on schedule, with the mommas getting wormed extra at the last bit of pregnancy and then again with the litter.  Once they start pooping after worming, I'll review it to see if they have any worms in the fecal matter. By next worming (4 weeks old), there shouldn't be any. This is all normal stuff. Welcome to dogs! You'll be worming regularly too. ;)

Today also marks the date of their first toe nail trim. No more scratching momma! I like to do daily toe massages to ready them for trimming, but the pressure of an actual trim is a bit different and I want them to associate the act with good things, not scary things. They'll get weekly trims from this point forward with both a dremel and an guillotine trimmer - this way they understand neither are scary monsters.  Trimming is something you all NEED to keep up on or you'll end up having to fight hard with your pup later on. It's traumatic, scary, and stressful when they're not used to it and early desensitizing only goes so far.

They will be getting their first full bath soon, and with that - blow drying with my professional dryer and I'll be using product in their hair ;). I use Ice on Ice which is a fur conditioner and it keeps the fur hydrated and soft. It's not needed for your pet, but I find it helps with keeping a soft coat which releases hair easier when grooming. That means less clumping when shedding out. It makes a BIG difference when you condition a coat and do regular grooming. Without that, I'd live in a house smothered in Corgi fur! lol I also use a comb to get to the undercoat. They're taught to stand still for this and accept brushing, toe touching, and posing. This helps for show and for regular grooming by owners. You don't want to have to fight your dog to brush it.  I do not use furminators of any type as it breaks the coat. You can use whatever you'd like. 

Mind, these pups don't necessarily need all of this grooming work. They have baby coats and aren't shedding yet. But, the more you work on things, the better the pup will be later on. Desensitizing the normal stuff helps. Plus, conditioning the coat makes for a nicer juvenile coat once they do shed the baby fur out. Again, it's your choice - I'm just telling you what I'm doing to your potatoes. ;)

Now, back to work for me!