da Vinci litter - 2 weeks & some precocious pups!

These pups, like the man who inspired their litter theme, are super precocious!

As soon as their eyes popped open, they were walking around like they owned the world - and bailing out of their small baby pool.  So, it was time to switch to the big pool, on only day 13!  

This is a new record, but they are clearly ready for the bigger pool, with higher sides to keep them in, and also more room to spread out, practice walking, and start litter box training.  They'll also be starting on some solid raw dog food next week.  Time is just flying by!

Raphael and Ginevra began the day yesterday with fully open eyes.  

La Joconde & Cecilia had eyes partially open.  

Salai, Ludevico, and Leonardo da Vinci were keeping them shut for a bit longer!

Today, everyone has at least partially opened eyes, and by tomorrow all should be fully open.  They're not focusing yet, and we'll be going no-flash on the camera for a few days to protect the newly opened eyes from too much light.

On to some pics!

A few pics while still in the small pool - and taking up so much room!
Cecilia (at Brie's butt), Ludevico  & Raphael tucked into her legs.  Little Ginevra at her back feet.  Leo da Vinci, Salai, and La Joconde stretching out.

Ooops!  Brie appears to have lost an ear!

Mealtime for everyone - Brie's snacking on chicken necks & quarters and some pork liver and beef kidneys while the pups snack on HER!

Happy mom and full pups.

In typical Brie fashion - burrowing under the bedding while Salai & Ginevra nurse. 😂

From left:  Ludevico (typical burrowing, just like his mom!), Raphael, Joconde, Leo da V., Cecilia

da Vinci pups - days 9 to 11

Brie continues to keep these guys immaculately clean, fat, and happy.  Eyes should be popping open very soon.

We're seeing a few trends in personality already:

Ludevico is a 'diver' when he nurses - almost ALWAYS at the bottom of the pile!  He's done this since day one.  Mama Brie, and his full sister, Bug, are famous for burrowing under their blankets and bedding, so maybe he'll be like them, liking to be covered up!

Both of the red/fawns, Ginevra and Salai, are climbers - they are the two most likely to climb up on Brie and then slide down behind her and need rescuing.  A few days ago, they climbed her and ended up on the blanket buffers I've began putting around the outside of the pool so that no one goes 'overboard'.  I woke up to find them both on top of a pile of blankets (outside the pool) sleeping happily like a pair of bookends.

Leonardo da Vinci himself is also becoming quite a climber.

Joconde, Cecilia and Raphael haven't revealed their whippet puppy superpowers yet, other than just be cute as buttons!

On to some pics:

Getting SO big!
La Joconde, Ludevico (underneath!) and da Vinci at the milkbar; Raphael, Ginevra, Ceclia, and Salai napping.

Ginevra, Raphael (top) Ceclia, Salai

La Joconde, sneaky Ludevico underneath, and da Vinci

Happy mom and pups - da Vinci has climbed Mt. Brie!

From left:  La Joconde, Ginevra, Cecilia, Salai, da Vinci, Ludevico, Raphael

Puppy Pile!

In spite of our hot days lately, these guys LOVE to cuddle each other - they're rarely spread out all over the pool like litters of the past.  

da Vinci pups - day 8

 Another 'first' for the da Vinci pups today- 1st toenail trim!  Mama Brie will be happy for shorter nails on these little snackers.

And...when you're getting old, there's no limit to the amount of extra equipment it takes to trim teeny, tiny puppy toenails.  Extra strong reading glasses AND a headlamp were very helpful, in spite of looking a little like Johnny Depp as Ichabod Crane in Tim Burton's "Sleepy Hollow!" 

  Next time, I'm using knee pads, as well!!!

Brie is looking at me like, "What in the heck is on your head?!"

Bookends - Ginevra (left) & Salai (right)

It's a Parti Party!
From left:  Cecilia, Raphael, La Joconde

Leonardo (top) & Ludevico

Puppy pile!

da Vinci pups - 1 week!

Just a couple of quick pics to celebrate one week with the da Vinci pups.  They are fat, shiny, healthy, happy little pups!

Clockwise:  Raphael (top), La Joconde, Ginevra, Ludevico, & Cecilia

Leonardo (top left) & Salai were chilling under the heat lamp.

Mama Brie says, "Escooooose me.  I am bored.  Wake up!"

Some fun stats:

• La Joconda was largest at birth (300 grams/0.66lbs), and is still the biggest at 537 grams (1.18lbs).
• Raphael was the smallest at birth (215 grams/0.47lbs...yes, you read that right, he was less than 1/2 lb when he was born!), and is still the smallest (though gaining well!) at 402 grams (.89lbs).
• Other weights:
• Ginevra 461g (1.02lbs)
• Ludevico 475g (1.05lbs)
• Leonardo 489g (1.08lbs)
• Salai 498g (1.10lbs)
• Cecilia 510g (1.12lbs)
• All pups are gaining well, and Brie is an exceptional mom.  She's attentive, but not overbearing, and keeps them warm, clean, dry, and fed.

da Vinci pups days 4 & 5

 Not a lot to report!  The pups are doing their normal puppy things - sleeping, eating, sleeping, eating...later, rinse, repeat.

All are gaining well, and little Raphael broke into the 300's in the morning weigh in.  He's up to 331 grams!  Everyone else is in the 400's (with Ginevra right at 401g, and Chunky Monkey La Joconde at 477g!)

On to some recent pics:

Leonardo and mom snuggles.

Warming up under the heat lamp during our little 'cool snap' of weather.

The gang's all here!  

Can't manage to snap a pic of sleeping Brie without her hearing the camera flash, and cracking her eyes open!  Just goes to show how alert mama dogs are, even when they're supposedly 'sleeping'.

La Joconda!

Ludevico & Raphael

The Milkbar is open for business.

Proud mama.

And...back to looking like she's had too much to drink!  😆

da Vinci pups, days 2 & 3

 Yesterday was a BIG day for the da Vinci pups.  They took their first car ride to work, and spent the day nursing and snuggling and sleeping with their mama while we processed raw dog food for the pack for the week.

They traveled just fine, and settled right into the pool at work, just like at home.

Here are pics from home & work - it's amazing to see how much they've already grown as the pics progress.

Brie says, "I made these!"  

Brie's cousin, Scarlet, is sooo interested in the pups - she keeps hopping up on our doggy bunk beds to peek at them over the edge of the whelping pen.

Snuggle fest - Ginevra & Leonardo

Un-phased by traveling to work, the pups did their normal nursing/sleeping routine like nothing had changed.

Ginevra (top) and Leonardo with mom.

So sleepy mom & pups.
From left: Cecilia, Joconde, Ginevra, Salai, Ludevico, Leonardo & Raphael

Silly Ludevico!  He fell asleep in the tub during the morning weigh in this morning!  And he's already perfecting 'the whippet head hang' over the side.

Salai, Ginevra, Joconde, Raphael, and Cecilia.

From top:  La Joconde, Leonardo, Ludevico, Cecilia, Salai, & Ginevra.

Same lineup!

These guys love to snuggle, and so does Brie!