Lots to be thankful for…

 Last week did NOT go according to plan and we had a very anxious and busy week nursing sick pups, as first Kodi and then the pups became sick with a virus.  

The pups enjoying Thanksgiving breakfast

When Kodi had a day of vomiting and loose stools, we thought it was due to a dietary indiscretion or overeating.  She recovered quickly.  

The following afternoon, Jan noticed immediately that there was strange white “stuff” in the whelping box and we realized that some of the pups were throwing up milk.  We have amazing support from our vet and she gave us directions for supportive care for the sick pups during this short lived virus.  As we identified sick pups, we would remove them from the group, doctor them for the 8-12 hours it took them to recover and then put them back with the group.  Altogether it took a bit over 24 hours until all the pups showed improvement and rotated through our little “hospital ward”.   

Probie and Ziva had a bath

Kodi’s milk supply was somewhat affected by her day of fasting, so we have been supplementing the pups a bit with formula as they catch back up.  We don’t usually have to supplement our litters and decided to try a technique for feeding the pups using a makeup sponge soaked in formula as an artificial nipple.  Pups do not have a gag reflex as newborns so it can be easy for them to aspirate.  This technique allows each pup to regulate their own intake and is quite safe.

Probie, Abby, Kate

Ziva

The pups are getting super cute.  They vocalize like tiny dogs with yips and howls now.  They can see (although still not terribly well) and hear.  They toddle around the slightly enlarged area we set up for them which now includes some potty pads and are even starting to display some play interactions with each other.

Jenny and Katie

Busy Days and Week One Puppy Photos

Week One puppy Photos 

Jenny

 We'll have more photos each week as the pups become more active and eyes and ears open. 

Eyes will begin to open at around 10-14 days. Several of the pups have eyes partially open as of last night. Ears begin to open at around 14-18 days. 

 Another milestone during their second week is for pups to double their weight by Day 10. Jethro, Kate, Jenny and Breena had already hit this milestone as of Day 8 and the others have now reached that mark as well. 

The pups are beginning to pull themselves partially up on their front legs. One of the pups walked across the box and back last night, albeit with jerky and uncoordinated movement. 

 We had a bit of a set back with some loose stools from the pups which has required dosing them with clavamox, an anti-diarrhea product called Bio Sponge and probiotics. We caught things quickly and all pups seem to be recovering and are gaining weight. We've been working overtime (with Kodi's assistance) to keep the pups and whelping box clean and warm. Kodi is meticulously clean and taking amazing care of her pups. 

 We have a long to-do list today. In addition to dosing the pups with their meds, they h

Jac or Ziva

ad a little sponge bath/rinse this morning and they will get another nail trim today. We will be removing Kodi's stitches and will give her a bath today or tomorrow.  Laundry is an ongoing puppy chore and Delta and Koll require grooming and entertainment too.  Never a dull moment!

The puppy with the white flag…

 “Outer beauty attracts, but inner beauty captivates.”  - Kate Angell

JoJo

In a litter of puppies we had years ago, there was a pup with a partial white tail.  People seemed very taken by the vision of what a beautiful flag she would have and coveted that pup.  Ironically, that pup was a fireball of a puppy, and one whose owners would have struggled in a home where she was not kept active.  She went to live in a home where she competed in agility, water work, tracking and other activities.  Her new owner found her a handful at first, but was able to give her the outlets she needed for them to both be happy.   Thanks Val Tangen for all the wonderful adventures you  enjoyed with JoJo (Lookout Wind and Rain and Fire VCD1, RA, CD, TD, CGC, AXJ, AX-P, WWD, GROM, MAC-3, C-ATCH 2, CT-ATCH 3).

Probie

When we have a litter of pups, we will chose the pup we think will be the best fit for your lifestyle.  We always ask those who are getting pups to share with us what their daily routines are like and what they are looking for in a dog.  

We spend many hours with our pups observing them, interacting with them and socializing them, so we have a good sense for each pups personality.

At seven weeks of age, the pups have a temperament test in a location that is new to them and with a person they have not met before.  This test often confirms what we had already been observing, but sometimes brings characteristics to our attention that we had not noted.

Jac’s chubby belly

At 8 weeks, an independent evaluator will examine the pups and look at their structure and how closely they conform to the standard for the breed in that regard.

The final 2 visits which allow us to chose which pup will likely be the best fit for you are their well puppy check and eye exam.  

Ten weeks is a long time to be patient and not know which pup might be coming home with you, but it is worth the wait.

Week One Puppy Routine - NCIS Litter (Decker x Kodi)

Heading to the vet for dewclaw removal

For the first two weeks of life, a puppy is considered a neonate. Born with his eyes and ears closed, he enters the world blind, deaf, and neurologically underdeveloped. At this early stage, there is almost no difference in brain activity between the time he is sleeping and the time when he’s awake. Studies have shown that handling and other interaction experienced during the neonatal period can lead to a quicker maturation of the nervous system and an enhanced development of motor and problem-solving skills.

Kodi is very comfortable with us handling the puppies, so we touch and stroke the puppies throughout the day.  Last night, each pup had a snuggle session with Jan and I as we watched NCIS (of course).

Beginning today and continuing through Day 16, we will include Early Neurological Stimulation as part of their daily routine. 

 Here is a link that discusses more about ENS: https://tinyurl.com/39u2pjdc

Weigh In Time for Abby

We weigh the pups morning and night to make sure they are growing and that none of the puppies are struggling.  Pups should hopefully double their birth weight by the time they are 10 days old. 

 Pups got their dewclaws removed yesterday.  There is some debate about whether it is good to remove dewclaws or not.  We have not had any noticeable ill effects with our pups regardless of whether we opt to remove them or not and we prefer it for ease of nail trimming and to prevent possible dew claw tearing/injuries.  This week, the pups will have first of many nail trims while they are with us to ensure they don't scratch Miss Kodi's tender tummy.  If my math is correct, that will be 144 tiny nails to trim each time...

Jethro - 1st pup to reach 1 pound.

We are cleaning the whelping box area and change bedding as needed.  Kodi gets her tail and rear legs rinsed/washed each day since there is always a bit of discharge in the days after whelping.  She keeps the pups spotless and well fed and is very careful and agile in not laying on any of her babies when getting in and out of the whelping box for potty breaks or meals.

Since I (Suzanne) am away at work most of the day Monday through Thursday, Jan gets to be the primary puppy care provider those days and also sleeps in the puppy room to tend to Kodi and the newborns if needed.  Jan is also by FAR the better puppy whelper of the two of us and we could not have puppies without him!

Jac using Ziva as a pillow

New Puppies! Decker x Kodi

Daddy Decker

Decker loved water work!

We are so excited to announce the arrival of 9 puppies (7 females, 2 males) on 11/6. Kodi did a wonderful job whelping the first 9 pups. Puppy number 10 was not to be, as it was an extreme breech delivery. We made a mad dash to the emergency vet on Sunday morning in the cold rain and a quick assessment revealed that an emergency c-section was needed. Kodi came through the procedure very well and was home with her babies by 11:00 AM. She did not miss a beat and went back to caring for her pups like there had never been an interruption. It's always so sad to lose a puppy, but we are VERY grateful to have our Kodi home safe and sound.

The sire of this litter is Am/Can/Int'l CH Stargazer's Hit the Deck CD AX AXJ RE CWDX, a handsome boy we owned some years ago who was that lovely combination of easy-going around the house and with people and other dogs and a driven performance dog. Decker reminded us a bit of the Labrador Retrievers that we had in the past in his zeal for retrieving and would literally retrieve until he dropped. Anyone playing ball with him needed to be coached to stop before Decker actually harmed himself due to overexercise and heat distress. This litter was sired by means of frozen semen.  Isn't technology grand?

Kodi is a water fanatic!

The letters on each side of Decker's registered name reflect that he is an AKC and CKC Champion, earned a Companion Dog obedience title and Rally Excellent title, earned his "Excellent" titles in AKC agility in both the jumpers and standard classes and had a Courier Water Dog Excellent title.

Kodi

Mama Kodi is Seaworthy's Lookout Here I Come TKN.  Her only title so far is a Novice Trick title, but she is actively training in Agility and Water Work and we plan to get back into competition with her once her maternity leave is over.  We had hoped to compete in conformation with her and earn an AKC Championship title.  Her small size (17.5 inches, 36 pounds) and different "look" compared to other females in the ring in our area makes it difficult to compete in this venue and, frankly, it is not our favorite area of canine competition.  We'll probably let our male puppy "Koll" and his sister "Penny Lane" (which we co-own) from Kodi's litter last year "represent" for her in the conformation ring.

You can find more information on Decker and Kodi on our website at https://www.lookoutpwd.com/decker-x-kodi

Keep checking here for lots of photos of the pups and what they are doing in the upcoming months before they go home.  I'll be posting links to a new photo album each week which will have photos of all the pups.  We always have a theme for our litter and these little guys are named after NCIS characters.

Mug Shots

Abby (Gold Metallic) and Jenny (Yellow)

Kodi with Ziva

Pile of Puppies