The Bready Bunch 3 Weeks Old
Pinto’s Puppies are 3 weeks and one day old today. Where I live, in Cleveland, OH, we are in the middle of a series of rolling and at times severe late summer thunderstorms. They are dramatic and evocative, but inside, in the 2 room condo of the pup’s enclosure, it is cozy and safe and warm and very much underfoot.
Certain numbers figure very prominently, in my life anyway, and naturally within my online dog training course, The Six Pillars of Dog Training Wisdom. Today’s significant one is the number 3. There is the 3 day rule, the Three D’s, minimum 3 day board and train I offer, 3 try minimum and more. Sixes happen frequently too, but that’s not why I’m here today.
Pinto’s puppies were born, a week early, on August 2. Yesterday, Wednesday, they turned 3 weeks old. On day 3 of their lives, Focaccia, the smallest of the litter, passed away. He was very small, the last one born, and struggled more just to do basics. READ ABOUT IT HERE.There are reasons dogs have larger litters. Some of the developing babies are born with great compromises.
Tuesday, the day before the litter turned 3 weeks old, the end of the most vulnerable part of their lives, Rye, Brioche, Nickel and Poppy started to play, make greater efforts to walk, blinked their eyes open, looked in my face and stared at me. They found their voices, making little barks and startling at their abilities. They crawled and tucked under and over and under again in layers of regular refreshed bedding. They rolled on their backs and waved their stubby paws in the air. I even posted video clips of their balletic moves on IG). For more on pups, check out their updated videos HERE on my available dogs page.
Simultaneously, however, previously active and playful Bialy lay passively, disinterested in nursing and clearly weakened. Despite my best efforts, including rushing him to the vet for hydration and a B12 injection, bottle feeding him with formula every three hours starting in the afternoon, he continued to weaken and died Wednesday in the early afternoon.
The incongruity of robust health and active life of Rye, Brioche, Nickel and Poppy with the fading and death of wee Bialy at exactly three weeks plays havoc on me. It is these very first three weeks of life that pups are at their most vulnerable, and the original six are now the final four.
We hurtle headfirst into the next 3 weeks of life anticipating bursts of development of these growing puppies. I have grown very fond of this group and hope for lives of grand adventure and partnerships.
Stay tuned for more updates. Somewhere between 4-5 weeks I will have confirmation or adjustments on their particular traits and tendencies.
P.S. Our next LIVE IG (Live Instagram) update will cover weeks 2 – 4 — a riotous and startling transition from helplessness to widening their world — on August 31 at 7:30. September 14 to September 28 will follow up with weeks 4-6 and 6-8 respectfully. Make sure to follow @abetterpetter and tune in!
