Seven Weeks

What a whirlwind week this has been! Not only are the puppies larger than ever, but they are more mature. They are showing readiness for relationships, and it has been SO sweet to realize when they're trying to specifically engage me for "special time". (They're still in my kitchen, totally underfoot, and my computer is in the kitchen too, so they're always trying to engage!)

On Tuesday they had their CERF exams. Three of the puppies had Iris to Iris Persistent Pupillary Membranes, which are leftover remnants of the membrane that covers and nourishes the pupil in utero and while their eyes are still closed. They are generally dissolved by the time a puppy is eight weeks old, however they were still six weeks when I took them in. If you wait until they are eight weeks, then the CH factor of Collie Eye Abnormality can be masked by pigment at the back of the eye, so I always take them in early as that is the weightier concern. The eye doctor, Dr. Mark Nasisse at Carolina Veterinary Specialists in Greensboro, said that they had the mildest form of PPM and that they would probably outgrow it within a couple of weeks, that it was nothing to worry about and not considered to be hereditary. Still, it was somewhat disconcerting as our other two litters had totally perfect eyes all the way around. Here is an interesting article for anyone interested in learning more about Persistent Pupillary Membranes: http://www.vmdb.org/dx1.html

On Wednesday the puppies had their temperament tests. Now that was fun, to observe them, one after the other meet the tester, whom they've never met before, in a strange place, and watch how they interacted with her, responded to different stimuli and solved problems. There were very few surprises but it was still fascinating to see. As expected, Knox was the boldest puppy in the litter. He has a lot of attitude, is QUICK to solve a puzzle, but is still forgiving when you do something to him that he doesn't like. He will be a joy to train, and would be most appreciated by someone with a good bit of prior dog training experience. Ma'am and Bahnsen were the tester's two favorite picks in the litter. It took over five hours to test them all.

So ... if you're wondering why the photos are late this week and why they're just head shots, now you have an idea! It has been a BUSY week, but the weather is supposed to remain nice over the weekend so I'll try to post some additional candids of the puppies at play!