8 week old puppy pics

 Odin, blowing in the wind

 Odin chasing a tennis ball

 Odin

 Odin

 Pandora

 Isis

Isis

8 week old puppy portraits

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to take pics of the ICAN pups before they left. 

 Handsome Odin

 Confident, Labby Isis

 Mellow Titan

Sweet Pandora

Good bye puppies

The pups are 8 weeks old and starting the leave the nest.  The 5 ICAN pups (Zeus, Apollo, Athena, Venus and Pele) checked into Indiana Woman's Prison yesterday.  An update today from ICAN: "Pups in center of day room in a huge wire crate - loads of room. With quite a few offenders just sitting and watching them sleep and smiling. One told me she has not seen a puppy this little in over 41 years!  I think they are bringing a lot of smiles to a lot of women."  Yesterday, the other 4 pups went down to Bedford to visit the elementary school and library where Bridget does reading therapy.  Nancy's report was that the pups were quiet car travelers, well behaved, enjoyed meeting all the new people, and the third graders that read to Bridget where thrilled to meet her pups.  From Bridget's caretaker and therapy dog partner:  "My favorite encounter was a boy with Down Syndrome who LOVES Bridget. We happened to be outside when his mom was picking him up from school, and I took a puppy over to meet him. I know he will be talking about that puppy for a long time."  On Wednesday, Titan leaves for sunny California to join Paws'itive Teams, a small program that placed his older sister from Bridget's first litter as a Service Dog, and also has his full sib from the spring litter and a half sib (Jammer pup) from a Colorado program litter.  Titan will be getting his first plane ride in the company of his future trainer - flying in the cabin.  Then next Friday, the remaining 3 will be leaving on a long car ride to New York, to join Puppies Behind Bars.  Two of their older sibs from the spring litter are currently in training with PBB.  Wishing all the pups much joy and success in whatever future path they choose.

7 weeks old

View from above the puppy pen.  The pups have graduated to "big dog" collars.

Isis and the little robot dog toy I use to expose the pups to novelty.  Many pups are initially fearful of this toy that barks and walks around. 

Isis has no issues!

7 weeks old, and the pups have had a very busy week.   Last weekend, ICAN borrowed 4 pups (Zeus, Apollo, Odin and Venus) who got to spend the long weekend at the home of an ICAN supporter and apparently received numerous visitors.   The report from Sally was that the pups were good little car travelers, confident in the new environment, and exceptional about toileting in the litter box or outside.  On Wednesday evening, the pups had their first experience in a correctional facility.  The litter was invited to be the visiting dogs for a Love On A Leash therapy dog visit at Pendleton Juvenile Correctional Facility.  This car ride was a bit noisier, but the pups enjoyed their visit, had a training class with the 9 boys (and an equal number of adult assistants), and were still ready for a rumble when we got home.   Ian Dunbar, the well known advocate for early puppy socialization and puppy kindergarten classes recommends that puppies meet 100 people by the time they are 12 weeks old - I think this litter is fast approaching that number!  Walking over different surfaces is also very important, especially for an assistance dog puppy - these pups have been exposed a wide variety, and currently have no issues running over a baby gate that is flat on the ground.  Hard to believe with it being January in Indiana that these pups have been able to experience green grass, rain, thunder, and snow. 

This last week, the pups gained another 1 ½+ lbs, and most weigh between 9 to 10 lbs, with Zeus weighing over 10 lbs.  It is getting challenging to weigh them since they no longer stay still on the scale.  Together, they weigh approximately 85 lbs!  The pups are now eating 1 cup of kibble each per day, and are getting hard kibble with a bit of water added to help it go down.  No chewing involved, just gulp and run.  We are almost through the first 40 lb bag of puppy kibble, and Bridget has gone through 3 bags of Extreme Athlete kibble.   Mealtimes are the highlight of their days, they all come into the kitchen and eagerly sit around the kitchen island, or frantically run back and forth to the small crates where they are fed.  Bridget is doing a lousy job weaning the pups.  The pups have figured out if they pull off her bloomers, they can still sneak a meal.  I have invited Bridget up on my bed to get away from the pups, but she won’t stay up there.  When loose with them, she tells them off for a bit, but then gives up and lets them nurse.  About the only way I can keep them apart is to crate Bridget or leave her outside.  Bridget is down to 5 cups of kibble per day. 

Puppies snuggling with visitors

This litter loves people

 Pandora and Athena

 Athena

 Isis enjoying tummy rubs from a young neighbor boy

 Pandora

 Pele snuggled between grandma Yuma and visitor

Titan

6 week old puppies at play

 Athena & Pandora playing tug

 Things get a bit rough around here!  

 Tunnel fun

 Pele working the shoelaces

 Athena checking out the big dog toys

 Isis with a young visitor

Bridget and pups

6 weeks old

6 weeks old and the pups are turning into demanding, adorable monsters.  They have been very disappointed that they haven't been able to go outside the last few days due to the cold weather, but they did get to experience snow on Wednesday, and rain earlier in the week.  Next week looks promising for some more outdoors time.  Given the opportunity, the pups seem to prefer to toilet outside.  Most of the pups gained another 1.5+ lbs last week.  Zeus is still the big boy at 8 lbs 10 oz and Athena the little girl at 7 lbs 6 oz.  We continue to challenge the pups with new experiences, they listen to NPR while I am at work, and I have been playing sound effects CD's for them.  The resident house cats have had the opportunity to teach some of the pups that cats are to be respected.  The pups are learning to sit for attention and before getting lifted out of the pen.  The pups are eating individually in small plastic crates, or if outside the crates, I am petting and having my hands around the food bowl to teach them that people around their food is a good thing.  Bridget continues to enjoy the pups.  She is willing to let them nurse, but when on empty she gets rather testy with the pups and their needle teeth.  But once her "do not nurse me clothes" are on, she is very willing to hang out with the pups.  Bridget is down to 6 cups of kibble per day, and is in excellent condition.

More puppy pics

 Titan asleep in the lap of a young visitor

 Athena, content to be cradled on her back

 Isis enjoying the attention

Odin, all tuckered out

 Odin going for the toes of a guest

 Pandora, very relaxed

Pele, the slipper thief.  With young pups in the house, I avoid having outdoor shoes tracking through the house due to the risk of bringing in something infectious.  When I had gone out for lunch, I had left my house slippers by the front door on the porch and the puppies found them. 

And slipper #2.  Hopefully 2 years from now, these pups will be performing a more meaningful slipper retrieve for their future partners. 

What happens these days if I open the refrigerator with puppies on the loose.  Where is the kibble and milk?

Isis pics

                                                            Practicing "Up"

 Trying to get back up on the front porch

 Making plans

 She's off

Airborne

Puppy pics 5 weeks old

 Zeus

 Pups up on the front porch.  The comforter is over the front steps to serve as a crash pad.

 Pups coming up the steps

 And pups going down the steps

 Pandora

 Odin beating up his sister Pandora

 Apollo and Titan sleeping together

One of the girls looking up