08-31-13 7 Weeks Old Today!

This is going too fast!  It seems like it was just the other day - maybe 3 weeks ago - when these puppies arrived!  I cannot believe we don't have much more time with these kids!

7:00 Stayed in bed late to see what would happen.

_________________________________________________________________________________We were up and moving around.  We couldn't get Mom's attention, so we started playing with our rooster.  A cluck here - a cluck there!  Finally, some results!  She came to see us.  We really weren't hungry.  We just needed some love!  Unfortunately, we didn't get the love first.  She went immediately to cleanup duty!!  Can you believe it?  She forgot to turn on the washer last night.  Now, we are waiting for our extra carpet to be washed and dried.  I guess it is a good thing she added the extra pen for us to play.  We are having a great time.  She threw in some paper from the other side - to recycle - we are having a great time stomping through it and tearing it up.  We love to hear it rattle!!

It seems we are going to be watching a ton of football around here.  Dad watched some game about Raiders and Mustangs last night.  It is only 8:00AM and he is watching something about some Tigers now!  Now, we hear a lot of talk about some Longhorns!  What are all these things?  We are just ignoring it because we are actually into wrestling - not watching - but doing!

We know Momma Belles is a fan of golf!  She tells us that she watches that with Dad all the time!  Mom says we will listen to some more Kim Komando so we can be Tech savvy also.  She wants all of us to know a little bit about the computer, so we don't eat the electrical cords.  She says our parents should place plastic around any cords, so we don't get electrocuted.  She especially wants Zoya to know about computers, so she can help her new Dad Grant with coding!

Mom was on her new computer last night watching Windows 8 tutorials.  She has to catch up on it since she only had Windows XP.  Then, she is trying to learn the Mac also!  She wanted to splice a video for you, but maybe in the next week!  She has been trying to get familiar with iMovie also.  As Mom says, "Everything seems to be a process these days!  - including us!

Mom says she is going to be outside working this morning on the destruction Momma Belles and Uncle Chase have caused to her new miniature crepe myrtles.  She had placed landscape fabric around them, but it didn't keep them from digging after the moles.  They just torn up the fabric with their teeth like they do roots on plants!  Of course, Mom says one Cairn doesn't get in as much trouble as two Cairns, etc.  She tells us about two is the right number of Cairns in a household - especially if you want to have a garden.  She does say it is easier for my relatives to dig in the flower beds here because they live on beach sand on this side of Tyler.  She says Tazz and Chase didn't do as much digging in Georgia clay soil!
                                                                      ---  The Five
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08-30-13

6:57 - 7:27AM - Puppy pen cleaned up in 30 minutes today!  New method!

9:15AM - They needed spray baths again!

10:30AM - Having a love session in front of the BIG TV to get them use to it.

Little Joe - He loves to cuddle and chews on his treat while watching TV.  He did look up and pay attention to it for awhile, then went back to chewing.  He loves attention and to be loved.  One of our celebrities!

Hello Dolly - She squirms at this point.  So, I'm holding her close.  She has done this since the first days, and it can be broken.  She likes to investigate!  She wants to know what is going on in her surroundings.  She doesn't pay any attention to TV.  She doesn't really want anything to do with her chew stick, but loves to pay attention to my face and loves me talking to her.  When I hold her around her pen, she is climbing up to my face.  She gave me a wet kiss in my ear the other day!  She is very funny!  I started calling her Hello Dolly because she was always coming up to the pen and begging me to pick her up!  She wants to be with me whenever I'm around!  Our second celebrity!  She is going to be a very lively and fun puppy!

Little Joe and Hello Dolly could be twins.  Their head shape and body size are very similar.  It is hard for me to tell them apart looking down on them in the pen.  Dolly should stay pretty dark.  Joe has some lighter colors mixed into his dark look.

Zoey - She liked to stay on my chest, then my lap chewing her stick. When she got tired, I put her in my lap to chew.  Then, she wanted back up on my chest near my face for kisses!  She doesn't try and chew on my hands.  She was liking my wrist some.  She is very lovable!

Maggie - When I found her, she was sleeping in her food bowl and didn't really fit!  So, she was actually in 1-1/2 food bowls!  She likes to chew on her stick, but only holds her interest for a short time.  She does like to try and chew my hands, wrist, and went for my nose!  She seems to have a short attention span.  She started on my chest and walked herself down to my lap.  She has to be watched because she came very close to the edge and could have fallen off the sofa.

Zoey and Maggie could have been twins.  Each puppy came from their own sacks.  They have the same face shape and body shape (larger puppies).  They have similar temperaments only.  Maggie seems to have a bit of a temper when she doesn't get attention immediately which can be broken.

Sweetpea -  She is last again due to her calm personality.  Her eyes beg me to pick her up each time I go back to the pen.  When I have puppies making too much noise when they apart from the others, I put her with them.  She would make a great second Cairn or for someone who wants more of a cat.  She acts very delicate.  She is very loving and didn't try and wonder with me.  Just wanted to cuddle.  She finally went to sleep on my shoulder after I laid down on the sofa.  She seems to ignore the TV, but craves a companion.  She doesn't have any separate anxiety from the pack or a person.

6:50PM Caught Sweetpea sitting in the dry water bowl!  What is up with these puppies?  Actually, it runs in the genes!  Thank goodness there are two water bowls!

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Mom says, we are the best litter of puppies she has had in the mornings.  Dad gets up at 5AM, and we don't make a peep!  We started getting a little restless about 6:57AM because Mom put us to bed so early last night (9:30PM), so she could get some sleep!

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08-29-13

We found one play toy to share today!  Video to follow!

08-28-13

By 6:15AM, we accomplished these items:

1. all poop was out of the pen from overnight
2.  they had eaten
3.  the puppies were enjoying their turkey broth (free of salt or additives) popsicles

By 7:45AM, pooped had been cleaned up three (3) times!  I had 8 samples of poop instead of 5 to take to the doc to run a test.  All 9 doggy dishes are in the dishwasher and now I just need to get in the shower and go to the vet's office.  Since it is Wednesday, he is only in for 1/2 day!

Vet called to say the test results came out negative for any type of worms!  I don't think anyone has ever had any worms with my puppies - not a surprise!  It does seem the heartworm preventative Belles was on about a year or two ago as a puppy killed every worm.  They have since taken it off the market.  The heart worm preventatives now don't cover preventing as many worms.  Therefore, they have to be tested for certain varities of worms from time to time.

Debra and I ran them around the kitchen island last night!  I would post the video, but our video photographer didn't keep the camera on the puppies all the time.  I might be able to be edited later!

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Yesterday, we decided to tackle our potty pad while Mom was out.  We had tiny bits of cotton flying everywhere!  When Mom returned home, it was a huge mess and she removed all potty pads!  No fun!  Now, we are working on grabbing the potty pads underneath our papers and carpet from the outside.  We are able to get our paws outside the fence and pull the pads toward us.  Then, Mom goes and weights everything down.  She is threatening to bring in bricks to put around the pens to hold everything down!  Sometimes, we just pull up the carpet and try to destroy the pads.  So, she put paper on top of them, then the carpet.  She says, it is all about layering!  Well, we will come up with other ways to have fun.  We will not be defeated by a human because we know we are much smarter than a human!

                                                                                            -- The Five

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08-24-13 More Videos

Granny CoCo socializing the kids!

Zoey!

08-27-13 Video

Cleaning up after the kids didn't end until 1PM.  I moved them out to the kitchen from the utility room and set them up in three (3) pens.  Then, I realized it wouldn't work because they follow me everywhere.  While in the pens, they would end up in their poop every time I went to the outside door.  Therefore, I had to start over again.

Then, I was going to collect poop from everyone to take to the Vet for a test.  Can you believe it?  They have pooped non-stop since their 3rd week of life.  This afternoon after lunch, I could only collect two (2) poops out of five (5).  Three let me down.  I got dressed to go to the vet and had the dogs put up in the master bathroom.  And we all waited.  Nothing more happened.  Guess we will try again tomorrow.

I thought I might get some results if I could get them out to exercise.  Well, we ran around and around the island.  Nothing.  Nothing at all.  They just went back to sleep when I put them back into their pen.
They are still sleeping at 5:35PM.

Time to go make dinner!

Maggie has a new way of letting me know the puppies are out of water.  She just climbs into the dish and goes to sleep!

Have to watch your hands now when you go down to pick up a puppy.  Maggie has the jaws and will latch onto you!

When running around the island, they were trying to get my toes and ankles!  The teeth are in!

08-25-13 Video 3

08-26-13 Busy Day

9:42AM  The puppies have been relaxing for the last hour.  They were crying for me to come back and pay attention to them, so I distracted them.  I don't want to reinforce the crying.  So, I gave them turkey broth popsicles to distract them!  They are all happy and content now.

We have a big day today!  I have errands to run.  Have to get back and get them fed.  Then, the puppies go to the vet for their first shots today!  Belles has to go for a Parvo also!  Tooooo many to handle!!

11:06  Little Joe was the last to open his eyes, but the first to put his ears up!  The rest of the ears are on there way up!!  Some Cairns have a had time putting up their ears, but I have never had a problem with my puppies.  As far as I'm concerned, they go up too quick!

4:00PM - Left for the Vet
4:15PM - Vet Appointment to have our Worming and 1st Puppy Shots
5:09PM - They are in their pen.

They were the best little puppies.  No one cried when given the shot (this was a first)!  Now, they are complaining in their pen!

The puppies played last night like they never had any shots!

08-25-13 Video 2

08-24-13

Maggie stayed in the utility room pen where she should have felt safe, but she still cried out.  We had to have a discussion which I tried to win!

We went outside this morning to play and take pictures.  I placed CoCo in the pen.  They tried to latch unto her.  CoCo never disciplined her puppies, but she told the grandkids that wasn't appropriate!  She even laid down on the grass, so no puppy could get under her.  I thought that was very clever of her!  She introduced them to different dog correction sounds.  They will need more interaction with the female dogs.  Tazz will work with them later.

At lunch, Maggie has moved into my bedroom with Tazz and Chase in the same area, and she is fine.  She seems to display separation anxiety from the puppies or me.  Maggie was very quiet and ate her food.  Now, she is squeaking some to get out of her crate and making some new interesting sounds.  Maggie finally cleaned her plate like Zoey - through all her drama!

I'm feeding them 1/4 cup of food each meal.  Zoey polished her food off for the first time since I have separated them for meals.  Everyone else had a little left on their plate.  Without the competition, they don't each as much as they did.  Getting them ready to go home and eat by themselves.  At this point, all of them are going to be only children!

The puppies were doing great in their crates for lunch.  Now, I hear sounds from the kitchen.  Time to go and check on them.  They were finished eating and put them back into their pen.

2:33  Zoey came into the pen in my bedroom and cried for awhile.  She is sound asleep now.  I'm working in my bedroom on my computer and paper work.   Zoey woke up for the stapler sound.  It really got her attention.

5:300PM - #5 is in my room working with me.  She is perfect.  I have been calling her Greenlea, but I now want to call her Dolly or Bell.  She loves for me to pick her up, but is up and looking around and seeing the TV!  She loves it in here and Belles is on the floor watching her!

5:56PM They have worn me out today.  So, they are going to all eat in their pen together.  Zoey is so alpha she has to eat out of Maggie's dish!

Well, Zoey went to sleep in the big dog water dish today.   Then, when it went dry, #1 stepped in it trying to get any water she could out of it.

These puppies really drink the water.

7:30 Little Joe came into my office area.  He stayed until he pooped in the crate.  He needs to come back.  He was so GOOD!

9:10PM Have been on the bed and floor playing with CoCo and Belles.  Something has gotten into these two gals.  They want to play tug, but Belles is like Flopsie and taking everything away from Mom.  I'm going to have to separate them to be able to play with CoCo.  They were absolutely crazy on my bed playing tug of war tonight.  It is obvious that Belles is feeling better now!

08-23-13

Everyone ate in their separate crates today for the first time while their pen was being cleaned.  Well, Maggie started the chorus again today.  Finally, I moved her into the study and let Belles baby sit her, but it was too late because I couldn't get them to stop.  After the pen was cleaned, each puppy was weighed.  By putting them into separate pens to eat, they are slowing down on their food consumption since they aren't in competition with the other puppies.

Maggie is still leading the pack in weight, but she hasn't been eating much by herself.  So, it might give everyone else a chance to catch up with her!

They, it was bath time before they went back into their pen (again)!  Seems this is a dirty crowd, and we may be having baths everyday.  We might have to step it up to twice a day.

They looked bored, so I gave them chew sticks today.  They don't seem much on playing with their toys.  They enjoyed those for awhile.  Next, I cut up with paper towel holders.  Some of them got stuck on their noses - very cute.

I have video, but I think it ran to long to post.  I'll try and get some of it.  Sorry, I'm between new computers and trying to get everything setup or this litter is getting the short end of the technology stick.  I'm having problems posting pictures on Breeders.Net of the puppies.  I think they have changed their software also - like Goggle Blogs - which cuts down on the file size of picture or video which you can post.

The puppies are getting more animated with each other.  Maggie was so tired after all her singing and playing that she fell asleep for awhile.  She just had to have a nap before she got up to play again.  The other puppies were going strong!

The puppies had a visit from their Grandma CoCo and Uncle Chase (no relation) today.  They did great with them.  CoCo has been trying to get them to play in their crates.  I cannot wait to get her out with the puppies and see if she will play with them.  She really didn't play with her own.  Aunt Tazz (no relation) played with her puppies.  Everyone picks up the slack since Mom cannot play with them (due to they would want to nurse again).

Belles was in the study with Maggie, and she knew the minute I let the other dogs come in to see the puppies in their crates.  She finally worked her way out of the study and squeezed through the kitchen gate to check on things.  She has calmed down greatly since the first four weeks!  Everything was cool with her!

I was up late last night making collages of all the puppies except Zoey.  She will get one today after the errands are run!  Promise!

After making them, I do see I need to take more individual pictures of them!

11AM - Falling to sleep with Love Songs being played by Pandora.  If their room turns out to be the utility room, they have heard the washer and dryer going continuously since the third week of their lives.

Momma's milk is almost dried up, so hopefully she will be able to play with the puppies before they go to their new homes.

08-23-13 Pictures of Each Puppy

Click on each picture to magnify. 

#1 Sweetpea

#3 Maggie (Debra is her Mom)

#5 (Dolly)

#2 - Little Joe (Mary is his Mom)

#4 Zoey (Amanda and Grant are her new parents)

08-22-13

Today, Maggie and Zoey are eating in separate crates from the others.

Each puppy will be placed in separate crates to become accustom to eating alone.  By the time you receive them, they shouldn't whine for each other.  Maggie and Zoey are still whining in their crates.  After they ate, they were put into a crate together.

Interesting to see they eat much less when they don't have competition and the other three eat more!

The two (2) may be alphas, but they don't like being away from their other siblings.  The three (3) are fine being away from them!

Well, Maggie has separation anxiety.  It has taken at least 30 minutes for her to calm herself down.  This is the second time today she has been separated from the litter to eat.  She has cried herself to sleep.  In the meantime, she had everyone singing at the top of their lungs!  Poor little Maggie, we will get her through this!

All puppies have been exposed to:
1.  Carpet
2.  Paper
3.  Potty Pads
4.  Grass
5.  Kitchen Floor - Only Maggie and Zoey (today)

Maggie and Zoey did great and explored the kitchen floor.  They weren't afraid  of the kitchen floor.  Both were very brave little Cairns!!

Took #1 to love on the sofa tonight.  She didn't know what to think at first, but finally became comfortable at chewed on the chew treat I had for her.  Boy it was a good thing I decided to take her back to the pen.  She hit the pen running to the potty pad and wet for a long time.  This is great - she held it and went to the pad!  I have never seen her miss!

08-21-13

I gave them 3 cups of food today.  They ate 2 cups.  The bag says each puppy should be eating 1/4 cups to 1-1/4 cups per day.

Grandma CoCo came to visit the kids this morning.  She was so cute outside the fence.  She was trying to get the kids to play.  I'll have to put her outside with the kids later and see if she can get them to play!

Belles came in to do her morning inspection of the puppies.  For some reason, she always gets them down on the dirty end of the pen.  I have to move her to the other side, so they puppies are in the play end of the pen.

This morning I have introduced raw hide chips to the kids for their teeth.  Of course, if there are only 3 chips everyone wants it.  Then, I gave them 5 chips for 5 kids.  Now, no one wants them.

As I was setting up the crate, the kids were chirpping again.  I found Maggie sitting in an empty water bowl and Zoey was standing in the other empty water bowl.

Today, I'm going to be working at the kitchen bar with my computer.  I have placed a crate with a potty pad in a portion of the crate.  I have lined it with packing paper.

The first girl in the crate is #5.  She has already zoned in on the TV and barked at it.  She let out another two barks.  She has no separation anxiety.  She is having a great time playing with the new toys I gave her.  Boy, my heart tugs and wants to pick her up with she looks up at me, but this is her alone time.  She was relaxed enough to fall asleep at 11:35AM.  I got up and walked away - no problems.  She is enjoying laying on her fuzzy toy fox!   Well, she doesn't like being away from humans.  This little girl will look me in the eye and ask to be picked up.  She did try and chew my ear this morning!

Zoey (#4) is in the crate eating her lunch now.  She was very quite for awhile, but she just let out a purr and is whining.  Just as I thought, she wanted to go to the bathroom.  I took her into the pen and put her on the potty side of the pen, then she went to the living side.  I growled at her and picked her up immediately to put her on the potty side.

12:30  Maggie is in the pen.  I have given her some food to eat.  She is whining with a raw hide in her mouth.  She is learning to chew on it.  She didn't last long.  Thought she might need to go to the bathroom.  She is in the pen crying with the others.

12:35  Little Joe is in the crate and doing fine and eating a little bit while everyone complains in the utility room.  Put Little Joe back into the pen at 12:52PM, so he could go to the bathroom and take a nap.  He did really well.  He even wet on his small potty pad in the crate!  Good boy Joe!  he had no problem being in the crate by himself!

12:42 All crying has stopped.

12:55PM - Lights have been turned out for their nap.  Everyone has eaten and is quiet.

1:58PM - Maggie wasn't sleeping, so I put her in the crate.  She doesn't seem to like being by herself.  She was whinning.  Little Joe came to share the crate with her, and she has settled down some.   Maggie was happy while she was enjoying her popsicles with Little Joe.  Now, she is complaining again.  I put a paper towel roll in the crate which Little Joe is enjoying!  He seems to be very independent.  Maggie loves playing with Zoey in the regular pen.  Going to have to work on Maggie, but Little Joe is doing great!

2:24PM - Maggie leaves the crate with Little Joe.  Enters Zoey.  She immediately took an interest in the paper towel holder and played with it for a short while.  She just looks up at me to say - What now?  Gave her a potty pad.  Petted her and told her good girl!  Zoey is having a popsicle.  Maggie is still upset in the big pen.  Went to see if they just needed love.  Maggie gave me puppy breathe kisses!  #5 loved being picked up  Now. Little Joe is fussing.  He got scared when I was banging ice on the counter top and ran to the other side of the pen.  He came back quickly!  #5 tackled Zoey today!

2:55  Now, Zoey is crying - not Maggie in the utility room!  #1 has been in her crate.  She even pooped on the potty pad in the crate.  Went over and told her what a good girl she was.  She has also had a popsicle and enjoyed it.  She is figuring out how to play with her toys by herself and having a great time!  She is a very calm Cairn!

3:06 #5's right ear went up!  Zoey has been fussing, so I picked her up.  Then, Maggie starts fussing again.  Later, I put Zoey back in the pen and both of them went to play.

Maybe, their teeth just hurt today with all the crying!

Well, I sent Belles in, and she couldn't help the puppies.   Finally, I gave them more food.  Belles and I left the room while they were still talking.  It seems they ate it and fell asleep!

5:01  Maggie and #5 have been sitting in the crate together.  They have been very quiet.

5:37  Kids are doing great now.  They must not have eaten enough food when it was offered.  Just wish they could talk!

5:51PM Saw Zoey make a choice to go to the other side of the pen to potty!  I had to grunt at her this morning to let her know she had gone on the wrong side this morning.  Good job Zoey!

8:16PM  Just finished with our baths because we are spending too much time on the potty side of the living area.  Don't know why that is.  It seems this group like to get dirty!  They want to sleep and play over there which hasn't happened before.

We went outside and we had two poops in the grass (in the pen)!  Yeah!!

We played follow the leader on a very short path and took video of all of them on their first try except #5.  #5 showed off on her second try on video.  She is a very energetic puppy and full of life!

Came inside and had our baths, then I gave them the wash cloth which I dried them with to pull tug of war.  They caught on quickly and everyone participated.  Zoey even played tug with the small hose I tied onto their pen!

08-20-13 Scheduling, Training, and Potty Skills

Up early this morning at 4:30AM!


I could tell they had run out of water from their little sounds this morning.  It is so wonderful just watching them drink water because it took awhile to get them to that point.  They love their water and just three weeks ago they were just drinking milk.

Well, everyone was so messy this morning, they had to have a bath.  All feet had to be put under the faucet!  Then, I took a wash cloth and tried to get the stink off of them.  It was obviously, they woke up last night and just pooped and played!  There wasn't much on the good side of the pen, but it was like they just had to walk through it for some reason!  Wish I had that video cam!  By 5:30AM, they were ready to play or go to sleep!

Our schedule was off yesterday due to all the errands I had to run.  Therefore, their eating schedule was off.   Therefore, I was up early because they ate late.  Which reminds me to tell you - it is  really important to keep all dogs on a schedule especially when they are young.  Any age, they always appreciate a schedule.

Scheduling leads me to another item - spoiling your puppy.  They are like children and will cry to get attention or if you leave the house.  It is really important you don't spoil your puppy.  Many breeders brag their puppies come pre-spoiled.  I would avoid these breeders.  Cairns and all dogs need structure.  There is a difference between loving your puppy/dog and spoiling them.  Spoiling will cause you daily life problems.  Training will create a wonderful life situation.  By the way - training is more for people rather than the puppy/dog.

Spoiling and scheduling works into training.  The puppies only need 15 minutes of training twice a day.

You will be training them when you aren't thinking about it. It can be positive or negative training.

When you leave the house, if you tell them goodbye, you are signaling to them they are going to be left alone.  When you come in, they get every excited.  Therefore, you ignore them for awhile to keep them from jumping on you or anyone else.  They don't have the same emotions as we do, so try not to project your feeling into their lives.

From the time you bring them house, you are training them in the habits and way of life you will lead.

So, if you hear them crying, you don't need to go over and immediately pick them up.  If you know they have been feed, have water, and have gone to the bathroom, then you know they are fine.  You do go and check on them if they are in their room or crate to make sure nothing is wrong.  If everything is fine, just walk off.  They will cry themselves to sleep.  Pick them up after they stop crying!

There is a rule for puppies/dogs how long they can go without going to the bathroom.

1 month - 1 hour
2 months - 2 hours
3 months - 3 hours
4 months - 4 hours
5 months - 5 hours

After they get older, they will surprise you and be able to hold it longer.  We try to only leave them for 5 hours at a time because they can get a bladder infection from having to hold it too long on a regular basis.

If you are working while they are growing up, putting them in the same type of pens I have allow them freedom instead of crating them.  If you get held up, then you don't have to worry as much about them. You will have to feed them in the middle of the day for awhile.

Actually, Koa's parents (CoCo's 2nd litter) had her trained to go outside in two weeks after coming home.  This is basically accomplished through anticipating when they need to go outside and getting them there before they have to potty!

Last night, CoCo was playing with her beloved tennis ball.  Somehow, it ended up between the wall and the bottom desk support bar.  She went frantic and almost dumped my new computer on the floor.  One mouse was pulled off the desk.  In this case, I usually don't allow her to have balls in the house, but sometimes the balls are snuck in by others like Chase (who loves to carry balls around in the house and out the back door).  Please make sure all computer wires are not available for your puppy to chew on in the house.  Tazz tried to eat the phone wires as a puppy.  There are long cables to put your computer wires through.

#1, #2, #3, #5 - They enjoyed playing and hopping through the pen while playing with each other.  They were so glad to have a bath!
#3 and #4 - She and Maggie tried going to sleep instead of playing like the other puppies.  They were shivering, so Steve and I put a wash cloth over them and held them until they dried out.
#5 - Green - She just loves being picked up and loved!  She will talk to  me and tell me she needs some love!

8-19-13

I love to write on my iPad in bed as ideas come to me.  So, I have already typed up an outline and started filling it in on my book - How to Raise A Cairn Puppy this morning!  I will try and put this together as fast as I can, so you have a chance to read over it before you pick up your puppy!

Wow!  They continue to make a bigger and better mess each morning!  Now, the pens and toys have been cleaned.  They will begin again!  Hint:  One of the pens had to go outside they morning to be sprayed down.

This leads me to another observation.  This is pretty cute, but puppies will back up to poop!  So, it ends up in some very difficult places to clean!  As they get older, it is good to have them in their pens.  Another thing I have had to clean up is poop off the walls.  They have a tendency to wipe themselves on the walls!  Just wanted to throw that in there for a warning for the new parents!  Puppies are messy, but worth it - if you can keep your sanity!  Just laugh -- it makes it easier!  And remember I have puppies at the messiest stage of their lives in multiples of 5, 6, and 7!   Then, it makes it easier to deal with one puppy at a time!

As I'm cleaning the poop side of the pen, they are being entertained by food!  Anyway, we all know what that means - more poop!  Just remember when you feed them, they will poop once after every meal.  You will be feeding them three times a day for awhile!  When they can go outside, take them for a walk after the meal.  The food helps stimulate the digestive system, and they should be ready to poop after their meal.

At this time, I already have them eating their dry food three times a day!   Momma Belles continues to check in on the puppies from time to time.  She is still very protective of the other dogs.  In fact, if another dog even threatens to move across her Master Bedroom boundary, so goes into a barking fit if she is in the utility room with the puppies.  If she isn't in the utility room, there doesn't seem to be a problem.  At this time, all the dogs are living in the Master Bathroom if they aren't outside.  If she is in the utility room and another dog dares to enter through the kitchen door, she goes into the barking fit again!

Belles is a very protective mother to say the least!

#1 discovered the rooster with the strange sound this morning.  It is a new toy I just put in their pen (I actually bought it for the older dogs).  Zoey (#4) has been having a great time making it squeak too, but every time I go in there to take video they stop.  I keep thinking I want a nanny cam(which I continue to investigate)! If you get the wireless cam, it would be great for the parents who go to work, but still want to check on their puppies time to time.  Remember to take toys away and give them back to them. It is like a kid getting a new toy from time to time.

I also put an empty water bottle into the pen for a new noise today.  They looked so startled when I crunched it for the first time.  Start saving your water bottles!  Belles still loves to play with one.  They have toys now that you can hide the bottle in which are really fun for your adult dog too!

Cairns are not scared of anything naturally occurring!  But we bring them into our houses, and they have to deal with so many unnatural sounds.  So, I try to get them acquainted with as many sounds as possible.  When you get them home, be sure to make sounds!  If you raise them in a perfectly quiet environment, they will have more of a tendency to bark at sounds.  Of course, they might anyway.  We want to get them to become oblivious  to sound in the house.   If they do bark, they are probably trying to tell you the sounds are hurting their ears since they can hear more than we do and at a different frequency.

The noise has stopped in the pen, so I'm sure they have all fallen asleep.   The question is:  Which side of the pen are they sleeping on?

Another load of wash has been completed for the puppies!  I have found if the fuzzy animals get dirty it is best to put them in a laundry bag in the washer - just in case some stuffing comes out and it isn't as hard on them during the wash cycle.

Well, it seems every time I go into the utility room, another puppy has pooped!  I am very thankful since Week 3, they know to poop on the other side of the pen!  In all this time, we have only had one poop on the wrong side of the pen!  How smart are these puppies?   Very intelligent.  In fact, you have to learn to out smart your puppy!  I consider it a game - AM I SMARTER THAN MY TERRIER or CAN I PROVE I'M SMARTER THAN MY TERRIER???  I'm still trying to out smart them in my garden!  Your thought process has to be very flexible!

#6 - She has this little noise she makes - it means - PICK ME UP AND LOVE ME NOW!  She just loves for me to hold her close and get loved!  She saw me picking up #1 and loving her, then I heard the sound again. Obviously, she had already forgotten she had been held twice before this morning!  She might be a little jealous!

Wow, I can get my breakfast before 10AM today!  But I still need to feed the adult dogs now!

Checked in on the puppies.  #1 is on her back again.  She is using her feet to play with Maggie's head instead of taking her nap!  Sounds just like a kid!

08-18-13

After church, we had visitors.  #4 (Yellow Collar) met her new parents.  Amanda and Grant came to the house to officially choose #4.  It seems Grant is from the Tyler area and gave Amanda a tour of the area before arriving at the house.   We are excited because Amanda is a Longhorn and Grant is a Baylor Bear! It seems Grant is a golfer!  We hope to put together a golf game for all the Cairn Dads in the Dallas area while the Cairns get together for a reunion!

Hence, #4 will now be known as Zoey Jane!

Debra came over to see Maggie while Amanda and Grant were picking their girl!  Maggie was so good sitting on her lap while so many activities were going on around her!

  

08-17-13

What a surprise -- Woke up to another BIG mess today!

The kids are doing well eating dry puppy food now and drinking their water.  After breakfast, sponge baths were in order - - especially for Messy Maggie.

When the kids were having breakfast, I was cleaning up the BIG mess.  After the sponge baths, I walked around the house with each puppy.

Each puppy was very good with me holding them and pinching their feet lightly.   I also put my finger in their mouths and told them "open wide".   They all liked the love!

They are really up and playing this morning.  They were eating and pulling tails; this group just loves tails.  They had a body chain going across their area (one stacked on top of another - moving).

Orange - She decided to get up and mix it up with Yellow!  This was the most active I have seen her!
Blue - Little Joe decided to concentrate on the corner of the potty pad and tried to get it out of its holder.
Aqua - While walking Maggie, I found I had kissed poof on her ear - I missed a spot!  So, Maggie was back to the utility room sink for another bath.  She is great with letting me open her month - no problem!
Yellow - Was tackling puppies today and pulling tails!  She still seems to be the alpha and very fun!
Green - She loves to be held, kissed, and cuddled!  She ignored the bowl of water in the corner of the fence to let me know she needed to be picked up again.  Had to change the water again!  She has become the investigator.  Every time I pick up the poop, there she is checked to see what I'm doing!


After they settled down for their nap, I gave them some turkey broth ice cubes.  This gave them some fun for awhile.  Of course, three of them had their faces in the same bowl even though I put down two bowl.

By 10AM, I was actually finished with puppy "necessary" chores.  I had been able to get my breakfast,  the puppies were resting again, and time to write the blog.

So, I'm listening to Kim Kommando.  Some lady put peanut butter on her iPad to get her dogs to play apps!  She likes to leave for them when she is away from home!  Just a thought, but I'm not doing it!

Going to get the other pens down from the attic today, so we can put them outside!  They will meet the grass today and hopefully learn to potty in the grass!  I should be able to get some great pictures of them.

Since they are eating their dry food now, I will take them out of the crate (gets too messy) and let them eat in their pen.

The crate is on rollers, so they will be rolled through the house into the TV watching room (while I hope Mom doesn't teach them to bark at the TV)!  Note:  Mom will be removed from the room if you tries to teach them bad habits!

Today, I will be cleaning the house.  So, they will hear the vacuum cleaner for the first time.  They are in the utility room and hear the washer and dryer all the time!

I'm also writing notes as I go along to write a Puppy Guide, so it is in the works for all you new parents!

Awww... they prefer hands and love over ice cubes!

Maggie looked at me twice when I called her name to take her picture.

I put their 6:00PM meal down in the pen and couldn't get anyone to wake up to eat!

Their ears are starting to come up!

08-16-13

I will post a picture of what I woke up today!  Hint:  it isn't pretty!

The good news is they ate their dry food straight from the package today!  Yeah - not so much mess!

I'm going to have to dub Maggie with a new title - Maggie the Mess!  Although all of them can be a mess, you never get mad or upset because they are so cute!  She cannot help it.  Her paws just end up in the ground up food, water, and poop!  She will need a quick bath soon, but so does everyone else at this stage.

Which reminds me.  When you pick up your puppy, they will have a bath because I don't want to send home anyone with a stinky puppy!  Try to wait as long as you can to bath them because baths are the best for terriers!

Belles was up at 3:50AM this morning wanting to go visit the puppies.  I wouldn't let her see them until Steve was up and ready to leave, then I could feed them and clean everything up.  So, Belles whined at least until 5:00AM.  I did fall asleep for a short time after her whining episode.

Most mothers are funny.  When the puppies want them to nurse, they get tired around the end of the second week and want to get away from the puppies.  It seems we have made it two days without nursing now.  Now, Belles wants them.  The problem is... if she gets near them, they latch on very quickly.  Then, she looks at me with those adorable eyes.... pleading with me to take them away.  The timing is never right!

The green one wants to be picked up all the time.  I think she misses her Mother terribly.  I hold her up to Mother, and she licks her.  I think it comforts her some.  After our love session, she got down and played with the others.


In the meantime, the others were playing on the potty side of their pen which just had been cleaned up (happens every time)!

Just fed the pups again a 12:10PM and can finally get to bed at 12:35PM!

08-12-13

08-15-13

I have a video of them expressing how hungry they were this morning.  This was the first time they "sang for their breakfast"!

Well, I have to say they all get an A+ in generating poop!  They also get an A+ in putting in on the other side of the fence from their play area!  They have really been good since they started on week 3.  The first order of business today was to get the food ready and put them in their crate to eat while I cleaned up the poop!!

Unfortunately, Maggie had pooped stuck to her rear end today.  When you get your puppy, check from time to time.  This is the reason you keep the hair around the rear end cleaned up.  If this happens, the only thing to do it to take a paper towel and wet it.  Apply water to the poop to release.  If this doesn't work, use rounded end scissors to cut the poop - be very careful!

They ate almost all their dry kibble today!  They are still eating ground up kibble, but we are on the way to eating all kibble soon!  The dry kibble helps them bring in their first set of teeth by rubbing against their gums.

After cleaning their space up, I weighed them one by one bringing them from the crate to the pen.  I have a way of blocking them off between sides.  I wanted to make sure the Piranhas didn't get me!

08-14-13

This is the first official day everyone was not nursed!  Little Green had a hard time going to sleep, but eventually went to sleep on her own.  Everyone else was full and went to sleep quickly.  They have understood for awhile what "lights out" means!

08-13-13

I felt like the human sacrifice today as I went into their pen this morning.  The 5 are very good imitators of Paranhas!  This morning I went into their pen to weigh them, and they were trying to eat me with all the new teeth they are acquiring.  They thought I was their human bone to chew.  It seems they are about ready to have their toe nails cut again.  Between teeth and toe nails, you will make a quick job of weighing them!

Then, we moved onto eating which they destroyed their pen.  I'm moving them into the large crate now!  They ended up having two meals this morning.  I'm trying to get them to start eating more dry puppy food.  The dry food will bring in their teeth quicker!  At least, I can take the bottom of the crate  outside and spray it down.  Videos will be coming!

By putting them in the crate while eating, it will make them comfortable being in the crate.  They will associate eating with a good feeling and not fear being in the crate!

Orange - She is very quiet and cuddly.  She loves to be picked up and loved.
Blue - Took him to the sofa and loved away from others first time.  He had a hard time going to sleep.  It seems he needed some comforting milk from Mom to put him to sleep.  He is like Miss Green and begs to be picked up.  He wants his love!
Aqua - Went to sleep without any trouble.  She didn't need Mom to go to sleep.  She is probably second to the yellow in being alpha.
Yellow - She didn't need Mom to go to sleep.  Very independent.  She is alpha in a good way.  She is always trying to get everyone to play.  She went to the sofa to love this evening!
Green - They began to beg to be picked up when I go into the room, but she is very insistent and will climb up on the fence to let me know I need to pick her up.  She went to the sofa to love this evening.  She was a bit quirky, so we will have to work on her being more patient.

When they go to the sofa, I have a chew stick in my other hand.  The idea is to never let them chew on you, but on another object.

08-09-13

08-03-13

Week 3 - At the beginning of this week, they started learning how to lap up milk from their plates.  After three days, they were able to start learning how to eat Puppy food called mush.

The puppies are much bigger and I start letting only two at a time nurse on Belles.  You should hear the sucking sound all 5 can make at once.  It is really hard on the Mother, so to make it easier on her I divide the puppies feeding time to let everyone get enough to eat.  I weigh them to make sure no puppy is getting left behind and not able to develop.

They started eating food for the first time today.   #4 and #5 didn't seem to take to the food very well to the food the first day - basically, they liked Mom better than the food!

#1 - She just seems to eat and go to sleep after eating.  She is one of the last ones to get milk from Mom (this changes in the 4th week).

#2 - He seems to more of a loner.  It might have some thing to do with being the only boy!  I saw him playing with Maggie by putting his paws up on her.  He and #5 will mouth around.  #5 usually ends up on top of him.  He really likes to explore and walk around the pen while the others are eating.

#3 - Maggie is very playful after eating.  I noticed her putting her paws o #4's head and play biting her. She enjoys playing with #5.  She is the 4th to fall asleep.

#4 - She has a small growl which tells the others she wants to play with them.  She didn't seem to like the food as much as the others.  She falls asleep after eating.  Since she weighs more, she is one of the last to get Mom's milk.  She has been very good at going from her living area to her potty area (making a choice)!

#5 - She likes to play with Maggie.  She is usually the third to fall asleep after eating and playing.

08-01-13

Belles now feeds them at midnight for 30 minutes.  She is able to leave them and get some sleep.  They are waking up at 5:30AM to eat!

08-02-13

At the end of their second week, their eyes are starting to open.  They are going  from crawling to standing.  #3 (Maggie) was the first to stand, then #4 started standing.  They have gone from Mom stimulating to make them potty to them being able to do it on their own (both ways).

They were able to eat at midnight and not wake until 6:00AM this morning.  I have begone lifting them when they wake and putting them on their potty pads, so they are at their spot to potty as they wake up.  They learn were to potty by the texture under their feet.  This is the way you potty train them at home, but placing them in the grass and waiting until they go there.

I noticed them starting to hear things more this week.  They have also developed their own thermostat this week and have started sleeping by themselves.

Personalities:
#1 - She seems to be very quiet and calm.  She likes sleeping more than the others, but has started playing now.
#2 - He seems to be independent.  He would try sleeping on his own before his thermostat was completely developed.  I would have to pick him up and put him near his sisters.
#3 - She is a mess and a comedian.  She is very competitive when it comes to eating and stays ahead of the others in weight.  I let others see Mom first before she is giving the opportunity.
#4 - She has a little purr going when she wants to eat; therefore, she is more vocal than the others.  She will let me know when she hasn't had enough to eat and that it is time for her to eat.  I think she may be the alpha of the pack.  I have been putting her with Maggie (#3) to wait her turn to eat.   She is very playful and tries to get around to playing with everyone.
#5 - She is playful and beginning to be vocal.

08-08-13

Puppy Shower for Debra and Maggie!

#1 started sleeping on toys and the others have followed.

08-06-13

Heard first BARK from #2 (Little Joe) today at 7:30AM!

#2, #4, and #6 woke up and went to the other side of the pen to use their potty pads (making a choice)!

Just after a couple of days of me giving them milk, then know when I switch on the light and walk around the pens to watch me.  They have started getting up and following me to the other side to wait for their milk!

When Belles walks in, they will get close to the fence and follow her around trying to get her attention to go and nurse them.

08-10-13

4 Weeks Old Today - Debra came over to visit Maggie.  As we were sitting there petting them, I discovered teeth breaking through their gums!

08-11-13

Started giving them more food with a small amount of water today.  Everyone had a very good appetite even though we were up at 2AM eating!  I was only able to give them Belles at 1AM which wasn't enough.  When Steve woke up because of the puppies complaining, I was finally able to grind up more dog food for them.

They are actually a good group with their food and don't create much mess (taking that back tonight).  Usually only Maggie is stepping in the food.

#1 decided to start playing with the paper already today - probably because of her teeth trying to come in.

#2 (Little Joe) was the first to seek me out and have me pick him up today.  I walked around the house with him awhile.  When I returned, everyone else asked to be picked up and loved!

#3 - They are starting to understand COME in their pen!   Maggie came to me first!

07-15-13

07-13-13 Birthing Day