Today was a quieter kind of day, the kind where you start to see just how content a healthy litter really is. Most of the video is everyone nursing, and a few of them drifted off mid meal. Full bellies, warm milk, and they just cannot help themselves. They fall asleep right there on mom. Then there is Zion. The tiniest of the bunch, tucked in next to all those bigger siblings, but he is not missing a beat. He is steady, focused, and determined to get his share. I always watch

Patsy has started doing something new… every now and then, she’ll sit up to feed her puppies instead of laying all the way down. Most of the time she still nurses laying on her side, but here and there she chooses to sit, and that’s completely normal. Sometimes moms do this to make the puppies work a little more. It encourages them to reach, push, and start getting up on their feet as they grow stronger. And sometimes… it’s just what feels more comfortable for her in that mom

We are in that true newborn stage. Eyes and ears are still sealed shut, so they are completely reliant on scent and heat to find mama. You will see them scooting and rooting, using those instincts to work their way to a nipple. Once they latch, most of their time is spent either eating or sleeping. At this stage, they are still very fragile, so we keep a close eye on everyone around the clock, making sure no one gets stuck or pushed away from mama. Not a lot of activity yet,