The Magicians are ruling the roost here at “DogWarts” and continue to learn how to manage their mischief making !!!  Weaning is complete and the pups have eating and food conversion down to a science.  Harley is much relieved to NOT be assaulted by their sharp teeth and toenails any longer, but she does still love them and enjoys playing with them as long as she can always keep moving!!!

They are up to eating about 3 cups of puppy chow soaked in warm water and milk replacer three times a day.  They eat from a big stainless steel puppy ring or donut that I elevate about 4 inches off the floor to help them not choke and not spill.  It is amazing how fast the food disappears!!!   I recommend that you plan to feed them elevated for their lifetime and adding a small amount of water and then feed almost immediately is also a good as it helps to keep fast eating dogs from choking!!!   It is important however that they have crunchy food going in to clean their teeth, which also means they have firm dog food going out which expresses their anal glands the natural way!!

The Potter paper work has arrived from the AKC, their microchips are here, and their first puppy vaccinations are in the fridge so all is ready for their final vet check this Saturday.  My vet has a form with every body part listed where she can note any thing we want you and your vet to know when they come home to you.  A copy will be included in the ‘Going Home’ packet you will receive with your puppy.

The ‘walk abouts’ have begun, where I take the pups for a walk thru the yards and gardens to give them a chance to experience new things, new sights, new sounds.   The walk abouts are good exercise for them - a tired puppy is a good puppy ! - and I learn a lot about the developing personalties that makes each puppy special and unique.  They are very good about following me about and come when they are called - well most of the time!!  I sometimes feel very much like the Pied Piper of Puppies!!!

The Dog Wart digs are quickly being outgrown, so soon the Magicians will be moved into the BIG puppy play pen where they have trees for shade, logs to play around and over and big rocks to hide behind.  They NEED the extra space to continue to learn to be a dog, and the flower gardens at the house need a break!!!

“I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!!!”

FEMALES:

Hermione - VERY dark red, VERY dark mask, gorgeous ridge, small spot on chest, almost no white on feet, smallest female, overbite teeth, adventurous, outgoing, sassy and silly
Luna - medium red, medium mask, great ridge, star on chest, no white on feet, middle sized female, perfect teeth, fun, playful, goofy, eager to please
Ginny - golden red, light mask, great ridge, big spot on chest, almost no white on feet, largest female, perfect teeth, quiet, gentle, easy going, snuggler

MALES:

Harry - very dark red, very dark mask, fantastic ridge, zig zag spot on chest, almost no white on feet, medium size, perfect teeth, independent, confident, courageous
Dobby - very dark red, very dark mask, great ridge, big spot on chest, no white on feet, big, perfect teeth, spunky, full of himself, lots of swag
George - dark golden red, medium mask, gorgeous ridge, medium spot on chest, lots of white on feet, big, perfect teeth, attentive, cooperative, expressive, willing
Fred - dark golden red, medium mask, slightly offset cowlicks in ridge, big spot on chest, lots of white on feet, medium size, perfect teeth, people oriented, lap lover, sweet and kind
Ron - dark golden red, medium mask, gorgeous ridge, small spot on chest, almost no white on feet, medium size, perfect teeth, dermoid sinus that will be removed, laid back, happy go lucky galoot, loves attention
 

Life here at “Pup Warts” is ever changing by dramatic leaps and bounds!!!   The Magicians are full blown pups that can hop and jump, and even do some running and climbing!!!  They have figured out how to get out of the whelping box to follow Momma Harley so that means they will soon be moving up to the ‘little puppy playpen’ where they have more room to run and play.   They loving batting at each other, wrestling, and surprise attack pouncing on each other.   They do LOTS of rolling around practicing their newly found REAL growls and barks.  

Lots of NEWNESS again this week for the Potters.   First of all, Momma Harley, is having some trouble keeping up on meeting their milk demands and is losing her enthusiasm about the whole process due to the emergence of TEETH, so it was time to start them eating milk replacer.  The first few attempts at lapping their milk from the puppy donuts (large stainless steel dish shaped like a donut!) typically is a BIG mess.  The Magicians, like all litters, mostly snorkel in the puppy milk the first few times, spill a lot, and get covered in it, but thankfully Momma Harley is more than happy to clean them up!!!   Thank goodness for that!!!

Speaking of the emerging teeth - sharp little teeth that the Magicians have no idea how to control !! - TOYS were another new addition to their lives!!!   At this age, they like little toys that squeak or rattle or roll.  They enjoy figuring out what to do with them and then they torture the toys endlessly.   I try to give them new toys every few days to keep them interested and busy and challenged!!!  Poor toys!!!

Along with milk, another new flavor added to the puppy’s palate, was wormer!!!  Yummy banana flavored puppy wormer.   They will be wormed two more times before they go home, and should continue to be wormed every 3-4 works really for the rest of their lives.  Dogs, and puppies in particular, put everything disgusting in their mouths and tend to eat dead stuff, REALLY dead stuff, so picking up round worms, hook worms, pin worms, tape worms is not all that hard to do as exposure is readily available in their environment.

Now that they are playing with each other relentlessly, toe nail trims are not only a necessity for Harley, but a necessity for each other!!   They still pretty much hate the process but tolerate it a little better.  The bigger they get the easier it is to do as you have more to hang onto!!!  If the Magicians have any flaws yet, they are managing to hide them!!!   Still no dermoid sinus, so I think that hurdle has been jumped.  Teeth are coming so we will see how they look in another week or two.  After that, hearts, lungs, testicles and personalities will be scrutinized!!  In the meantime, the Magicians are becoming themselves:

Females:
Hermione - VERY dark red, VERY dark mask, gorgeous ridge, medium spot on chest, almost no white on feet, medium size
Ginny - golden red, light mask, great ridge, big spot on chest, almost no white on feet, big girl
Luna - medium red, medium mask, great ridge, medium white spot on chest, no white on feet, smallest girl

Males:
Harry - very dark red, very dark mask, fantastic ridge, zig zag spot on chest, almost no white on feet, medium size
Dobby - very dark red, very dark mask, great ridge, big spot on chest, no white on feet, big
Ron - dark golden red, medium mask, gorgeous ridge, small spot on chest, almost no white on feet, medium size
George - dark golden red, medium mask, gorgeous ridge, medium spot on chest, lots of white on feet, big
Fred - dark golden red, medium mask, might have slightly offset cowlicks in ridge, big spot on chest, lots of white on feet, medium size

We must choose between what is right and what is easy !!