More photos coming soon. In the meantime, here is a summary of where we are @ 16 weeks, with misc updates & puppy growth charts:
Updates
- Each pup is doing well in his own crate at night — they got too big to share one crate, but the new crates are back-to-back so they can (& do!) still sleep next to each other, pushed up again the common walls of their crates.
- Both pups are really good at “sit” and “down” commands. Really, this isn’t just the proud parents bragging!
- They are still working on “come”, “look at me” and “leave it”. Ouzo is pretty good about coming when called; Sassafras will come once he’ done sniffing/tracking/chasing whatever has caught his fancy. Ouzo is clearly displeased when Sassa doesn’t come on command; DezandNick believe this to be a sure sign of Ouzo’s herding instinct! (Okay, that last bit is mere speculation from proud parents. But still, it’s plausible…)
- We’re all mastering the leash. Grandpa Sam loved his leash, so it was hard for DezandNick to imagine that the puppies won’t immediately be masters at the leash and embrace the freedom from the yard which the leash would enable… Alas, it doesn’t work that way. Sassa caught on first, but Ouzo thought we were trying to strangle him. Over the last week or so, we had a breakthrough with Ouzo and have made substantial progress. At this weekend’s vet visit they walked in/out by leash (rather than being carried in their crate). DezandNick were so proud. (And relieved — they are getting too big to carry in one crate!)
- Vaccine shots, ear-cleaning, nail-clipping and baths (& hair drying) are all going very well. Whew!
- Not teething yet… but DezandNick know this will start any day now. They love to chew as it is, so we cannot really imagine it being any worse. But we have been forewarned. The pups have (an embarrassing amount of) toys, bully sticks, kongs, etc so DezandNick believe we are prepared. Wish us luck!
- Gris-Gris (The Cat) still has not made friends with the pups. Generally, she watches them from afar. If she’s in the mood to be a tease, she’ll let them get close, but then run off. Since she and Grandpa Sam were so close, DezandNick remain optimistic that all the critters will be cute & cuddly together one one day. Perhaps once the pups mature a little more… wait, that will take 2 years or so. Hum, maybe when cold weather drives Gris-Gris inside in a few months….
Growth Chart
July 2 Vet visit: Ouzo weighed in at 10 lb
July 23 Vet visit: Ouzo weighed in at 13 lb (30% increase in size in 3 weeks)
July 30Vet visit: Ouzo weighed in at 16 lbs (yes, that’s 3 lb in one week; almost 20% increase in one week! What a grow-spurt! )
August 13 Vet visit: Ouzo weighed in at 18.2 lbs
August 26 Vet visit: Ouzo weighed in at 20.4 lbs
July 2 Vet visit: Sassafrass was 9 lb
July 23 Vet visit: Sassafrass was 12 lbs (30% increase in size in 3 weeks)
July 30Vet visit: Sassafrass was 14 lbs (2 lb in one week; 15% increase in size in 1 week!)
August 13 Vet visit: Sassafrass was 16.5 lbs
August 26 Vet visit: Sassafrass was 19 lbs
DezandNick are still amazed at this rate of growth. The pups are 1/2 way to full-grown at 16 weeks old! (Yes, that makes them “half-baked” at this point….) They should weigh around 30-40 lbs when they are adults with fully corded coats. Grandpa Sam, who was at the large end of the standard, weighed about 40 lbs.
dezandpups 