Mr. Black Update (20 Days Old)

Many of you have been asking about Mr. Black, and I'm delighted to tell you he's doing just fine (that's him above, 20 days old, his photo taken just an hour ago).

We are, however, still concerned about the little guy, and we're watching him closely, though everyday our concerns lessen.

As of last night's weight-check, Mr. Black FINALLY reached the 3-POUND mark (yay!). He officially weighs 3 pounds 0 ounces. :o) And he's only ten ounces behind the next littlest pups (Mr. White and Mr. Red, who weigh 3-10 and 3-10.5 respectively). Everyone else is over four pounds, and Mr. Blue (our gentle giant) topped five pounds last night for the very first time.

The little pipsqueak has lots of spunk though! Here's what he's up to these days:

• His eyes are open and he's using them (we can see him "observing" things);
  
• he's walking (well... doing the drunken sailor stumble) just like his littermates;
• he's sitting (and not toppling over) just like his littermates;
  
• he's eliminating on his own just like his littermates (as in peeing and pooing without Elsie's help);
  
• he's barking, howling, growling, grunting, sighing, and vocalizing with the best of them;
  
• he's sleeping soundly and twitching appropriately (dreaming, too!);
• and he's snuggling calmly and affectionately with his humans. :o)

As long as Elsie sits or lies down to nurse, he can push his way in on his own to nurse (and he can hang on tight if someone else tries to nudge him off). But lately Elsie has taken to standing while nursing (her posture of choice it seems -- probably more comfortable for her). Well, that's all fine and good for the taller/longer/stronger pups. But the wee ones have a hard time reaching that far and holding themselves up that high. So we "help" them sometimes (as in giving them a boost or a hand to stand on) or we make sure they get alone-time to nurse with her. That's especially true for Mr. Black, but both Mr. White and Mr. Red also need help still now and then. So we're really watching all three, but we're watching Mr. Black most carefully.

Here's Daddy Don (DH) helping Mr. Black early this morning while Elsie uses her vertical nursing stance:



Mr. Black loves to "sing":


He sometimes takes a little longer than the rest to settle down to sleep, and he lets us all know it (including any littermates who can hear now -- we think three or four have had their ears unseal, all the biggest pups (they're startling to sudden noise), though the littlest ones aren't hearing just yet).



All-in-all, Mr. Black is holding his own and developing appropriately (as are White and Red). The three of them (our Three Musketeers, or perhaps we should call them the three "Mouseketeers!) are just smaller than the rest.

Mr. Black is indeed the smallest of the small, and I suspect he will continue to be.

We're still rooting for him here. And we have every reason to believe that they'll all be just fine. We just want to make sure they all, including the little ones, enjoy as great a start as they can get (no "survival of the fittest" in our house!). That's why we continue to "help" the littlest ones still as they have need. We believe they'll all become fine people-dogs and companions, offering much to their forever humans when the time comes.

And so it goes.

Just thought you'd like to know. :o)

'Til next time,
Joan