Tater and Tot are "growin' like Topsy." Tater, who was almost 2 lbs when she got here, is now 2 lb 15-1/2 oz. Tot is 1 lb 15 oz, but the size difference between her and her sister is less than it was when she arrived. She's gaining on Tater.
Tot's one problem was that she has been very congested almost since day #1. Ashley suggested that I give her a steam treatment, so I put the puppies in a laundry basket in the guest bathroom, with a steaming pot for a couple of hours two days in a row and it seemed to really make all the difference for her. Not only did she stop sounding so congested, but she also started eating more.
(Fortunately we had no guests visit us during this time, because I'm sure they would have wondered about the teapot looking pot in the bathroom! I was thinking of adding a cup and an assortment of teas!)
Today they had their first big "outing." I took them out to the back yard around noon, when the sun had been out for awhile and it wasn't so cold. Tater has learned how to follow me. I'm always surprised at how fast she is when I walk away from her and find her right with me. Tot hasn't figured that out yet. She got separated from us by a couple of feet and didn't know what to do. It was so cute to watch Tater go over to her sister and really kind of guide her in the right direction to find me. I was quite impressed.
I have been thinking that now that they are about 3 weeks old, it's time to think about starting them on some solid food. Tater is so huge that I was sure she was more than ready for it. Ashley said she would pick up some puppy food that I could start moistening to try the puppies on.
At their next feeding, I let them out to run around the house while I fixed their bottle. Suddenly I looked down at Tater and this was what I saw:
She had found the self-feeder that I have set up for Nicki and she dove into that thing and loved it. I think the decision about whether she's ready for solid food or not was solved by Tater herself! Tot, when I put her near the bowl later in the afternoon, didn't have a clue what to do with solid food.
As for Ms. Nicki, I want everybody reading this to think extra good thoughts tomorrow. She has a family coming to meet her and if she gets along with their dog and if, after they go home and think about it, they decide she's a good fit, she may finally find herself a forever home.
I love that little girl, but it's time for her to move on, while she's still cute and as cuddily as she is capable of being.
Ever since she came back from Ashley's she's been acting more like a normal dog. When the puppies first arrived, she didn't seem to even know they were here, but now she's very intrigued with them. In the above photo, she's checking out Tot.
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