First Food at Four Weeks!

The girls are 4 weeks old now and have developed into these amazing little blundles of energy. You can watch them on this video:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab2KGP-OFFQ

On Friday evening I gave VIP her last evening meal and Leia came bounding over and landed right in the middle of it. She immediately started to eat...so...they have now been getting their first meals from a bowl. I am starting them off on a rotation of high quality canned food, Esbilac, and my raw meat diet in a 1:1:1 ratio by weight. My raw diet may be beef, chicken, venison, or rabbit-based, and has been supplemented with vitamins and minerals (it is not just meat alone).

They have had fabulous solid stools with the inclusion of this mixture to their daily nursing from VIP. I continue to hear misconceptions about the feeding of raw diets to puppies. Like older dogs, the major risks and concerns associated with any raw diet feeding are related to the risks of bacterial contamination to the human handlers, not the canine consumers.  Additionally, some people that make their own raw diets fail to ensure the diets are properly formulated to meet nutrient requirements.  With over 44 nutrients to be concerned with, unless people have done their homework and spend the time and money necessary to properly make a raw diet, I do suggest purchasing a pre-made commercial raw diet instead. 

They are all responding well to Danny and I, and we have been introducing new things for them to explore, touch, and interact with daily.  I have been trimming their tiny nails and turning on the dremmel tool to let them get used to the noise. 

Additionally, I have been loading the sound of the clicker while they are eating and call them over to eat, rather than carry the food bowl to them.  Danny and I let them chase us down the hallway while we call their names.  I will begin to invite friends and neighbors over in the coming weeks to interact with the girls and add to the variety of people they see on a daily basis.