And then they were gone

The puppies reached seven weeks of age and then started to leave home, and to enjoy new lives with their super families, am hopeful that we will get regular pictures as they grow up to share on this blog.

Maunu

The amazingly chunky first born - Mauno now weighs a whopping 5060g - must take the record for the heaviest pup I have bred at this age!  Looks like he might be nicknamed Marmite having joined Bill and Jean in Crawley, W Sussex.  

Nicotiemus

Am sure our second boy - Nicotiemus is going to look like his handsome dad, he is a more normal 4030g, and has gone north to the Lakes and now lives in Barrow with Rose and Andy, hopefully will contribute to the entries in the north of England and Scotland!  His dad is owned by Jordie and Nico, not sure if  its a compliment having a pup named after you!!!

Lumikko

Another heavyweight in puppy dog three, AKA Lumikko now at 4650g, who will be kept busy in his new family - joining Ciaran, Clair, Sarah, Shauna and Mum & Dad in Northwood.

Kiitos

The only bitch in the litter was the fourth born, though much lighter than her brothers she is still a pretty hefty 3860g, now called Kiitos (we are guessing that she will have plenty of nick names!) she is joining Inko and Paula and Adam in Camberley - yes Surrey Lappy numbers continue to rise!!! You can check on Kiitos' news on her family blog - Living with a Lappy

Onni

Onni was our little stowaway - the surprise bonus boy - at 4860g he'd struggle to hide away now being a chunky chap.  He has headed west to Wiltshire to join Mike, Charlotte and Sam.  

Fingers crossed we will be seeing a number of these in the show ring at some point!






A special well done to Kaisa who returned to the show ring when her pups were eight weeks of age - to qualify for Crufts for life being awarded her Stud Book number on winning Open bitch under Harry Tast at Southern Cos

Kaisa and Lumikko

More super pictures - courtesy of Pia

Puppies Have Arrived

dog pup 1

Kaisa wasted no time in getting down to having her puppies.  Having 'prepared' her nest, she was very unsettled on Sunday morning and tried to bury her breakfast - since, when it comes to food, Kaisa is very much a chip off the old block (Toive) this forewarned me that her labour was not far away.

dog pup 2

I would have guessed she would have the puppies over the night of Sunday/Monday, but she was a good girl and decided to have them in day light hours.  The first really noticeable contraction was at about 16:00hrs on Sunday 10th April, and by 16.45 the first boy puppy (with white tipped hind feet) was born, weighing on at a good 400g, a few minutes to find out what to do and clean him up and the contractions started again with the second puppy another boy born at 17:15 (380g), he has a little white streak like a  lightening flash from chest to tummy.  Both puppies were quickly suckling - something I am keen to get started as this stimulates the bitch to produce more oxtytocin which brings milk down and encourages uterus to contract - to push out next puppy.

dog pup 3

The scan had shown 4 puppies, and Kaisa still looked 'pregnant' so we were expecting more: only another half hour passed (17:45) and out came the third puppy - yet another boy at 400g, settling down to enjoy the new family we had to wait an hour for the fourth - a little girl at 18:45, another with the tiniest of white tips to toes and a white bib at her throat, she was a shade lighter than the boys at 350g.

the bitch pup

I then got Kaisa to stand as I was not convinced she was empty, and a gentle feel highlighted what appeared to be another puppy - so I set the 4 puppies suckling and we did not have long to wait for the "stowaway" and 4th boy at 19:15, weighing in at 400g as well (he has the tiniest white tip to his tail).  A lovely even litter all good weights.

dog pup 4

The pups don't have a lot of white on them, but markings are bright and already very noticeable, so think they will follow mum, Kaisa (Elbereth Kaisa at Arktinen) and dad, Usko (Int/NL Ch Fidelis Duuri) with lovely markings.  On health front, Kaisa has a hip score of 8:6 and Usko is A, both are prcd-1 PRA clear so puppies will be genetically clear of this form of PRA, they both hold a current clear eye certificate.   All the puppies are already spoken for:)  More photos of the lovely new family.