The Other Girls

This week has a few interesting happenings with the puppies.

Their eyes are beginning to open. This starts as a small slit in the corners and very gradually spreads across the eye. It can take several days before they are completely open. They will all appear blue and hazy for the first several days. They are far from focused and the pups are NOT really "seeing" yet. But it is a sign they are growing and healthy. Some eyes will look brown within a very short period of time - like a couple of days. Sometimes it can take a week or more to be sure if the eye is blue, brown or a combination of both. Remember that WE prefer brown eyes - the darker the better - for the show ring, but blue eyes are perfectly acceptable. And many people want blue eyes - it reminds them of Dals they may have had in the past. And, FYI, Frankie is a VERY common name for blue eyed boys - but hopefully they won't grow up to be vocal like "Old Blue Eyes" Frank Sinatra.

And, they are beginning to "lurch" around the whelping box, but they still sleep congregated to-gether, for warmth and for comfort. They try to walk, stumble and roll on their sides. Linda has put down blanket with a lot of texture, almost like lamb's wool, for them to get traction. This will help build leg muscle tone and give them purchase for those sharp puppy claws.

They are not nursing constantly as they have been, but they are draining all the milk in each teat. Maeve continues to lick and clean them as well and is such a great mother!