Happy Halloween! Update from Bear...

Bear loves being outside, especially laying in the sun.  In this picture, Bear is stalking the birds.  He is quite the hunter and digger.

The new puppies are precious!  I follow the blog as if I was getting one.

Nutmeg girl - 4 weeks

Kathy has chosen Nutmeg-  female dark red

Cinnamon girl -- 4 weeks

Michael has chosen Cinnamon -  female dark red

Pretzel boy - 4 weeks

Jessica has chosen Pretzel  -- dark red male

Strudel boy - 4 weeks.

Laura has chosen Strudel - Light Apricot Male

Puppy Progress this past week

This week the puppies have been more and more mobile.  They are now in the larger pen so they have the ability to use the litter box.  Potty training is a gradual process.  Sometimes they don't make it out of their bed in time.  But more and more the puppies are going potty further and further from their bed.

The puppies are always eager to nurse whenever Mom steps into the puppy pen.

The Puppies started eating solid food this week.  This consists of their regular puppy food that is softened and blended into a gruel consistency.   The process of weaning is a gradual one.  They are still mostly nursing. As they eat more regular food, Misty's milk supply will decrease.  By week 7 they will be almost weaned completely.

The puppies are noticeably more engaged with the other puppies this week.  They play, growl and are acting much more like you'd expect from a puppy.

The puppies are much more interactive with us as well.  We enjoy spending individual time with each puppy.  Their time with their littermates is still of primary importance.  But socialization with people is a very important part of each stage of development.

Update on Oscar (3 1/2 yrs old!)

Hi Mary!  Congratulations on your new little babies!!!  I do so enjoy following along on the blog and watching the puppies grow and reminiscing of how my baby boy Oscar  who is now close to a 30 lb giant was once a little 3.5 lb ball of fur who fit in the palm of my hand and could sleep on my shoulder: )  I have attached a recent picture of him, I can't believe he is already 3 1/2, time really flies!

---Oscar's Mom

Note on Size:  Oscar was a puppy from Dixie (Schnauzer) and Bart (poodle).  Dixie who is now retired is a little bigger than Misty, and Bart is a little bigger than Ricky.  So I don't think our present Miniature litter will get quite as big as Oscar.

Girl # 1 Cinnamon

Introducing Cinnamon.   She is a little red girl Schnoodle.  She is 3 weeks old.  Notice her little white toes.  This is how we will distinguish her from her sister.   Otherwise, the coloring of the two girls is very similar.

Girl # 2 ---Nutmeg

Nutmeg is our second red Schnoodle girl.  She is 3 weeks old.

Boy #1 Pretzel

Introducing Pretzel!  He was the first born of the litter.  A red Schnoodle boy.  He is 3 weeks old.