There you have it folks! We made it through the heat wave! This week brings pickled beets for me and starting to plan some sensory spaces for the pups. When each pup leaves here, they also get a goody bag. Thanks to amazon prime days, I have been able to purchase bulk antlers for them to chew, toys and new bags for the food I send home.

I also bought these turtles, they will be a great height for the pups to climb on, without risk of injury. I've been buying baby blankets for the puppy bags too. I check Value Village regularly and buy them when they are available. This week, I looked for textures, for underfoot and in the mouth. The silicon cones and the plastic/slippery tray are a great start, add some plastic and metal cookie cutters and we have a sensory set up for a day! (I'll add more items, but the idea is to introduce not flood the pups.)

 

*IF* Frankie is pregnant she is headed into week 5. (days 28 to 35, she is almost half way through her pregnancy) She is not showing signs of being pregnant yet.  

Day 35 moves the embryo's to the fetal stage. 

The 5th week is a busy time for puppy development. The babies develop gender this week and start to look like puppies, teeny tiny pups, but pups nonetheless. 

This week brings individual digits on their paws and nails begin. The puppy's eyes were open but by day 32, the eyelid has developed and the eyes will be closed. They will remain closed until  about 2 weeks after delivery. They also start to develop whiskers. That's a busy week

For Frankie, this is the stage where weight starts to be put on. The pups do the bulk of their growing now. 75 ish percent happens in these last stages. 

Appetite may shift now. As movement is happening and space around her belly is being invaded, she may fill faster or just not feel like eating. Frankie produced huge babies her first litter, so ample nutrition has always been provided by her family. Last week she had a boating adventure with her Mom. She produced pups that are game for anything and have a great work/play balance. 

If I were going to do an ultrasound, this would be the week to do so! Why don't I do them? Primarily, ultrasounds are done to confirm pregnancy, something that will become abundantly clear in the next week or so. I'm not sure the stress of the vets, and equipment and procedure is worth it. I like to keep the dogs in their homes as long as possible and to have the least amount of stress. I feel like it's the kindest thing to do for our dogs. 

The photo below shows you a 35 day old puppy fetus.