The puppies had their first outdoor expedition yesterday.  

At first they were a little apprehensive about the prickly grass and bright sun . . .

then mom hopped in for a visit . . . 

and everyone settled right in for a nap.

What a beautiful little girl!

We've been handling the pups daily and we're starting to see results.  The puppies will walk over to the edge of the box and seek out human attention.  They are also becoming more active throughout the day.  They have an hour in the afternoon where they are especially active; engaging in puppy battles and barking at each other. 

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Today is the last day we will be performing Early Neurological Stimulation.  We will continue handling each of the pups gently throughout the day.

This sassy little girl reminds me of Helki.  :-)

This is my son's favorite puppy.  For some reason he always gravitates towards the biggest boy puppy in the litter.  I must admit I'm pretty fond of this puppy too.  He seems to have a super mellow disposition.  He doesn't even struggle during the upside-down phase of ENS, just takes everything in stride.  :-)

Here's one of the girls walking . . . 

and in case the photo is too blurry, here's a link to a video on YouTube:

Video

We have the beginnings of locomotion!  The puppies are raising up on all fours and walking (with the occasional roll) around the box.  I've been trying to capture them walking on video, but no luck yet . . . 

The puppies eyes are starting to open.  :-) 

Bindi and the pups are all doing very well.  We've been performing ENS daily and the pups are becoming less reactive to the exercises.  A few of the pups are even sleeping through most of the process.  This indicates to me that ENS is helpful and does increase stress tolerance.  

The puppies had their first visitors last night.  While the puppies are young, we allow family members to visit and gently handle our pups.   Scientific studies have shown that daily gentle handling improves disease resistance, decreases emotional reactivity, and enhances learning and problem-solving abilities (1).  

There are a few tasks you can be doing in order to prepare for your new arrival.  

Have you found a regular vet and an emergency vet?  Do you have their contact information readily available?  

Have you looked into training clubs and/or puppy kindergarten classes in your area?  German Shepherds need regular training and socialization to remain well balanced.

Have you scheduled some time off for your puppy's arrival?

Have you started 'puppy proofing' your yard and home?  Remember:  puppies will chew and swallow just about anything.

If you would like to read more about preparing for your new arrival or just about anything to do with puppies, we highly recommend that you pick up a copy of the "Keep it Simple Series: Guide to Raising a Puppy".  Or, feel free to contact us if you would like any additional information.  

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Captured a puppy yawn this morning!   :-)

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We will begin Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) this afternoon.  ENS has important benefits including:  "improved cardiovascular performance (heart rate), stronger heartbeats, stronger adrenal glands, more tolerance to stress, and greater resistance to disease."  (Battaglia)

If you would like additional information, here is a link to an article about Early Neurological Stimulation.

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Bindi and her pups are all doing well.  The pups are gaining weight rapidly and are experimenting with their little voices.  Here are a few pics from this morning . . . 

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We raise all of our litters on bath towels that are stitched together and covered with a fleece blanket.  We wash and change out the bedding 2-3 times per day.  This helps keep our puppies clean, dry, and healthy.

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Bindi is so happy to no longer be pregnant.  I took her out to potty in the a.m. and she chased a stray cat out of our yard.  She came trotting back with a big sheppy grin and looked so pleased with herself.  After a good roll in the grass, she went back in and took a nap with her babies.

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The puppies are here!

Bindi's temperature dropped Wednesday evening and she was very restless throughout the night.  She delivered her first puppy at 9:06 on Thursday morning.  She delivered pups throughout the day.  Her last puppy was born at 6:27 in the evening.  We have five females and two males.

Bindi is a very good mother and settled right into taking care of her pups.  Here is a photo with her first two puppies (both females).