Friday, March 9, 2012

eyes Ears & TEETH!!

Finn with Dale
Finn with VCM
 Hard to believe Finn will be a month old next Tuesday!  He has developed so quickly from the helpless fuzzy loaf to jolly little pudge waddling around the pen.  In just three short weeks, Finn's eyes have opened, his hearing has kicked in and he is *almost* fully mobile.  There are still many instances of the drunken sailor but his coordination develops fast.  Like all my puppies have, Finn has a fondness for Vermont Chew Man (VCM) stuffed fleece toys.  We call it the "Foo man!"  He also has a stuffed sheep that he pins regularly! (An omen for the future?  Nah :)  He is eating solid food now along with nursing, but Katrina limits his bouts a bit more...and I get it...his little teeth have also erupted.  Sharp!  We are working on getting Finn to use his litter pan and it's going...oookaaay?...not perfect, yet.  I decided to lay some newspaper around the box so he associates the odor and feel with elimination, and that has helped.  Peat's breeder, Loretta, has given me great advice and I am trying to live up it. I don't know how she did it with full litter!  I can hardly stay on top of ONE! :)
Pinning the Foo man
       Finn is now accepting guests (:)) and met with his Auntie Lisa for the first time yesterday.  Today we have some more "Finn fans" coming by, with the goal of exposing Finn to at least one new experience or person every day.  This morning we met Hazel, our mousing cat.  She had mild interest and then decided that Finn was "one of Those" and hissed.  (Katrina and Hazel have a running feud...but I'm still not sure which of them is really in charge...though I have my suspicions.


Saturday, March 3, 2012

Edward Scissor Paws!

Here's my little man...with loooong toe nails!  I gave him a trim only a week ago (and even managed to cut a quick--Ouch!--yes puppies feel pain...I felt so terrible!) and still they are like tiny long needles.  Finn is walking around now, playing with stuffed toys (with a little animation help from me:), barking and growling.  I don't think there's anything cuter than watching a 2 1/2 week old puppy growl and bark!  He doesn't seem to be responding to noises...yet..functional hearing comes on board after eye opening.  But then again he does seem to orient to me when I baby talk...yes, I admit it, I coo to him.  I just can't resist.  I tell him he's one lucky Border Collie to be born on a working sheep farm...his destiny is set!  He'll earn his keep just like mum and dad.  Speaking of dad, Peat sniffed Finn today for the first time with cautious interest.  Katrina watched carefully and while I don't think she'll be inviting Peat in for tea anytime soon, she allowed it with trepidation.  I think he'll be crawling out of the whelping box by tomorrow...let the games begin!