This week I confirmed (to the best of my amateur ability) that all the puppies hear. Now, whether they hear in one ear or both, well I am still working on that. I don't think my technique is perfected yet. I also do not think we have any blue eyes in the litter.
This week I also did the pee test with the puppies. Yes, I collected their pee and refrigerated it to see who, if any, inherited the LUA gene from Franc. I have decided to not count my chickens before they are hatched, so I'll let everyone know the status of LUA versus HUA once I get DNA results back from U.C. Davis.
Puppies will soon be micro-chipped and health testing will follow after that. Each puppy will be BAER hearing tested by a canine neurologist to confirm that they hear and to determine if they hear in one ear (unilateral hearing) or if they hear in both ears (bilateral hearing). They will also be DNA tested for the LUA gene, and each puppy will be color coat tested. Why am I color coat testing the puppies? Well, since both parents obviously carried the lemon gene, and because Peanut is lemon, I want to know who, if any of the other 3, inherited the lemon gene. Puppies will also undergo CERF testing by a canine ophthamologist to check for any eye abnormalities, such as ISD which seems to be increasing in the dalmatian population. Lastly, they will have a bit of blood donated to the CHIC DNA database so that researchers in the future have ample DNA samples when they begin research on various canine health issues. (I personally think this is very important as we all want healthy dogs, so just as I did with the resident dals, blood samples will be donated by each puppy.)
This week will bring about new eating habits, new adventures, new experiences and new people!
Yesterday the puppies received their first "meal" that consisted of goat's milk. Messy! They wore more of it than they drank! But Odessa did a wonderful job of cleaning them (and the floor) up afterwards. Good girl Odessa! Today we will get daring and add raw ground turkey to the goat's milk. I have the mop ready!
Speaking of mops, I cannot believe how many paper towels I have gone thru so far! I'm beginning to think Odessa is secretly stashing them somewhere. Bleach, disinfecting wipes, paper towels.....I just seem to be taking bag after bag out to the trash. And the laundry! WOW! I've already done 4 loads today, and none of it is mine!
Puppies will be introduced to a few toys this week and they will also start meeting new people. I have a long list of people who want to meet the puppies. Heck, even one of the resident dals can't wait to play with them.
Runway, the resident goof ball, hears the puppies and I know he is thinking about jumping the baby gate! (Little does he know that there are 2 more barriers he has to clear to get to them!)
Dog logic - if I run around the table and come back to this starting position, the baby gate will be gone and I can go see my new friends.
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