Roxy has been humongously huge for the last week and what with hormonal grumpiness and a leaking bladder, not to mention the not altogether comfortable sleeping arrangements for Jack whilst she kept Roxy company each night, getting these pups on the ground was eagerly anticipated.
It all kicked off around 1.30 this afternoon when after a morning of increasing panting, restlessness and total lack of interest in food, Roxy shunned the whelping box, broke her waters on the sofa in the study and then gave birth to puppy number one on the settee in the front room. At least that was the right room!!

We got her and pup moved as required and thus began a fairly regular popping out of black and tan bundles, one or two every hour. By just before 6pm we were up to eight pups: six boys and two girls and Roxy was definitely looking a tad haggard!
We were fairly sure there were more to come but were then horribly shocked when around 7.15pm a dead boy appeared - he was perfect in every way but quite dead. Roxy licked him for a while but we removed him without any fuss so she could concentrate on the eight live ones, all busy looking for milk and telling whoever was prepared to listen, quite what they thought at having to share the milk bar!!

Roxy began to snooze and we wondered if there were any more - we were a wee bit concerned at what having a dead pup might mean for any still yet to be born. We spoke to Gloria and to our vet and felt reassured that if Roxy was relaxed, the pups were feeding (albeit with accompanying squeals) and nothing 'appeared' to be wrong, then probably all was well and that a litter of nine might well be it!!
We had supper and a cuppa and slightly started to relax!!!

Around eleven-ish Jack wondered about joining David in bed and the joys of sleeping on a proper mattress. Roxy however had other ideas! At around 11.15pm, almost FOUR hours since the last pup was born, out popped a third girl, quickly followed by a seventh boy, and even more quickly followed by a slight welling up of tears as Jack rushed upstairs to wake up David with the news.
Flip!!! Roxy has done it again - given us ten pups!!! We are in awe!!!

Last night's blog was written around 2am, some three hours after Roxy gave us pups ten and eleven. Around 3am, Jack felt safe to head to bed, having been with Roxy and the pups since the start of whelping just after 1pm that afternoon. The 'books' will tell you that two and a half hours between live births is okay. Roxy has obviously not read the books, having already given us a gap of almost four hours between pups nine and ten/eleven. And so it was that whilst Jack popped to the loo before heading upstairs, out popped another pup!! Trouble was it was hard to work out which one had just been born as a couple seemed 'wet' - had one perhaps got covered in the birthing fluid as pup number twelve was born? The pups were now a bit stressed again as Roxy had moved when giving birth and so disturbed them all. Jack made the decision to let them all settle and to work out the sex of pup number twelve later. After another hour or so and with Roxy and all the pups snoozing, a couple of hours of human sleep beckoned too.

Just before 7am, we both headed for the whelping box and after a bit of confusion and checking that we were actually awake, we realised that we now had TWELVE live pups. Our guess was that the 'two' wet ones from 3am were in fact two new ones, probably born in very quick succession - eager no doubt to join their siblings, some of whom were by then half a day old!

So, then there were 12: eight boys, four girls, with a mere 100ish grammes separating lightest from heaviest: an incredibly uniform litter!
Today, on the whole, has been a day of calm - Roxy has slept for much of it with just six quick exits from the whelping box: two for huge wees, one for a quick wash (she was rather smelly) and three for a bit of food. The pups meanwhile seem to have got the hang of sharing seven teats between the 12 of them - all look as though they are getting enough but we will of course keep a very careful eye on them all.

Today has continued to be calm and quiet, the pups seems to have really got the hang of the teat sharing and the amount of squealing to get to a nipple is now greatly reduced. Their coats seem to get shinier every time we look at them - mother's milk is obviously good stuff!!

Roxy herself is still very, very tired and also reluctant to leave the pups, for even a few seconds - tricky when we need her to wee and poo, not to mention eat! We are feeding her little and often but would like her to eat more it must be said. We are also having to wash her two or three times a day as the 'leakage' from her back end is pretty full on!! It's all normal for when a bitch has given birth but it's sticky and smelly. She is giving everything to the pups and it is up to us, her owners, to make sure we give everything we can, to her.

We were seriously pleased this morning when Roxy wolfed down her breakfast and then had a really long drink. Later on she came outside for a huge wee and a wash and wasn't quite so anxious to return to the pups right that second. In the afternoon she then 'asked' to go out of the front room into the kitchen where, for the first time since giving birth, she met up with the other dogs. It was sniffs and wagging tails all round before a quick wander round the garden and then a very quick sprint back inside to the whelping area. She is a LOT less tired today and has been much more responsive to us as well. We are so happy! It is going to sound odd, but we have missed her these last couple of weeks when she has been so exhausted, firstly waiting to give birth and then with the actual whelping. 'Normal' Roxy is very, very bouncy and it was wonderful today to see some of her spirit return. Having a litter really does take it out of some bitches. Roxy sailed through her first pregnancy and whelping - this one has been a lot more demanding for her.

As for the pups, well, they continue to thrive! It is amazing how much they have changed already - they are bigger obviously but also faster scooting around to find mum's teats and 'much' stronger. When we pick them up their legs kick out and they feel so much more solid.
Today has also seen the first of the puppy piles when, after feeding they don't always simply stay tucked up with mum, but at times, end up in a heap with their siblings. Watching them sleep is a joy - they are never still (as the video shows) - and this is a good thing, all that twitching is actually crucial to strengthen their developing muscles. Puppies this young 'should' twitch in their sleep - a still puppy is not a good sign!!!

My goodness, the pups are getting strong. Although they are still crawling around on their bellies and won't in fact be able to stand properly for at least two more weeks, their back legs in particular are really starting to strengthen up. Check out the middle of the video where you will see one positively zoom across the whelping box to where Roxy is lying!

It has been really hot today and so there has been a fair amount of lying around in far more spread-out-heaps than yesterday. Roxy's water intake has been enormous and, we are pleased to say, she has been fair packing away her food today too!

We have also noticed that the pups' eyes are starting to look more 'closed' than sealed, although it will be another week before they start to really open and several days after that before they start to properly see. For now, everything is still about smell and touch.

We are looking forward to weighing them all on Monday and seeing what weight gains we have. We are seeing differences in size between some of them but we hope these are all more or less proportionate to their birth weights. We have at times put the smaller pups (two boys) on Roxy's back teats as these are the milkiest, in order to ensure they are getting their fill.

Today for the first time we saw some wagging tails from the pups as they fed - it really is the sweetest thing - and is in keeping with so many other mammals who suckle from mums: lambs, calves and kids (as we have experienced on our smallholding).

Roxy is still very tired but she continues to eat and poo and wee and condition-wise, we are happy with how she looks - bearing in mind the fact she gave birth to 13 pups and is now feeding 12!!! Her interaction with the other dogs is still minimal and whilst she is okay at meeting them in the garden, if any look as though they want to come back into the front room with her, she is not welcoming. Sparrow, her daughter from two years ago is missing her mum it has to be said and has tried to sneak in a couple of times. Little love!

The pups' movements continue to get stronger and faster as muscles grow - when we pick them up - which we do frequently as part of their socialisation - we can really feel how much stronger they are. They don't really relax in our hands unless really sleepy, otherwise they are rather more interested in being back with mum to find a teat!!!

Some of these pups are getting very, very chunky - we are looking forward to tomorrow and their first weekly weigh-in. We expect weight to have increased by a good one and a half/ three quarters of their birth weights as an average!! There is obviously no shortage of milk but our hope is that all the pups will have increased at a uniform(ish) rate!!

Roxy has been a bit keener to stretch her legs today, although her time away from the pups can be measured more in seconds, rather than minutes!!! We do try to get her into the garden proper at least once a day. For short breaks and wee stops, she has the puppy run just outside the whelping box and this is often where we feed her too - in the mornings this gives us time to change the bedding and have a bit of wipe down in the whelping area. The noise from the pups at this time is quite immense as I am sure you can imagine.

In the video you will see Roxy licking the pups' back ends. She does this in the first few days to stimulate the pups to wee and poo but she will carry on doing this and clearing up after them, up until the pups are a good three/ four weeks old. After that, the clean up job then becomes ours!!!

Well, across the whole litter weights have increased by an average of almost one and a half times, which considering the size of the litter is really quite impressive! A couple of the largest boys individually have put on weight to the tune of 1.70 times of their birth weight. The three smaller boys who were just under or just over 300g when born, didn't quite get to 400g, so we will be continue to monitor them and pop them on the milkiest teats when we can.
All in all though, none of the weights nor the actual pups' appearances are a cause for concern - Roxy really is doing an amazing job!!

Roxy is spending a little more time away from the pups now, there have been a couple of occasions today when we have popped in to see them all and she has been lying just outside the whelping box whilst the pups snooze inside. She is also coming out into the main house more and having a race round the garden. This is all good - she needs her breaks and it is also good she is interacting with the other dogs again. She is VERY keen to return to her pups though and is still not keen for any of the other dogs to take a look yet. There is no rush on this, we are letting her decide when she is happy about this and the other dogs are, we are delighted to say, picking up the signs and not forcing the issue either.

They are a noisy litter this lot - far noisier than Roxy's first. When she gets up to eat, the pups are very vocal in their disapproval, VERY vocal. Roxy doesn't pander to their cries though, she finishes her meal in her time and goes back when she is ready!!
As well as being noisy, they are also getting very fast, leg muscles seem to be strengthening daily and whilst they continue to belly shuffle, those legs are helping propel them forward more and more.

We are very excited about seeing the eyes start to open, we should see a few slits appearing in the next few days....

It's been very hot today and dear Roxy has tried hard to keep cool, despite having 12 mouths seeking out the milk bar on a regular basis. We are lucky in that the front room where the whelping box is situated, is the coolest room in the house, and the box itself also keeps cool. The outside run on the other hand is a veritable sun trap and will need shade if we get temperatures this hot once the pups are old enough to venture outside.

We have been looking for signs of opening eyes today - there are none yet, although some are close, so maybe tomorrow we will start to see those hazy blue eyes beginning to peek through. Meanwhile, whiskers are growing well (see ther first photo), milk is drunk, muscles twitch and grow and bellies bulge. It's all good.

Don't they all just look like those eyes are merely closed now? Another 48 hours or so and they should be opening - how amazing will it be for the pups to then start seeing? Even more amazing is that within a mere three weeks, their eyesight will be as good as an adult dog - which as we know is pretty good eyesight!!

Today has been another hot one with more lying around and in Roxy's case, panting! The pups take longer now between feeds and the puppy piles are now a more frequent sight than the active puppy milk bar!

The tan markings on the pups' faces look fabulous now - gone are the pink wrinkles around the nose and mouth - the rich tan is really starting to shine through. No teeth yet, as the pup in picture number three is so beautifully demonstrating - they will start to appear next week, just in time for the first round of worming!!!! If memory serves though, it will be the second round of worming where we need to watch our fingers more though - the teeth will be a bit sharper and longer by them, but more importantly, the jaws will be stronger and able to clamp down more!! We are soooo looking forward to squirting wormer in 12 sets of mouths for three consecutive days!!!

It was cooler today so there was a bit more movement in the whelping box. And my goodness, these pups are really striding forth on those legs of theirs - just have a look at the video. There is some real power in those muscles.
On the eyes front, we are seeing just the tiniest of slits now but no blue beneath, yet, maybe tomorrow?
This litter definitely win the prize for being our noisiest litter to date - we wonder if they will be quieter when they can see and don't need to panic so much about 'finding' mum - we suspect not!!!!

We caught the odd glimpse of blue today but not enough to declare eyes actually open yet - as the photos show we are sooo close now though.

And finally, we have open eyes: cloudy, blue, blink and you miss it, but yes, some of the pups have their eyes open at last!!
As the videos show, they aren't quite used to seeing yet - LOL - their vision will be blurry and their brains need to catch up with the fact that a previously unknown sense is now coming into play, but give them a few days and poor old Roxy won't be able to simply jump over the door from the whelping box and pretend she is no longer there - they will now be able to see her as she peers back in and wonders at all the noise and mayhem!!
The fun really is now about to start!!

Roxy is still being a very 'present' mum - on day 13 of her first litter, she joined us for a quick walk round our fields! With this litter, persuading her to have a stroll round the garden can be a challenge. She really doesn't like to be away too long bless her.

Sound on with the videos - as predicted, eyes being open is having no effect on the noise levels at all!!!

We have caught some really sweet moments today with the camera - pups curled up with Roxy and with each other - it's really quite hard not to spend all day in the whelping box, cuddling and watching!!
Roxy is just amazing - she is looking in such fab condition despite keeping up with the constant demand for milk and today she delighted us by asking to come out on our morning walk round the fields. This was definitely way more than her usual quick wander round the garden before dashing back to her charges. She is obviously feeling more comfortable about leaving them! It was fabulous to see her running around with the others and I think they all enjoyed her being back with them too.
Today was also our 2-week weigh-in!! And we were chuffed to see another average increase of 1.5 times the last weights a week ago! The heaviest two boys are now over a kilo. In total all 12 are a collective 8.84kgs, well over twice their birth weight!! Not bad in 2 weeks.
Eyes were more open today but vision is still poor - we can tell by the way the pups search for mum's teats when she returns to the whelping box, that smell and touch are still the main senses....
We got the main inside puppy run set up today too - over the next week as eyesight improves, we will start to let them explore beyond their box!!! And a week today they start on solid food... oh my, the time really does whizz by!!

You just have to have the sound on when you watch today's videos: 15 day-old puppy barks are the sweetest, most hilarious sound there is!!! (You many want NOT to have other dogs in the room mind you as they will wonder what on earth is going on!!). Both videos were taken when 'mum' was out in the fields with the other dogs: the pups were basically totally unimpressed at being left behind and their disapproval came across loud and clear!!

So yes, today has been about puppies seeming bigger each time we look at them; noisier than ever and yet also more confident as they strut around the whelping box, walking proudly on their getting-stronger-each-day legs!!
Now they are starting to see, they are also less worried when we pick them up and don't wriggle quite as much.
Roxy is spending more time away from them, she now comes to eat her morning and evening meals back in the kitchen with the others and today she came out on both walks. There are also times when we go into the front room and find her on the sofa rather then in the whelping box. She is also asking us for more cuddles and chuckles again!! And we are more than happy to oblige!!

Today the pups have either been totally crashed out or making soooo much noise. Their barking has been even louder and more indignant sounding than yesterday and today Roxy was actually in the room still - albeit on the sofa trying her hardest to ignore all the squeals, barks and screams.
We tried very hard, and with limited success, to catch a lot of the 'sitting' that is going on at the moment. Two week old puppy sits are mega cute and in this position, the barking is the loudest as the pups discover the joy of being able to throw their heads back to produce the loudest sound possible!! Every single time they do this, we laugh. It just doesn't seem possible for an animal that just 16 days ago was blind, deaf and only able to shuffle on its belly, is now capable of zoomies round the whelping box with a volume control that is permanently on 'loud'. And as for those faces.... indignant and cross expressions are the speciality at the moment!!!
Each day, everything about these pups is bigger, bolder, louder and more endearing!!!

Puppies need to start their worming regime once they get to 2 weeks. We use Panacur which means a dose every day for three days. It's a messy job and gets increasingly messy on days two and three as the pups realise what is coming and try very hard to avoid both the syringe going in their mouths, and then the swallowing of the presumably vile tasting liquid. For the humans, this 2-week worming is a snip compared to the 5 and 8 week ones when teeth become part of the equation!!! Roxy meanwhile, just looks on with mild disinterest although bless her, she does then lick them clean after of all the spillages.

Meanwhile, ears are opening and the pups are now starting to hear - it will be another two and a half/ three weeks before their hearing is as good as an adult. Our front room can be quite 'busy' so already they have been exposed to a variety of noise: most notably Genesis (showing our age here), Radio 4, spinning wheels and weaving looms, the hoover, hailstones (!!) and rain via the open door/windows, phone alarms and the 'chatter' of the other dogs!
We are now starting to see the pupils in the eyes, meaning the pups are losing that hazy, opaque glazed look.
And today for the first time we really have seen them interact with each other (as the videos show) - there seems to be some definite mouthing, pawing and nudging and looking at each other, as opposed to just clambering all over the general puppy piles and scrabbling to get to mum first!! This behaviour will of course only get more obvious and cuter!! Those wagging tails are already very cute!!

Due to both David and I having had Covid, visitors have sadly been a bit thin on the ground but we start to make up for that this weekend - so different voices will soon become a regular feature for the puppies too!!

Roxy lies outside the whelping box a fair bit now in order to have a bit of a break from the pups but to still be near enough to 'protect' them. This morning, in order to make our cleaning out the box a little easier, we took the door off and then sat back to see if the pups would come out. Roxy was the other side and as the video shows, it didn't take them long to find her... at almost three weeks they are still incredibly focused on getting as much of her milk as they can.
Later on we let them out again for a bit more of an explore - the whole area is not much more then 12 by 10 foot but it seemed 'huge' and the pups so small as they scurried around.... They are still a bit little to have quite so much freedom but once we start the solid feeding (Monday) and Roxy spends more and more time away from them, exploring and playing and learning more about themsleves and each other will become a crucial part of the next stage of their development. We are so excited for them.
We have started to fill their inside in with a few bits and pieces for them to play with - it will be harder to get good photos of them but the video opportunitioes will be much greater (we hope).

Roxy is very, very good at ignoring the pups at times - and we mean this in a good way. She doesn't react to every squeal or bark and she now is showing a few signs of wanting to be back in the general hub of life at Cadbury Cottage. She comes out on both walks each day now, is keen to see all visitors and if either of us are in the front room she always now wants a chuckle and, even better, if we sit down on the sofa, a full blown cuddle and snuggle-up!! She really does need her time out!!
There is still a bit of reluctance for the other dogs to see her pups but we are letting her dictate the pace of that!
The pups themselves have enjoyed another good romp or two round the whelping run today, building up those muscles and trying to make more sense of the visual world they now find themselves in. They still wobble, and fall over, and walk into things - they are in essence still massively vulnerable, but their speed of learning and development ensures they become more robust as each day passes. You only have to look back at the photos to see the huge changes they have undergone already!!
So, tomorrow is our first official 'new owner' visit and then on Monday, we start them on solid food - the video will definitely be at the ready for that one!!

Adorable peace as twelve pups collapse in a heap after the excitement of visitors and then filling themselves up at the milk bar.
These guys, almost three weeks old now, are an explosion of joy in every sense: smell (ah, that puppy smell), sound (the hilarity of their mini barks), sight (those cute, crumpled up faces), touch (silky, velvety and sooo warm), taste (they are so delicious we want to eat them - LOL).
There really is nothing so exhilarating and precious, as raising a litter of pups....

Today's visitors (Clare and Dave - puppy owners to be and then our friend Lynda) were all greeted with mass enthusiasm by Roxy, so much so that in Clare and Dave's case, she chose them over her walk with the other dogs!! Praise indeed. She was also really chilled as her pups were all cuddled and shmoozed over - as long of course as she kept getting chuckles too.
We were so chuffed and so proud of her.
Now that Covid has hopefully left us, we are looking forward to lots more visitors - for us it is a very important part of their socialisation - as well of course as huge fun for the visitors themselves!!

The video says it all: our first feeding was a blast: noisy, messy, hilarious and all in all, a huge success. They ate a good three quarters of what was there (mashed Royal Canin mother and baby dog), topped themselves up with a milky pudding and then fell fast asleep and didn't move for a good couple of hours!!
The following two feeds didn't go quite so well!!! LOL. They seemed too full still on the first one and too sleepy on the second!!!

We know from last time that this next week is a bit of a competition as to who gets to fill up the pups first: us or mum!!! We absolutely don't want to stress Roxy by not allowing her in with the pups so as much as we can, we will feed when she is out with the other dogs or in the garden. She is now spending more and more time away from them anyway which is all good, so we are in no doubt that by the end of the week, we will have pups clambering at our ankles when they see us with their feed bowls and a disappointed Roxy who won't have quite the amount of leftovers to clean up as she has today!!!

Today was also the 3-week weigh in. Across the board we had another increase of around 1/4/ 1.5 times compared to last week. Collectively we now have over 13kg of pup!!!! Note the cute pics of pups in the bowls at the end - weighing them was so easy when they fell asleep like this!!

With milk and solid food filling their bellies (although still a lot more milk than biscuits), the pups now seem to be poo-ing and wee-ing at a greatly increased rate (or are we just seeing it more? LOL). Roxy is still winning the 'I can feed them better than you' competition but as one of the photos shows, we are making progress with our part - at one time we had SIX pups feeding at once today - what a result!!
Roxy is actually spending less and less time with them all and more with us and the other dogs and the pups seem to be getting used to this as when she leaves them, they don't make quite as much noise and fuss (although the same cannot be said when she re-appears and they smell/ see her coming back)!

We may think about putting the collars on soon - we are starting to see a few characters emerge amongst the 12 and it might be nice to definitely be able to follow individual progress.. and of course once they start to be chosen by their new owners, it will be a necessity!!

According to 'typical puppy development' guides (in our case the Book of the Bitch by J.M. Evans), this week the puppies should start to stand, poo and wee without bitch stimulating them (yep, we can vouch for this one) as well as eat from a dish (most definitely yes) and by the end of the week they should be starting to play. We are witnessing 'play' between themselves as they mouth and paw each other and look forward to seeing them play with toys in their run - which to begin with mainly consists of cardboard rolls, boxes and scrunched up paper - no expense spared obviously!

Today we popped collars on all the pups so they all now have their official colours and my goodness, they look even sweeter - and now of course we are all set up for 'choosing'!!!
The first photo is of two of the boys: Blue Collar and Green Collar. Blue Collar was only Blue Collar for a few hours though as today's puppy visitors were the first to make their choice and we are delighted to announce that 'Bramble' is now all set to go and live with Sam and Chris in Brierley Hill in just over four weeks. We are all set for lots more puppy choosing this weekend as more new owners come down to visit!! We are so excited!!

We are getting there slowly but surely with the feeding - at one point today, all 12 were feeding at once - it was only for about two and a half seconds but still - we take these small victories where we can (and we got the photos to prove it - pre collars mind you).
And as the video shows, they are still getting their milk!!!!

Roxy now spends more time away from the pups during the day than with them, but she is still very responsive to squeals and barks and races back to the whelping area whenever she hears them. At night she comes to the dog room with the others as if to say 'shall I sleep here tonight' but we don't actually think she is at all ready to do that yet...

Well, a lot of firsts today - we saw the first proper puppy run (as opposed to a wobbly walk) across the whelping area, courtesy of Pink Collar. We had the first meal where we actually saw parts of the bottom of the bowl because the pups had eaten almost all the food (although that was only one bowl - the other one has loads left). Today was also the first day when Roxy didn't feel the need to immediately top the pups up with milk after their meal - instead she came in the run, finished the food the pups hadn't eaten and then left!!! Smart girlie!!
We also had one meal where a couple of the pups began to eat without us needing to plonk them down in front of the bowl - slowly but surely they are learning!!
AND, we have the first pointy canines through with their wonderful sharp tips!!! Yay!!! Roll on the next worming!!

We are also beginning to see their little characters starting to show now that we have their collars on. We can therefore report that Green Collar likes to roll over on his back a lot (check out the photo - table manners leave a lot to be desired here..). Orange Collar is by far the noisiest and Pink Collar loves to have a good wander around, exploring all the corners and breaking out into a run where she can. Whilst Red Collar appears, so far, to be far more interested in playing with her siblings than eating her food!!
We are totally in love with each and everyone of them!

The first few photos show Pink Collar's unique way of trying to eat from the feed bowl - she got there eventually!!! And we thoroughly enjoyed watching the journey!!
And the first video shows how well mealtimes are now going. Today was the first day we had a meal where we didn't have to place a single pup infront of the bowl. Once we got them all out of the whelping box they all worked it out on their own. There has been an official complaint from Roxy though when on arriving to 'clear up' after the pups, she discovered there wasn't actually a lot left!! This happened not once, but TWICE!! Suffice it to say, she wasn't happy but we most definitely were!!

And today White Collar became Duncan as Richard from Leicestershire came to view and very quickly fell in love. It is very lovely for us to start using the pups names so early in like this. We really hope it will help with the transition to their new homes too!!

The second video was taken about ten minutes after the first as after having their fill, all the pups drifted back to the whelping box and started to snooze!!! Just adorable!!

Today Green Collar was chosen to become part of Novenka and John's family in Cornwall. He is as yet un-named but hopefully not for long!! And all four girls were much admired by Korinna and Grant and their children with one to be chosen soon, once we know which girl is destined (possibly) for the show ring!!
Roxy adored having all these visitors - the pups did too although along with the hot weather, all the excitement took its toll and the teatime meal was totally missed whilst the pups slept, and then slept some more, and then a bit more after that. Not that they ate much supper either! Just as well they packed it way at breakfast and lunch - although as yet, they still haven't totally cleared both bowls!!

When they are awake, we are seeing so much more interaction between them: mouthing, licking, climbing on top of each other. Their awareness of their siblings becomes greater each day. They are also showing a lot more interest in us and other 'humans'. We regularly now get nibbled and climbed on. And they are responding more to our voices. We have begun the 'puppies come' call already. We use it when we go in their run each meal time carrying their feed bowls in order to encourage them to come out of their whelping box and start eating. And we will use it once they start going outside (next week hopefully) to get them outside to poo and wee as much as we can.

As yet, they aren't showing any interest in the boxes, scrunched up paper and cardboard rolls in their run although some are starting to explore all the corners. One did go behind a large cardboard box today and then barked as if to say, 'help, where am I, where is everyone??' We didn't laugh at her (think it was Pink Collar) too much!!

The video was post supper when they have a bit of a play before settling back down to sleep - as you will see, some missed out the play bit and went to sleep pretty much straight away!!

Today has been dominated by chewing - lots of it, as the pups discover how many different ways they can get their mouths round things: each other, Jack's trousers, shoes, cardboard rolls, towels, the whelping box, oh, as well as their food and mum's teats of course. And we can now report that both upper and lower incisors are indeed quite sharp!! It is incredible how strong their jaws are now - they really can apply quite a lot of pressure when they try to clamp their mouths shut!! All this initial mouthing is of course how they learn how hard they can bite before the object concerned gives way OR the animal concerned (dog or human) cries out because it actually hurt! We aren't at that stage yet but for some of the bigger pups, we will be soon!!

Today also saw Light Blue Collar chosen to go and live in Cornwall with Sarah and Barry - his name is not quite decided but has been whittled down to three!!

Roxy is now starting to feed standing up, as the second video shows. The larger pups (Bramble and Duncan) have a definite advantage here but my goodness, the smaller ones got the hang of it too - literally!! Apparently it can be more comfortable for a bitch to feed like this - no sharp claws to dig in for a start - but we must admit, we winced a bit when we saw it first time round. It is also all part of the weaning process because it is much easier for mum to walk away when she feeds like this! It also makes the puppies work harder and this is something that some research suggests produces more independent, confident pups too!!!

A day of serious exploring, lots of eating and not quite as much done by the humans as there should have been done - puppy watching is just way too irresistible. We are now at the delightful stage where as soon as we enter the run, scores of tiny feet race across the floor to check out what's going on. Mealtimes are now a battle to get the paper and bowls down before they all descend. And as for sitting down - only advised if you don't want to be licked, nibbled, climbed on and generally used as a plaything. So obviously, we haven't been sitting down at all!!!!

Grey Collar, now Ziggy, was chosen today by Marie who lives just a short drive from us in a nearby hamlet. He is the smallest boy who took a wee while to get going on the solid food but is now more than happy to shoulder his way past the bigger pups to get to the bowl. Just Purple, Lilac and Pale Green Collars left to choose of the boys now!!!

PIctures and videos gets harder to take as the pups get more and more active but we did manage to capture Bramble and Duncan having a great tug of war with a piece of paper today. Watching this interaction develop is a real joy - and quite fascinating!! The learning going on is fairly intense in these short play sessions: how much can I pull or push here, what happens if I bite this, can I climb on top of that? No wonder they crash out and have to sleep so much.

Roxy feeds less and less and very rarely now lies down with the pups anymore. And when she does go in the run, the pups are then very, very keen to see her!!! She still likes to be in the same room as them a lot of the time and she spends the night on the sofa by their run. Basically, she is being an excellent mum!!

It is wonderful how much fun can be had with bits of scrunched up paper. Don't you just love it when pups pick something up in their mouths and proudly walk around with it. Have a look at the videos to see this in action!!!

Mealtimes now are getting quicker as the pups are virtually clearing their bowls and playtimes are getting longer as the need to sleep becomes a little less. Attention spans are some delightfully limited though - one minute a pup is playing with a bit of paper and the next, a second pup comes along, bowls into them and then begins a game of rough and tumble. We are starting to hear a few louder squeals as some of the biting becomes too much - all part of learning bite inhibition. We should add that a couple of the squeals have come from us as ankles and fingers prove a bit too tasty!!! No doubt, we will be doing this a few more times over the next few weeks!!

A very important part of puppy socialisation is touch: as in the pups becoming used to being touched by us, their humans. We have always been very keen to ensure that our dogs are happy for us to touch them on any part of their body - this isn't about dominance, it's about building a trusting relationship so that if the dog is hurt, needs to be examined, groomed, given medication etc. these can all happen without the dog becoming scared or worried, or worse, aggressive. As much as we can therefore, we touch the pups every single day 'and' we vary what we do. So we stoke backs, necks, heads and legs; we tickle between their toes (useful for when you need to trim the long setter hair to avoid knots under their feet), we open mouths, we turn them on their backs, we hold onto their paws (gently) and don't let them immediately pull them away. We really hope all this will mean that at 8 weeks, your pup is very happy to continue to be examined all over both by you, and of course by your vets (although we hope mainly by you!).
It's a tough job, having to spend all this time with the 12 of them in this way, but someone's got to do it!!!!!

So today, we have had TOTALLY clean bowls - much to Roxy's deep consternation - and indeed the other dogs, who even after Roxy has cleared up the leftovers, usually manage to find the odd morsel. Sorry guys!! And we are pleased to say that all the pups seem to be tucking it away at a pretty consistent rate!!
Roxy is still giving a them a few feeds but we are now at the stage where we are providing the bulk of the pup's food. They are also drinking water now from the bowl (which is a very sweet sight.)
We have to say we are really thrilled with them all just now - all are lively, eating well and looking great - poo quality is good too - always a 'nice' sign of a dog's health!!

Oh my, well, haven't we had fun today!! Today was the day we opened up the outside run and the pups had their first play in the straw. It was all a bit tentative at first but as the video shows, after a quick explore, eating outside was not a scary experience at all, and will hopefully now become the new norm.
We will take a lot more photos over the next few days - puppies and straw are a great combination - but today we spent a lot more time making encouraging noises and sitting in the straw with the pups to help them get used to their new space!!

There is a lot less sleeping going on, a lot more eating and poo-ing and LOADS more play!! These last few days the pups seem to have suddenly become much more aware of their surroundings and they are making the most of the space. Seeing them playing in the straw is just delightful and already they are tuned in to our puppy cry: 'puppies come' - always said in a very silly voice, despite best efforts to speak normally!!!!

We are so lucky that the room the pups are in is the coolest in the house and that, at the moment, their outside run isn't getting too hot either. Roxy has been feeding them a bit more the last few days and we have had the discussion as to whether this is a repose to the hot weather and some kind of maternal instinct that her pups need more liquid intake?? They are also drinking a lot of water and of course their feed is very wet as we are soaking it still. This is all good news: dehydrated pups can become very ill, very quickly!

Play is very boisterous just now as the pups get stronger and more and more mobile. We usually hear a few loud squeals each day and/ or see a pup extract itself from a round of rough and tumble that was becoming a bit too much! All this is of course part of growing up and learning!
And of course the chew and mouth all the time: bare ankles and legs are not recommended.
Their second worming starts tomorrow - wish us luck!!

Finally, Purple boy has been chosen to go and live with Francine and her family in Norfolk - the name is almost decided but not quite!!

And finally, finally, we 'think' all the pups are now sold - it's been a bit of a roller coaster securing homes for the last few but we really couldn't be happier with them all, so a huge thank you!!!

PS - Ziggy (grey collar) wins the prize for being the first to lose his collar, twice!! He has thus been collar-less for the last 2 days - we do have a new one (the old one is no longer sticky due, we suspect, to repeated sucking!!), so will be having words and re-attaching!! We strongly suspect he will be joined by a few more of his siblings over the next three weeks - this is why we buy in at least two packs!!!!

Today has been very, very warm but thankfully the pups have had their cool whelping box and at times, even a bit of a breeze coming in through the door. They are also very good at drinking water when they need too, as the video shows.
Lunch was eaten inside as it was just too hot in their run but by teatime, parts of it were shaded so al fresco it was. It is so much better when they eat outside: way less mess plus we are encouraging them to then stay out if possible to then wee and poo and this helps keep their inside run so much cleaner and we hope, is a positive beginning to their toilet training!!!.
Each meal time now we add just a little more food and today, they just kept clearing the bowls every single time (sorry Roxy!!). They seem to be growing on an hourly basis!! It is fabulous seeing such big appetites - exactly what we need at this stage!!

Today saw the first of the girls chosen by their new owners and so Orange Collar is now destined to go and live with the Brown family in Warwickshire.
Today also saw Bramble enter the 'how many times can I lose my collar' race!! At one stage, having re- fastened it for third time, we found it attached to Pink Collar!!!

Every thing about these pups is special!! And Roxy continues to be super-mum. She loves visitors, she is really happy for her pups to be handled and this week she has also started to be much happier about the other dogs popping in to say hello too!!!

Today has been spent eating (sort of), sleeping (a lot of) and then around 10pm awaking up (and being being totally, totally manic).
It's been a scorcher and tomorrow is set to be worse....
So a video of sleeping pups follows, along with a fair few pictures of sleeping pups.
The only good thing about the weather being so warm is that the pups have been too tired to put up much of a fuss about being wormed!! Little angels...

The excitement of the day is that Pale Green (now George) was chosen to go and live with Sharon and Bob in Cornwall which is particularly exciting as this means he will be growing up with Biscuit, one of Stonefly's litter from Christmas. One Irish and one Gordon: they are going to have Such Fun!!!
Which now means that Lilac Collar is the lucky boy who gets to go up to Epping Forest to live with Sam and Chris.

Just the last three girls now to get chosen by their owners (although, one girl still needs to 'find' her owner....).

Today was so hot, and we were all affected, eating less, drinking more and doing as little as possible. It was only this evening that the pups found the energy to properly eat (as in clear their bowls) and then have a good play!!
We love watching them play: at times we just see a heap of pups and at other times, individuals are just doing their own thing and thoroughly enjoying the moment. There is a lot more interaction going on with the objects in their run now, inside and outside. We will start to fill up the outside run with more items for them to inter cat with (as soon as the weather cools that is).

We have to say that the pups are - at the moment - keeping a pretty clean inside run. They tend to poo and wee on the paper on the whole, and whilst the mornings can be a bit of a disaster zone, during the day, things never get too bad!! (Mind you we do pick up as often as we can.) And when they do go out to wee and poo, we give as much praise as we can. At this stage, they aren't really that responsive to such human behaviour and emotions but you never know what might be starting to trickle into their consciousness. One thing they are REALLY responsive to is the 'puppies come' call - we really must take a video of that!!

And finally weights: all doing well, another increase across the board of around 1.5/ 1.6 times last week's weights. Collectively they are 10kgs heavier than they were a week ago!!

The jury is out as to whether the puppies liked today's rain and hideous humidity any more than yesterdays' sun and heat! They ate less today and slept even more spread out than on Monday, so maybe today's weather really didn't suit them any better. The evening playtime as the temperature went down was totally manic. We lost count of the number of times the pups ran inside, then outside, then back inside. They love the straw and it is such a safe material for them to enjoy.
But we are all looking forward to a return to more sensible temperatures it has to be said!!

In other news, today saw two more pups chosen and named. Red Collar, now Wren was chosen by Clare and Dave and so is set to join them and their family in Hertfordshire and Korinna and Martin will be welcoming Yellow Collar, now Bess, to their family home near Bristol. All the pups are now chosen and all but three now named - and we just have our last girl to sort!!!

Incredibly the temperatures today have been anywhere between 15 and 20 degrees lower than the last few days, at around 16-22 degrees. And what a difference it has made for the pups. Bowls were emptied of food at all four meal times, sleeping has been back to cute puppy piles and there has been far more play.

By the start of week five, the pups' eyesight was as good as an adults, and now, at the start of week six, their hearing is acute!! On one of yesterday's Zoom calls, the sound of clicking and puppy-calling type noises was clearly heard by the pup by the camera at that time and we were all treated to the classic 'gordon-head-tilt' as she tried to work out just where this sound was coming from. Mega cute.
We are trying to get them used to lots of noises now from clapping hands to hoovers, from radios to doorbells, as well as unexpected sounds such as items being dropped. They do now associate the clanging of metal bowls with food - so hopefully an association that will continue!!

The pups' eyes have really changed now - they are dark and soulful and they are capable of quite intense and prolonged staring at their surroundings. When they give us eye contact; looking up with their cute, grumpy faces, the tug on the heart strings is enormous. They seem to convey so much in those looks: trust, belief and confidence. We hope we have caught this in some of today's photos.

And how can it be that in three weeks, they will all be in their new homes?? Gulp!!!!

Today Jeanette and Diana came down from Oxfordshire to see the pups (and us!!) and we all spent the day cuddling, playing and posing.
There follows some very cute pictures of the individual pups all trying their very best to smile for the camera!!

AND, in excellent news, Pink Collar now has a home to go and in just a few short weeks will be heading up to Sheffield to live with Stuart and Jen.

The pups are now eating twice as much in a day as they were a week ago - Roxy is seriously unimpressed as she stares at the empty bowls we bring out of the run, and the pups' bellies are basically pudding shaped!!!
It's all good, we imagine that weight gains this week will be the biggest yet! They aren't getting a huge amount of milk now as Roxy has cut right down on her feeds - although she still herself seems to have a huge appitite.
Every day is now about 'more': more chewing, more playing, more running... we have put lots more 'toys' in the outside run for them to engage with - top favourite so far: an empty milk carton!!!
Jaws are strengthening and some of the 'play-biting' now can be quite full on judging by some of the squeals. We are now at the stage where we are trying to swap our fingers for bits of cardboard or rope so they don't get into too much of a habit of mouthing 'flesh'. It's not easy with 12 sets of knashers to keep at bay (LOL) - one of the pups got Jack right on the tip of the elbow the other day - it hurt!!!
David didn't laugh for long!!!
The straw continues to be a huge hit - they love to play in it, chew it and of course it provides a soft landing for all those zillions of times they crash land on their backs whilst scrapping!!!

Today was a lot cooler than it has been and so aside from meal times when, unless it is raining, we always put the feed bowls outside, the pups have had alot of time inside. The good news is that aside from a couple of very naughty poos in the whelping box (no longer used for sleeping we might add), the pups still did the majority of their toileting outside, to say we are impressed is an under-statement.

It is funny how in all three of the litters we have had to date, the pups have stopped sleeping in their whelping box at around the five week mark and started instead, to sleep by the gate in the mesh paneling. We have now put a vet bed down, instead of just towels, and at night now we put the door on the whelping box to prevent any of the aforementioned 'toileting errors'!!!

There is now more and more interaction with the other dogs - albeit behind the paneling or from the security of their outside run. Otter, our 6-month old Irish Setter, would probably love to join the pups in the straw (it wasn't that long ago, she lived there herself) but I expect if she did go in, she'd be out pretty sharpish when the pups made a bee-line for her under-carriage!!!

We think it is safe to say that these puppies have been getting a lot of attention and do rather love it. Today's visitors had the joy of puppy cuddles pre feeding and post feeding before tiredness took over and the puppies collapsed in sleepy bundles in the nearest lap!! Getting them used to all these different sized and shaped humans, voices and ways of being touched, is so important and we are so grateful for all the visits we get.
Today was also very windy and we had straw blowing literally everywhere including into the inside run and then out the other side onto the floor of our front room. We only had to hoover three times!!

Appetites are voracious still and we are increasing their food a lot now, as well as not soaking it for quite so long so that they have to do a bit more 'chomping' to be able to swallow the biscuits. Based on the pups' 'chomping' of our fingers, having to chew their food a bit more won't be a problem for them.

If you are anything like us (and I expect you all are), you hate getting cross with your dog(s) and feel guilty when you do. There is no doubt that at times our canine pals may, just may (!!) need speaking to in a stern voice but setters are sensitive souls and don't respond well when their humans get too cross with them.
These pups, six weeks old today, have known nothing but kindness in their short lives so far: the voices they hear are all, on the whole, soft, caring and the equivalent of being wrapped in a huge, snuggly blanket and whispered sweet nothings too.
And long may it continue. Kindness leads to happiness in our book (much the same for humans really).
And of course this is all down to us, as puppy owners, to set the right tone from day one, to be consistent, to set the boundaries and not confuse. Now, as you all now know - our dogs are pretty exuberant and bouncy and as a gang of seven, perhaps lead each other astray at times (uh-hem) but my goodness they are happy. We don't have too many 'house rules' but the few we do have are introduced kindly: waiting for the command before they start to eat; going outside (or into their dog room) as soon as they have finished eating and only coming back in when everyone has finished; being allowed to approach livestock but not chase; going out for last wees at night and then going to their beds in the dog room, not back into the house..).
And when we open the gate to our fields and allow them all through, my goodness, it's like letting kids into a sweet shop - the whoops, the wagging tails, the racing through the grass, the turning round and racing back towards us - just because they can.... it's pure magic. Seeing them happy, makes us happy!
We (Jack) had a bit of a 'moment' today at the thought of the lives these pups have ahead of them - with nothing but kindness, laughter and love from their amazing owners-to-be.
Precious little bundles!!

Right-o, enough of the sop!! In other news, we now have a collective additional 13 kilos in weight compared to this time last week!! Weight gains are (as we are sure your can work out) around a kilo each!!! Individual weights are now from 3kg to 4.7kg. In the photo from above of them all feeding, size differences no longer look as obvious as they did a couple of weeks ago, and we can assure you that all bellies are most definitely full and podgy - just as they should be.
We are also getting quite a few curly ears appearing, and in some cases longer coats. And the tans are all looking stunning!!!
AND, we have only picked up about 4/5 poos inside today - all the rest have been outside: clever little munchkins aren't they?

The puppies are spending less and less time asleep and although the 'books' tell us that they sleep between 18 and 20 hours a day, at the moment it feels as though they are awake and playing a lot.
They interact with each other more and more and we definitley hear loud squeals more frequently as someone bites just a little too hard!
They all (touch wood) seem confident little souls - when we tidy up their toys - which we do several times a day - we deliberately throw them in their boxes and beds in order to get them used to loud noises. We also clap at them too, for the same reason. The sound of the adult dogs barking doesn't send them scurrying back inside as it used to, the same for vehicles outside on the road (though we don't get a lot).
And number of inside poos again today, a mere three!!!

Today we changed the pups' straw, speading a whole new bale in their outside pen, complete with a few wedges to add 'hillocks' to the scene.
Think the videos (not the best, sorry) and photos say it all!
Straw really is the best play material there is!! (Although as the videos show, Jack's trousers and wellies come a close second!)

Today the pups just haven't stopped - except that is every time we have tried to take a photo or video of them and then they stop what they are doing and rush over to us. They have been some really brilliant photo and video opportunities but most of the photos have been of out of focus blurs or exterme close ups of noses - all utterly hilarious - we need an 'out-takes' at the end of this blog, that's for sure.
Their favourite playing today was with a box that we turned into a mini tunnel - my goodness, they loved it - one of the best games was one pup in, one out, each teasing the other by darting backwards and forwards whenever the other went to grab them.
It's no wonder our garden is getting rather overgrown - and don't mention the allotment: - spending hours watching these guys is way too addictive!!

And not that we wish to name and shame but Ziggy (grey) and Coco (Orange) are now BOTH on their THIRD collars!!!! They tell us their siblings keep chewing them and that's why they come off!!!! Hmmmmm...

The puppies have a new Best Friend: six-month old Otter, our youngest Irish! Otter has been desperate to play with them all for some days now and this afternoon she got her wish. We opened up the gate in their outdoor run, and after a few scary 'shall-I-shan't-I' moments, out they all came. Roxy gave them a quick feed and then sensibly left them too it, by which stage Otter and Sparrow had appeared and having worked out neither provided a milk bar, the pups then realised they were good for a bit of ear and tail pulling instead and got stuck in. Sparrow decided she was a bit too grown up now and departed for finer things, which left Otter, who was only too happy to be left in charge.

Suffice it to say that rugs didn't get made, gardening was forgotten and computer work abandoned as we proceeded to watch the chaos unfold before us. The puppies were amazing - so confident, so eager to explore, so unfazed by all these new and amazing sights, sounds and smells. Otter was also amazing: a delightful mix of gentle and fun. She was firm but kind when a few pups searched her undercarriage at the start and that was all it took.

We did have a slight problem mind you when we decided that the pups had had enough and needed to head back in to their whelping area for some rest. Otter came too and rather fell in love with the straw filled outside pen and the joy of lying on her back with pups crawling all over her. It was our turn to be firm then as we led Otter away mumbling and groaning: 'but I want to stay, they love me, they want me to carrying on playing with them...'

As we type this, the pups are totally crashed out - we had visitors this morning too, so they really have had a fabulous day. Time now to sleep, dream and rest before LOTS more visitors over the weekend for the Delmhies 2nd Puppy Party.

Finally a disclaimer - the lip in the gate over which the pups had to climb, is a little high - as proved by the belly flops (!!) in and out! (sweet to watch though). We will add a bit of a step for them for the next time. And apologies for the terrible 'puppy come' calls - don't think Jack will be auditioning for voice-overs any time soon - LOL

A quieter day AND, we are ashamed to say, a day when the whelping area was NOT as clean as it has been. It seems a bit of rain (something this litter hasn't had much experience of to date) was rather off-putting when it came to going outside to perform.... hmmm... we had words and they all promised to try to do better tomorrow (rain is forceast again...).

The pups really are growing up fast - they are, as far as character goes (and we think we have said this before), all very similar. All have moments of madness and of quite reflection. If one takes themselves off, apart from the others, it is never the same one. When they start to fall asleep, the 'last (wo)man standing', the one who refuses to give in to the fast closing eyelids, is different each time. They do seem to be a fabulously 'even' litter.

Today was our second Delmhies Birthday Party so we had a field full of two year old Gordons from Roxy's first litter and seven month old Irish Setters from Stonefly plus of course all our lot. Unsurprisingly, we then has a 'very' steady stream of visitors who left their 'adult' dogs with OH's and made their way back to the house to ooh and aah over the current 12 pups. And the result: well, the photos speak for themselves!!
Gloria, owner of the sire and long-time GS breeder, was one of the visitors and was once again, delighted at what Roxy and Jack (Gordon Jack, not human Jack!!) had produced!! The world is now better of by 22 fabulous Gordon Setters, thanks to these two amazing dogs!!

Today's fabulous news (which you all now know) is that aside from a teenny umbelical hernia in one of the boys (owner informed), all the pups were given a totally clean bill of health. We were so thrilled and and rather proud that to think that between them, Roxy and Jack have now produced 22 stunningly beautiful, healthy Gordon pups.
The trip to the vets was fun - we had a little bit of sickness, a little bit of crying and then a lot of cuddling when they arrived. Then there was Remy who needed a bit of a wash as one of his siblings decided to be sick a little bit more, right on top of his head!!!
Back home, Roxy rewarded them all with a now rare afternoon go at the milk bar! Guess she missed them!!
Now they have their microchips and a clean bill of health, we are starting to get mega excited at the thought of them being ready to start the next stage of their lives with their new owners! We aren't going to miss them at all of course!!!

Today's video just kind of sums up just how amazing these pups are: the 7-week old ones and the 7 month old too - enjoy!!!

Today is the last full day all twelve pups will be together as tomorrow the first one leaves for his new home!!
It has been a day full of mixed emotions for the humans and of play, sleep, eat, repeat, for the pups.
We know we are going to miss them - hugely - we are pretty sure Otter is going too as well - she has spent hours with them all today, even sleeping with them after lunch!!
Roxy will too!! She spends a lot of her day in the front room looking over them, not so much time now in with them, and feeds are usually just once a day when she goes in first thing in the morning!! We are, we must admit, looking forward to her no longer having her 'mum' duties, being a little less tired and getting back to her full fitness!! She deserves it!!
And as for the pups - they really are confident, happy, well-balanced bundles of cuteness - we have LOVED bringing them up from that first day when they really could fit in the palm of our hands to today, at fifty-one days old, when they are now big enough to snuggle into our shoulders, filling our faces with that heavenly puppy smell, before then trying to nibble our noses!!!
We wish each and every one the best possible life with their wonderful new owners!!