1
The Fab Four remain......
Nemo, Tiny, Jack and Intrepid at 98 days old. Everytime the numbers change - a pup goes home or some little pups show up - the pups must re-work the dominance order. The older pups are seperated from the younger pups as they will be too rough with them at this time. This week its Nemo that is the big boss that will fill Honey's shoes!
| 
2
Mom's will be moms......
And pups will be pups! The 40 day old A-Team has found The Sonja's boobs!
| 
3
Yup.....
Some folks have in their mind that all pitbulls are horrible, vicious dogs, that will kill kitties and puppies at any chance. Sonja never read those headlines and news stories....
| 
4
There really isn't much milk there.....
Too bad for us there is no milk, which would provide the pups with antibodies that would help them resist disease. They did get colostrum when they were born, but even after the first milk is long gone, the milk still contains antibodies that help to protect the pups against enteritis type viruses.
|
5
Antibodies or no.....
The pups only care that they can have their binkies back! Because of their vulnerable state at this tender age, we take extra care to not walk the adult pack and older pups in places where other dogs frequent, ie dog parks or petshops, where they might pick up a disease and infect the pups, and only go to friends fenced yards that are free and clean of disease for play dates.
| 
6
Jack is eager to play ball!
The A-Team tires quickly - in the blink of an eye! But the older pups (101 days old!) and adults still need regular excercise to tire them out and get them ready for bed!
| 
7
Its a squeaky ball, too.....
Which means NO pitbulls can play .. IF we want this ball to last more than a minute!
| 
8
A-Team looks on....
They want OUT, but they are still too young to handle the big pups. They are handling plenty of other things tho - loud, clanking pots and pans, TV noise, planes flying over head, sinks and toilets -they are getting socialized to house living, so for their age they are still handling plenty!
|
9
Doggone! Inguinal hernia - can you see it?
It is a fact that you must evaluate breeding stock and eliminate the dogs not suited for breeding. I got Angel for myself, but she has an inquinal hernia! I did not see this from birth in her, and I can only think that the introduction of solid food and passing bowels made this hernia apparent. Look close to see it; its in her groin where her leg joins her body, and looks like a fat bulge, but its asymetrical - that sure ain't fat. These hernias are faults that happen, and Angel was the only one of her litter to have a big, bulging hernia -darn, I got the one lemon in the litter! This means I must start at the begining again to find a suitable brood female to add to the RatpiT pack. It also means that Angel will be spayed and go to a pet home, and I have the perfect home waiting in the wings. Win some and lose some - that is just how aquiring suitable breeding stock goes!
| 
10
Aries wants out!
Aries has no hernia - infact, its more of a girl thing - and I think he is just an awesome pup! Keep on looking good, Aries, and maybe we'll arrange a date with XENA for you!
| 
11
That WAS an A-Team toy....
And then the juveniles got ahold of it - end of story!
| 
12
A-Team watches from the wings...
They are not amused with their tiny playpen and want OUT. They are just not ready to be with the big dogs just yet - but soon!
|
13
Angel in a halo!
This was originally a cat toy, had a swinging toy attached to it. The juveniles took care of the swinging toy, but it still makes a great prop!
| 
14
Action Jackson (nee Nemo) goes home!
Its a beautiful day for a drive, and I can't wait to deliver this pup to his new people- they are perfect for him!
| 
15
102 day old Jackson in his new digs....
I have Xena along as witness; I want her to know where her pups go, and so I always bring a doggy witness so they can tell the pack first hand where their pack member went. This family is so nice, and so excited to have their boy. We go over the details, training techniques, but they are so well prepared (they have all the books I recommended and food and everything) that we just enjoy the visit!
| 
16
Our work here is done, Xena, let's go home.....
And the bestest part? I held onto Jackson while his people were out of town for fishing opener; for this extra time he was with me they compensated me.. with a BOX OF GODIVAS!! Let's just say that Iron Gut Ridgeway got NARY A ONE! Yup, the humans scarfed 'em down before she could even try!
|
17
43 day old Angel in action!
The A-Team takes to the open air, still too young to be on the grassy side of the fence with the 104 day old juveniles (who are obsessed with working out dominance order now that Jackson has departed) so they hang with the adults on the patio.
| 
18
Dark chocolates.....
Or should I say a pair of liver piebalds? In some breeds Conan's color is called 'liver', so I guess you could say a pair of liver chocolate pieds...(liver is yucky tho, which is why I prefer MILK CHOCOLATE - yum!)
| 
19
Look at that Aries pup go!
I am so taken with this boy's markings - he is just gorgeous! At 43 days here.
| 
20
OUCH!
6 week old pups just have a thing for chomping toes! Its true - at 6 weeks the pups are learning bite boundaries, both on each other and US. At this time we gently disengage them from our toes and redirect them to other objects!
|
21
Checking out the red girrls....
Ruby, wild child that she is, is a very gentle adult around the A-Team.
| 
22
Poor Ruby!
Ruby gets a kiss from her dad. Ruby has been battling a tail injury and she has been in pain, so needs extra cuddling! Its getting better, but she still tells us her Tail Hurts!
| 
23
Angel has a thing for heights!
She is a climber and likes to seek the summit whenever she can!
| 
24
Astro plays his part.....
Astro is a respectful adult too, and is an excellent and gentle puppy socializer and role model.
|
