Eating and Sleeping

When it comes to feeding puppies and dogs, I am a fan of variety, whole foods, and moderation.

Consider that food is more than calories — it is also important to the immune system via the impact on the gut microbiome. A diet of just kibble is typically not optimal for gut health any more than our bodies would be happy existing on a single food.

Moonshadow breakfast — minus Titan

This morning, for example, the puppies had a meal of brown rice, butternut squash, stew meat, and a bit of plain kefir — blended up because the stew meat is too chunky for babies.

Titan gets to eat alone to ensure his fair share. Okay — he gets more than his fair share :)

Because their primary food source is still nursing, I am not overly worried about exact amounts of things in the homemade puppy food; this changes when they are not nursing. I use BalanceIT both for the recipes and to ensure that the homemade food covers all the nutritional bases.

It sings and moves — the Moonshadows thought bubbles: What the heck is that?!

The puppies also eat Darwins Natural, which is a raw food that meets the guidelines as a complete food, including for large-breed puppies; I brown it for the puppies instead of feeding raw.

Rosebud and her Bright Stars Squad

The puppies are not eating kibble yet. I will introduce Orijen Large-breed puppy kibble to them at seven weeks. When they leave us, they will be used to eating three meals a day plus nursing: one meal of soaked kibble, one meal of homemade, and one meal of cooked Darwins.

Moonshadow Kale

The puppy that stays here will stay on that level of variety.

Puppies who are not nursing should eat four times a day for the first few weeks, and then can move to three times a day until at least six months. FYI: I feed my adult dogs three times a day.

The ball pit exploded

I ask new homes to choose two of the current feeding options or all three if one is adventurous. Again, homemade food should utilize BalanceIT product and recipes to ensure complete nutrition.

Bright Star Lyra

Puppies grow so fast — we do need to pay attention to their nutritional needs.

I have been asked about the platform beds. This one has a leg removed so that it moves under the puppies.

My advice on the beds: Don’t bother. I bought two and none of the dogs sleep on them. The puppies’ favorite thing to do on them is pee but they will do that on any bed.

My adult dogs like Costco beds but I have learned from experience to not use a bed with puppy. If they don’t pee on it, they will chew it.

Moonshadow sleeping choices

So let the puppy sleep on a fleece that is easily washed (or the floor) and save the cute beds for later.

Have a wonderful day.

Evening Photos

Moonshadow Titan

Moonshadows sleeping on the Cato Board

A new calf born in the neighbor’s field this evening

Claire and Nova

Real Life

A few days ago someone basically chastised me for not telling her sooner than I did not have a puppy for her.

Moonshadow Ariel

My first response was to cry some tired and discouraged tears — that told me about the unfortunate state of my Little Soldiers.

I then told my family all about it when we played Zoom cards that evening, and was cheered when my sisters were indignant on my behalf.

And I get it — people want to know.

Bright Star Capella

There are at least three related issues in play — especially now — for why it is hard to just give a straight answer about whether there is an available puppy.

First, I have ten plus ten puppies and a professional job and other dogs and there is a pandemic and so on. Balls get dropped and this is apparently puzzling to some folks — as if customer service should be my top priority.

Customers buy groceries, lattes, refrigerators and maybe puppies from a puppy mill. I am not a puppy mill nor Starbucks. My priority is puppy happiness.

Moonshadow play

Second, I know people are typically looking at multiple litters — when I do not hear from people I just assume interest has waned — totally fine!

Bright Star Heze

The third reason it gets harder to have a straight answer at this point in the proceedings has to do with the type of homes the puppies need.

Some puppies will go into companion homes and some will go into show homes. Some puppies are well-suited to a life with a family and others are raring to go, go, go and need something different.

Bright Star Lyra

The kinds of homes that the puppies need is only now starting to be revealed, and will not be fully decided until they are eight weeks old.

I cannot, therefore, promise to have a companion puppy if the puppy would better served by a different kind of life and home.

Puppies are not one-size-fits-all.

Bright Star Orion

You get the idea — it is complicated and I am busy. Who knew BOTH girls would get pregnant and each with TEN?! Not me in a hundred years — which is why it happened.

I know my good intentions do not always translate into desired action, and that is why I do not mind graceful nudges.

But when someone gets her knickers in a knot over not getting a puppy and/or not being told sooner — well, I say to myself, “thank you, friend, for confirming my decision not to place a puppy with you.”

A new puppy is hard work, and they need mature, understanding, patient adults who know how to extend grace. Actually, that is what we all need right now.

Please have a kind, understanding, patient and graceful day — no matter what happens.

Evening Report

The Bright Stars went outside for the first time and had a lot of fun.

Capella

The Moonshadows enjoyed the wading pool — this is Portia…

Quick Update

This morning is busy as I had to run to Missoula to shop while Dear Husband stayed up later than usual to watch the ten plus ten while I was gone and so just a couple of photos and will share more later…

Rosebud cannot resist tails.

Bright Stars

A Few Evening Photos…

Moonshadow Buck

Moonshadow Neil