Saturday 29/6/24 5:30pm
Lots of individual attention for the puppies is needed at this stage. So this evening we let them each individually have the run of the living room with our other dogs. They are getting a little less high maintenance and enjoy a good explore. We also took the chance to clip their nails.
Friday 28/6/24 12:15pm
The easiest way to refill the puppies water bowls is to pour water in from a jug. Another method involves lots of of puppy excitement and associated spillage. What we have discovered is the puppies love drinking from the water stream as it pours out of the jug.
Thursday 27/6/24 10:15am
The puppies love people. Anytime anyone goes within sight of them they get very excited and flock to the edge of the pen where you are, for strokes and bounces!
Wednesday 26/6/24 11:05am
A play date for the puppies today, with new canine friends Darci and Jack. Thanks to Diane at
Clad Water Farm Equine Learning Centre for the use of their menage.
Tuesday 25/6/24 3:20pm
Our adult dogs are now getting their relationships with the puppies sorted. They vary from slightly protective from their mother. Interested but not to close from their granny (Pasi) and avoid all the chaos from their great grandmother (Lita).
Monday 24/6/24 5:00pm
The puppies barking is becoming much more expressive. They have grown out of the puppy screaming stage (mostly!) and we can now tell what is going on just by the various noises coming from the puppy pen.
Sunday 23/6/24 9:10:10am
Water bowls are a bit of an issue, Our standard metal ones that we use for our adult dogs are easily tipped over by the puppies. Due in their enthusiasm and slight clumsiness at this stage. We tried to get so heavier ceramic ones but couldn't find them locally. We did get some metal bowls with rubber on the bottom and somewhat to our surprise these work quite well, with far less spills.
Saturday 22/06/24 11:30am
Next puppy of to his new home. Junior now has his proper name, Lorenzo, and is off to live not far from Cleo and two other FiveNinePlus SWDs so play dates are on the cards. In all the excitment we forgot to take pjhotos.
Friday 21/06/24 2:00pm
We are able to heard the pupies, reasonably successfullly. So swapping them between their indoor and outdoor pen, is 'Just' a case of opening the pen doors and calling them to the other pen. There are usually a few detiours and play sessions with our other dogs, but we get them all there eventually.
Thursday 20/06/6:30pm
The puppies are getting more stamina, they are now up to about half an hour of intense playing befor they settle down for a rest.
Wednesday 19/06/6:30pm
The puppies are now on a standard diet of puppy kibble with a little tinned food. We sometimes still mix in a treat. Tonight it was sardines.
Tuesday 18/06/4:30pm
The puppies new toy is a swing. This, along with the wobble board and see-saw helps with their proprioception, I.e. their ability to sense movement, action, and location.
Monday 17/06/24 5:30pm
Off to the vets for the puppies. This time for their first vaccinations. We don't usually vaccinate our puppies as there can be issues for the new owners matching the vaccines at their vets. However as we have ended up keeping them longer than usual it is important to get them vaccinated so they can be allowed to socialise and visit lots of different places. We still have a several puppies for sale, so if you think you would like to provide one with loving home, have a chat with Rachel on 078554744414
Sunday 16/06/ 24 5:45am
Tabú is off to her new home. An early start as she has a bit of a journey ahead of her.
Saturday 15/06/4:45pm
Dinner for the puppies these days is being f3ed to them in individual bowls to get them used to it and because they are eating so much that we can't fit all their food in big communal bowls.
Saturday 15/06/4:30pm
The pen in the front room is a bit small for all the now eight puppies, so lots of letting puppies wander around with our other dogs and visitors!
Friday 14/06/12:30pm
Ruby is the first puppy off to her new home. She is called Cleo and will be joining two other FiveNinePlus dogs.
Thursday 13/06/24 9:45am
It is now virtually impossible to clean out the puppy pen when the puppies are in there due to their mischievousness. So we transfer them to another pen, either the outdoor one or the one in the living room. The good news is we no longer have to carry them one at a time as we can open the pen gate and let them flock! This gets them used to all the different things around the house and lets them interact freely with our other dogs. They are good at following and you can get to know who are the laid back ones and who are the uninhibited independent ones. Ruby is almost always first out usually followed by Tabú.
Wednesday 12/06/ 7:30am
The puppies have certainly found their voices. They have discovered that very high pitched barking tends to get them attention. We have to be careful to ignore this as much as possible and give them the attention they desire once they quieten down.
Tuesday 11/06/ 4:00pm
We continue to give the puppies lots of puzzles. Including purpose bought puppy puzzles which they enjoy. Today it was a container with round spinner lids for them to delve into. Although to be honest a plastic milk bottle with treats in is just as fun for them.
Monday 10/06/ 12:30pm
Tinned dog food in with the puppies food today. Our adult dogs get fed on kibble with a little tinned food mixed in and so we like to introduce the puppies to any foods they are likely to encounter. It was a big hit, not as popular as sardines but still enjoyed.
Sunday 09/06/ 6:30pm
More photos of the puppies. For the first time using a flash. Our experience with this is that puppies rarely pay much attention to flashes and this litter were no exception.
9. Black bob tail, ♂ 'Yogi', yellow collar FiveNinePlus Abderraman
8. Black long tail, ♀ 'Tootsie', purple collar FiveNinePlus Pyrene
7. Black & tan long tail, ♂ 'Banbury', light blue collar FiveNinePlus Viriato
6. Black bob tail, ♀ 'Ruby', red collar FiveNinePlus Borenia
5. Black bob tail, ♀ 'Raven', orange collar FiveNinePlus Azahara
4. Black & tan long tail, ♂ 'Ross', dark blue collar FiveNinePlus Medulo
3. Black & white bob tail, ♀ 'Tabú', pink collar FiveNinePlus Sirenuca
2. Black bob tail, ♀ 'Sootie', grey collar FiveNinePlus Zoraya
1. Black long tail, ♂ 'Junior', lime green collar, FiveNinePlus Luarca
Saturday 08/06/ 2:30pm
Another visit from prospective puppy owners. All good socialisation for the puppies. They really do enjoy the attention they get and all the cuddles.
Friday 07/06/ 12:20pm
A trip to the vets today for the puppies, just a checkup and to be micro-chipped. Thanks to Firmount Vets for making the visit a lovely one with lots of cuddles and not a squeak out of any of the puppies as they got their chips implanted.
Thursday 06/06/ 11:20am
The puppies met our Norwegian Forest cat, Olaf face to face for the first time today. He deigned to go into the pen to say hello. The puppies weren't exactly sure about feline company and a good deal of yelling took place. Olaf was a bit bemused and wandered off.
Wednesday 05/06/ 10:15am
The puppies spend quite a lot of time in their outdoor pen. This exposes them to the great outdoors and gets them used to the hustle and bustle of the 59plus household.
Tuesday 04/06/ 11:00pm
In the puppy pen at the moment are two crates. A wire one and a solid plastic travel one. The puppies like them and have taken to sleeping in them rather than their bed. This gets them used to crates, a great thing for latter life.
Monday 03/06/ 21:20pm
The puppies are getting difficult to weigh as they have other ideas than to sit still on the scales. So we ignore any daily fluctuations in the puppy weights graphs, just check that they are all putting on weight as a trend.
Sunday 02/06/ 5:30pm
First social outing for the pups, so it's down the pub (strictly water only for them). They got to meet lots of people both dog people and not. They also met some poodles. Thanks to Peter and Carole for bringing their canine companions.
Sunday 02/06/ 11:30am
An exciting day. First puppy allocated to her new owner. Chess (FiveNinePlus Sirenuca) is now called Tabú and we are very pleased that she is going to some long standing friends of ours Kylee & Titch. She will be off to her new home soon to join three other SWDs and we are sure have a wonderful time.
Saturday 01/06/ 4:00pm
The puppies all had their Volhard Puppy Test today. Thanks to Diane and Kylee for doing this. This is a formalised test of the puppies' character and helps us allocate the best suited puppy to their new owners.
Friday 31/05/24 17:00pm
The puppies are now Kennel Club Registered. Here's a list...
9. Black bob tail, ♂ 'Yogi', yellow collar FiveNinePlus Abderraman
8. Black long tail, ♀ 'Tootsie', purple collar FiveNinePlus Pyrene
7. Black & tan long tail, ♂ 'Banbury', light blue collar FiveNinePlus Viriato
6. Black bob tail, ♀ 'Ruby', red collar FiveNinePlus Borenia
5. Black bob tail, ♀ 'Raven', orange collar FiveNinePlus Azahara
4. Black & tan long tail, ♂ 'Ross', dark blue collar FiveNinePlus Medulo
3. Black & white bob tail, ♀ 'Chess', pink collar FiveNinePlus Sirenuca
2. Black bob tail, ♀ 'Sootie', grey collar FiveNinePlus Zoraya
1. Black long tail, ♂ 'Junior', lime green collar, FiveNinePlus Luarca
Thursday 30/05/ 7:20pm
Minced beef in milk containers is todays task for the puppies. They made a good attempt but got fed up with no reward after about fifteen minutes so we helped and took the tops off.
Wednesday 29/05/ 7:20pm
The puppies got to wander around the living room today with the other dogs, two at a time for our sanity!
Tuesday 28/05/ 4:15pm
A new puzzle for the puppies today.
Monday 27/05/ 4:20pm
A snuffle mat today for the puppies. Great for engaging them (and getting a bit of peace for a few minutes).
Sunday 26/05/ 6:00pm
The puppies got their dinner in metal bowls. We think it's important that they get they food in different types of containers.
Sunday 26/05/ 3:20pm
A ball pit session outside today for each puppy by themselves. This litter seem to really love the ball pit and dive straight in. We think it's a good idea that the puppies get to try new things individually as well together to give them independence.
Saturday 25/05/ 4:15pm
Treat for the puppies for today are chews filled with various fillings including peanut butter, cranberry and mint.
Saturday 25/05/ 10:00am
We put a solid travel crate in the pen today so that the puppies can explore it and get used to it, before they have to be in one for real.
Friday 24/05/ 6:10pm
The puppies' food was just soaked today, not mashed up. Their teeth are now quite developed and they coped with this with no difficulties.
Thursday 23/05/ 11:30am
Lots of destructive fun today. Egg boxes filled with cheese. The puppies open these in seconds, if not all that elegantly.
Wednesday 22/05/ 10:50am
Today's new experience for the puppies is exploring bowls. So they have to rootle around for their food. They seem to manage quite well!
Tuesday 21/05/ 6:40pm
We are really beginning to notice the differences in the puppies characters. Some are more bold, always arriving first at any new experience. Others hang back a little and consider whats happening. We can now often tell which puppy is which by their behavior.
Monday 20/05/ 12:50pm
Lots of play fighting for the puppies today. It can sound really quite rough, but it is a good way for the puppies to explore the boundaries of what's acceptable and if ever they go to far there is a squeak and they back off.
Sunday 19/05/ 5:50pm
Another set of photos, now the puppies have developed a lot...
9. Black bob tail, ♂ 'Yogi', yellow collar
8. Black long tail, ♀ 'Tootsie', purple collar
7. Black & tan long tail, ♂ 'Banbury', emerald green collar
6. Black bob tail, ♀ 'Ruby', red collar.
5. Black bob tail, ♀ 'Raven', orange collar
4. Black & tan long tail, ♂ 'Ross', olive green collar.
3. Black & white bob tail, ♀ 'Chess', collar.
2. Black bob tail, ♀ 'Sootie', grey collar.
1. Black long tail, ♂ 'Junior', lime green collar
Saturday 18/05/ 11:00am
The puppies teeth are coming through. So we are giving them lots of things to chew, chewy toys, cardboard boxes, which they make short work of.
Friday 17/05/ 4:45pm
Time to introduce the puppies to the clicker. This involves each puppy individually playing around in front of us. As soon as they look at us or come towards us we click then give them a treat. In this case a small piece of cheese. The puppies love this, the individual attention as much as the cheese! It gets them used to the noise of the clicker and to associate it with a treat. All positive things especially if their new owners decide to use the clicker as a training method.
Thursday 16/05/ 6:25pm
A new taste sensation for the puppies, macaroni cheese mixed in with their usual. We are also using four blasts on a gundog whistle to announce their meals. This will hopefully help with a recall to the whistle.
Wednesday 15/05/ 4:30pm
Two firsts for the puppies today. First time out in the open air and first time in water.
Tuesday 14/05/ 7:30am
Today on the menu is their usual mixture with the addition of some cooked mince beef. To date they have had, rice pudding, pilchards and mackerel. We believe that a varied diet prepares them for later life and however their new owners want to feed them.
Monday 13/05/ 7:45pm
The puppies continue their busy social diary with another visit. They are also spending time in a pen in the front room so they can meet everyone. They have met all our dogs (five of them in total) and Olaf our Norwegian Forest Cat. They also got a quick wander around the living room outside their pen (under careful supervision).
Sunday 12/05/ 3:00pm
The puppies continue their social whirl this time an old friend of us at 59+, Colleen came to visit. They have also received lots of toys as presents form visitors. It's great to watch which ones are their favorites. Currently it seems to be toys that crackle.
Saturday 11/05/ 5:45pm
We introduce the puppies to lots of different foods which we mix in with their Josera Family Plus kibble mashed up with Lactol. They have already had tinned rice pudding which they love and gets them to start on dairy products. today is pilchards.
Saturday 11/05/ 3:00pm
Another pair of visitors for the puppies, over from England. Rachel (vice chair of the Spanish Water Dog club) and Keith (A Gold Good Citizen examiner and trainer) so the puppies had to mid their Ps and Qs.
Friday 09/05/7:00pm
First visitors for the puppies. Loads of cuddles a lovely experience for all, two and four legged. Thanks to Jen and Carla.
Thursday 08/05/10 50am
If you here any strange sounds, fire works, sirens trains etc etc. on the puppy cam, don't be alarmed, it's just our various puppy acclimatisation CDs to get them used to the sounds they will encounter in their daily lives.
Wednesday 08/05/24 10:30am
The puppies are beginning to use the toilet tray. Special mention goes to Ruby who we have seen using the facilities three times now.
Tuesday 07/05/24 5:20pm
We have put collars on the puppies. This has two benefits, first it gets them used to collars at an age when they are not worried. Second it aids identification, although as their coats are already quite long the collars can be difficult to see on the PuppyCam. Here's a list...
9. Black, white patch on chest, looks like a bear ♂ 'Yogi', yellow collar
8. Black, splash of white on chest, back feet have white toes ♀ 'Tootsie', purple collar
7. Black & tan, white cross on chest ♂ 'Banbury', emerald green collar
6. Black, white on chin with stripe from top of chest to tummy ♀ 'Ruby', red collar
5. Black, white Y on chest and chin ♀ 'Raven', orange collar
4. Black & tan, white on chest in the shape of a 'Y' ♂ 'Ross', olive green collar
3. Black & white, wide white blaze on face, half white collar ♀ 'Chess', collar
2. Black, tiny spot of white on chest ♀ 'Sootie', grey collar
1. Black, white stripe on tummy ♂ 'Junior', lime green collar
Monday 6/05/24 3:35pm
The puppies got their first non-Pedra based food. A mixture of Josera Family Plus kibble mashed up with Lactol.
Sunday 05/05/24 9:30pm
The puppies have settled in to their new pen. We have also moved the PuppyCam across so you can catch up with their shenanigans.
Saturday 04/05/24 3:00pm
The puppies have moved. They are now in the puppy room which has a pen which covers most of the floor area. This gives the puppies lots of room to run around and play. We put in lots of different surfaces for them to get used to. They also have a toilet area with artificial grass to try to give them a good start with house training.
Friday 03/05/24 3:55pm
The Internet is back thanks to a very helpful and determined Openreach engineer, so the PuppyCam is back.
Thursday 02/05/24 9:45pm
Weighing the puppies is getting more difficult. They now don't sit still on the scales (a flat scales made for babies) and they keep trying to wander off.
Thursday 02/05/24 12:20pm
The Five Nine Plus Internet connection is down, so the puppycam is off-line.
Wednesday 01/05/24 10:00am
The puppies are well up on their feet and can trot around. They are also interacting with each other more with a little play fighting and and climbing over each other.
Tuesday 30/04/24 8100am
The puppies can now bark properly (oh joy). Actually it is very cute, little waaafs coming from the whelping box.
Monday 29/04/24 71550pm
The puppies have now graduated from the Super Dog programme, they can now go off and be Navy Seals (the programme was first developed for US military dogs). It is only done from day 3 to day 16, which to be honest I think the pups will be pleased about. As they now all have fully open eyes, they do find the sessions a little bit challenging and this time several of them made their displeasure know. From now on any handling is just cuddles!
Sunday 28/94/24 21:10pm
Ruby undergoing the Super Dog programme.
Saturday 27/04/24 7:30pm
The puppies can now feed from Pedra when she is standing up. They are also very mobile now, moving round the whelping box with ease. Their move to their new pen won't be long now.
Friday 26/94/24 1:120pm
Pedra is now leaving the puppies quite a lot, allowing them to get into a busy routine. Eat, sleep repeat. With a bit of play in between.
Thursday 25/94/24 8:15pm
The puppies have all got to twice their birth weights and they are two weeks old tomorrow, so right on schedule, it's as if they had read the books!
Wednesday 24/04/24 8:10pm
Some of the puppies' eyes are now open enough for them to see us (probably verily blurrily). They are also letting out the odd bark.
Tuesday 23/04/24 8:00pm
First nail clipping for the puppies. It is a great idea to clip the puppies nails nice and early. It makes Pedra's life more comfortable and at this age the puppies are very tolerant so it is a good time to get them used to it.
Tuesday 23/04/24 4:00pm
The puppies' eyes are beginning to open.
Monday 22/04/24 19:00pm
Most of the puppies now have nicknames. The latest to be named is the black girl with the long white stripe on her chest, number 6, who has been named by an avid young puppy watcher, she is now "Ruby". These nicknames are important to us as they avoid having to refer to the puppies by their birth number. We don't use the nicknames to the puppies (so that the first name they here will be that given to them by their owners), but we do use it here in the blog and when discussing the puppies with others.
Sunday 21/04/24 3:30pm
Pedra is now happy to leave the puppies. She sometimes takes a rest from them by coming out of the whelping box. She is even happy to come out of the bedroom and spend a little time with the rest of us. Currently this is only for about five minutes. We don't let any of the other dogs (or Olaf the cat) into the bedroom at any time so that Pedra is confident that the puppies are safe in there, even without her.
Saturday 20/04/24 6:30pm
The puppies are starting to interact with each other and their surroundings. I found Yogi exploring the folds in the vet bed under the bars in the whelping box. We have now given them a few toys to bump into, including a not at all creepy mini Rachel dog toy, thanks Tim (Rachel's brother).
Friday 19/04/24 4:00pm
Time for the puppy's "Slug Shots". In our opinion at this age puppies just look like little furry slugs and it is difficult to even tell them apart on photos. But for the record here they all are...
9. Male black ¾ bob tail with white bear on chest. "Yogi"
8. Female black long tail with white toes on both back feet. "Tootsie" \
7.Male black & tan long tail, tan cross on chest. "Banbury"
6. Female black ¾ bob tail with long narrows white strip down to tummy
5. Female black ¾ bob tail with white Y on chest.
4. Male black & tan long tail, tan Y on chest, "Ross".
3. Female black & white ¾ bob tail, white half collar
2. Female black ¾ bob tail, tiny spot of white on chest "Sooty"
1. Male black long tail, white stripe on tummy.
Thursday 18/04/24 7:45am
Pedra is getting much better at leaving the puppies to go outside. She is a very devoted mum and spends virtually all her time with them. This is probably why they are all thriving without and food supplements from us. She will now come out when we call her and she has the confidence that they will still be there when she gets back! Just a quick word about the litters environment. They are in our bedroom. We always have the puppies born there and stay there for approximately two weeks, so we are on hand if there are any issues. Once their eyes are open (and if they start looking like they can get out of the whelping box) we will move them into our dog room. Our other dogs get turfed out and they have a large pen, virtually the whole size of the room.
Wednesday 17/04/24 18:20Am
We have put an extra heat mat in the whelping box. The weather has turned a little colder here in Northern Ireland and our max/min thermometer went down to 17°C. At this stage the puppies can't regulate their own body temperatures so they rely on mum and the environment. Therefore a steady temperature is most important, Only about half the area of the whelping box has heat mats underneath it, so thy can regulate their temperatures by moving. These are at the top half of the box as you look at it on the PuppyCam. If Pedra isn't there (something of a rarity at the moment) they can usually be seen on the bottom half.
Wednesday 17/04/24 11:00Am
What a caring dad. Flowers and a card from Ziggy.
Tuesday 16/04/24 8:50pm
The puppies get their first Super Dog session. It is done once a day and consist of holding the puppies first upright, then on then upside down, then on their backs. Next their paws are tickled with a cotton bud, finally they are placed on a cold wet flannel for a few seconds. This is a re4search based system that promotes neural growth and can also help development of their immune system.
Tuesday 16/04/24 8:40pm
The calm before the storm...
Tuesday 16/04/24 10:15am
Pedra gets Lactol four times a day (a total of 200ml) . This helps her feeding the pups.
Monday 15/04/24 7:00pm
Third weigh in for the pups. All have now put on weight over their birth weights and seem to be thriving.
Monday 15/04/24 5:30pm
The puppies had their first van journey and vet check. All fine and Pedra well recovered. Thanks to Firmount Vets for making this an easy and calm experience.
Sunday 14/04/24 6:15pm
Checked all the puppies for the correct descriptions and gave them their first weigh in. We weigh each puppy every day as we think this is a useful monitor of their health. It also means getting them all used to being handled at an early age. It is important not take each reading reading as important and it is trends we are looking for (i.e. a steady overall increase in weight). A couple lost weight from their birth weight. This is normal, following all the exertions and shock of coming into the world. Check out the weight graphs at Puppy
Weights.
Sunday 14/04/24 2:34pm
Attempted to check and photo all the puppies to make sure we have their descriptions correct. Pedra got a bit agitated so gave up. We will check them all tonight at their weigh ins and postpone the photos for a bit.
Sunday 14/04/24 1:45pm
Finally got Pedra to go out side for an "exercise". She is a very attentive mum and hadn't left the pups yet.
Saturday 13/04/24 10:12pm
Pedra and puppies all very content and settled down for the night, well the next twenty minutes of it anyway!
Saturday 13/04/24 4:32pm
Ninth puppy born. Male black ¾ bob tail. White patch on chest, looks like a bear. 32og. "Yogi"
Saturday 13/04/24 4:12pm
Eighth puppy born. Female black long tail. Splash of white on chest, both back feet have three white toes. 340g.
Saturday 13/04/24 3:28pm
Seventh puppy born. Male black & tan long tail. White cross on chest. 310g. "Banbury"
Saturday 13/04/24 3:04pm
Sixth puppy born. Female black ¾ bob tail. White on chin with long narrow white stripe from top of chest to tummy. 260g.
Saturday 13/04/24 2:53pm
Fifth puppy born. Female black ¾ bob tail. White on chest and chin. 350g.
Saturday 13/04/24 2:35pm
Fourth puppy born. Male black & tan long tail, white on chest in the shape of a 'Y', 320g. "Ross".
Saturday 13/04/24 2:20pm
Third puppy born. Female black & white ½ bob tail, wide white blaze on face, half white collar, 350g.
Saturday 13/04/24 2:04pm
Second puppy born. Female black ¾ bob tail, tiny spot of white on chest, 310g.
Saturday 13/04/24 1:41pm
First puppy born. Male black long tail, white stripe on tummy, 360g.
Wednesday 14/02/24 10:47pm
Happy Valentine's day, another good tie mating. Huge thanks to Jenny Abrahams (Adormidera) for a lovely and successful time. Ziggy was a great stud dog and Pedra had a great experience.
Tuesday 13/02/24 1:01pm
Good tie mating
Friday 09/02/24 5:30pm
Pedra meets Ziggy (Adormidera Ziggy Star Dust) for the first time (romantically at least) at his Essex home.
Puppy Blog
Born 13/04/24, 4 dogs 5 bitches C.O.I. 5.4%
Dam: "Pedra"
Ir. Sh. Ch. FiveNinePlus Pedraforca Ir. Jn. Ch. RL1 Ex, CentW23, CentJW23, CentDip23
Five Nine Plus