"T" Litter Born 12/13-14/00
Some people wait a life time for a miracle.
We raise them one at a time.

Sonogram showing one of the 10 pups at 4 weeks. You're looking from above at his/her back - head is up.

The expecting dad Bobby and mom Faith with their caretakers
M.L. and Joyce

I'm beginning to
think, I'm not just
getting fat???

[ Go to the "T" Litter Fast Fact Chart ]
[ Go to the "T" Litter Birth Story ]
[ Go to "T" Bi-Weekly Weight Chart ]

Two of the birthing coaches, Vanessa & Tailer 12/13/00
He was an only child for 2 1/2 hours
(Taebo) Sophie coaches too
12/13/00

Each puppy is identified from birth with a color. When they are first born yarn is tied around their neck, then as they dry fabric paint is placed on their head and tail.... eventually they will have collars of the same color. Red is always the first born, Dark Blue the second and so on. Puppies personality and reactions to handling and exercises are recorded for each color.

Keep in mind that this was about 5am.. but aren't they cute? Sarah.... we didn't get a picture of you at the birthing again...
..but we got this one later. Sarah & Mark Anne comes to visit 1/6/01

The Gold & Black eat dinner
Lot's of sleeping going on

Puppies get names 1/5/01 (3 weeks old), these may or may not be their permanent names, we won't find out until after turn-in 2/5/01.
At three weeks they now have their eyes open, can hear, can walk (although a little wobbly) and are beginning to play.

This week they also began to bark, it seems to surprise them, they often fall on their butts from the effort and the shock.

Tien & Vanessa
(Named by Vanessa & her Mother, Tien means sweet in Mandarin (we called her Tien Tien since it is a Mandarin tradition to repeat a nick name) Taebo & Jim

Tiki II & Shannon

Terrell & Jim
(Jim named this pup, he's a Broncos fan can you tell?

Tachi & Joyce (Tachibana is an old Japanese family name meaning orange and is the name of Soukichi Tachibana, my Representative at Dia Semicon in Japan.)

Tipper & Joyce
(She was our little girl and the election was on our mind)
Tipper was so tiny I supplemented her food with a bottle for the first few days & made sure she had private dinner times, she holds her own now.

Tumi & Shannon
(Shannon suggested this name)
Takia and Vanessa
(Shannon suggested this
name also)
Taya II and Jim

Taku and Shannon
(another name from Shannon, she's on a roll)

The "T"'s first non-Mom meal 1/6/01 At 4 weeks the pups are moved from the swimming pool into a pen (this litter a few days earlier). They begin to play with objects and each other.   We provide lots of tactile and visual stimulation.
The last two litters, I have also provided them with a puppy litter box which they will start using on a pretty regular basis by 5 weeks. Mandy Book suggested this.... before we just couldn't image that this could be done at this early age, this resulted in our drowning in dirty papers. WHEW! Thanks Mandy.
Maybe not all at the
same time.

Each pup has to be weighed twice a week. Big boy Taebo weighs in at 5 lb on 1/7/01.
Visit our weight chart & see
how they have grown. Vanessa cuts puppy nails which has to be done each week, that's 180 nails

But I'm not sure I want to move to a pen???? Taebo 1/8/01

When the pups are 28 days old they can start socialization with new people. Friends come through for that difficult task. Young, old, men, women, kids, adult, people with hats... Vanessa's cousins come to socialize.
Janice, Jessica & Edward 1/14/01
Every day each pup has to be handled. This means touching their paws, opening their mouth, pulling their tail (gently), looking in their ears and eyes. They also have to be rolled on their back and taught to remain calm when held in this position. This is a very submissive exercise and teaches the pups it's OK for you to be in control..
Taebo has the dominance down nailed Twice a week various exercises have to be performed in addition to handling. The exercises vary depending on the pups age. Their reaction to handling and exercises are recorded for each pup
Diana helped with individual exercises every week.

Ginger
Now they are BIG puppies and get collars, a lot of scratching going on the first few days. (Tachi)
Just think of it as a very fuzzy Greyhound Kevin. (Tachi)
Kristi and Greg

Loaded Wagon 1/21/01 Taku, Tachi, Tien,
Terrell, Takia, Tiki II, Taya II, Tipper, Taebo and Tumi
(anyone have any idea how difficult it is to get 10 heads visible???)

Tiki II Takia & Taya II Tachi & Tumi 1/16/01

Mom and Tachi
Wow this bathroom rug
is so different than our blanket!
I HAVE to smell it, snort, it, scratch it, chew on it....before
I lay on it. The den instinct, Tachi

Bri and Tiki II Personally I can't wait until they leave & I can get some attention.
Taya II is glad Sandy came to visit 1/21/0

Claire & Taya II Food break,
no shy ones
Uh boys, Faith wants to know
"what are we doing?"

Kim and Taya II
1/24/01
NeoMagic comes to play
1/24/01 Marsha is in love with
little Tipper