Elle & Rex’s 5.23.22 Litter

Adoption time!

How wonderful to find the best families for a litter that we couldn’t help but favor this time around. What a docile group of champion snugglers! If it was possible, Ever After would have kept every one of them. However, the many updates already show us that the puppies are flourishing with their new families making letting go much easier. Shout out to our returning Houston, Texas family! Axel and Wolfie will not only have the coolest human family, but they will also have each other!

Elle & Rex’s 5.23.22 Litter - 8 Weeks

This week puppies “enjoyed” mini grooms (baths then trims for eyes, paw pads, nails, privates, and tummies). In addition, first vaccinations and dewormings with our wonderful veterinarian and staff were followed by a visit to the Farmers’ Market next door. We must give a big shout out to Kaffa Ethiopian Cafe for allowing our prolonged presence in front of their booth as the puppies drew a crowd which stopped us in our tracks. Although a long outing, the babies never tired of distributing hugs and kisses to anyone asking - free puppy therapy for all!

Elle & Rex’s 5.23.22 Litter - 7 Weeks

There’s no such thing as a stranger to these little squirts. Everyone gets showered with kisses. Teeth are almost in for hard kibbles to dominate the food bowls. Crate-training and outdoor potty are going very well - such a smart bunch. Momma Elle still let’s her kiddos nurse now and again, but there really isn’t much milk remaining. At Ever After, we let our mothers decide how they want to wean their puppies. Each seems to lengthen visiting times toward the end as they encourage the puppies to trust their human caregivers. It seems to be a divine way of instilling gradual confidence before the pups go home to their individual forever families.

Elle & Rex’s 5.23.22 Litter - 6 Weeks

Hope you all had a happy 4th of July. In preparation, your puppies received bubble-wrap training. While happily distracted during eating and playtime, Ever After family members popped one bubble wrap at a time, then two, until a twist of the bubble wrap provided the best mock firework finale. All was done with excited voices, praise, and petting to take away any elements of fear. It paid off as the puppies played in their outdoor courtyard oblivious to the neighbor’s 4th of July fireworks. Desensitization done in a positive way is crucial during the first twelve weeks of your puppies life. It’s up to you to keep the training going.

Elle & Rex’s 5.23.22 Litter - 5 Weeks

Darling, darling, and more darling - is the all-encompassing adjective for these skipping, hopping, waddling, precious puppies as they look so tiny “racing” across the lawn. Momma Elle loves to lounge with them on the cool grass under the big maple tree. They climb all over their easy-going yet protective mother. They’ve also experienced outdoor time with our four other gentle dogs and two 10-week-old puppies from Mila’s last litter who will be going to their new homes soon. Such socialization with “safe” dogs is essential during the puppies’ upbringing. As teeth are showing themselves, the siblings remain pretty gentle with each other too - for now anyway, ha!

Elle & Rex’s 5.23.22 Litter - 4 Weeks

Porridge (soaked and pureed kibbles) week is always entertaining. Both porridge and water try to compete for replacement of Mom’s milk. The puppies partake but their hearts and tummies still crave for Mommy and her milk bar. With their budding teeth, we’ll see how much longer Momma Elle stays open for business. Car rides don’t seem to be an issue for these siblings. They enjoyed an outing to the nursing home and blessed the residents beyond measure. Puppy therapy is the best!

Elle & Rex’s 5.23.22 Litter - 3 Weeks

Three weeks marked ears open and wobbly walks. Noisy toys for sound desensitization and country music for two steppin were added to the nursery. As for each weekly birthday, nails were trimmed. For now, a human clippers worked great, but check out the RESOURCES page for the video showing how to safely clip your dog’s nails when it gets bigger. Also, the pups are still more than thriving (five chunks) on Mother’s milk. Elle is so petite, yet she keeps up with her hungry Narnians just fine.

Elle & Rex’s 5.23.22 Litter - 2 Weeks

“And then there was light!” These adorable miracles have opened their eyes. Next will be their ears. It all reminds us of the nursery song that says, “Be careful little eyes what you see. Be careful little ears what you hear.” It is our hope at Ever After that these precious pups have lives filled with intriguing sights and loving words of patience and encouragement. For now, it is our pleasure nestling these delicate babes in the crooks of our necks as we stroke and hum to them. Along with Elle, we are so in love!

Elle & Rex’s 5.23.22 Litter - 1 Week

This is Ever After’s Chronicles of Narnia litter. Aren’t they beautiful! With the way they scoot around the whelping box on their tummies, you’d be surprised that they cannot see or hear yet. Finding Mommy Elle’s milk bar is absolutely no problem for them. Just look at their plump little bellies. Elle keeps them close or nudges them over to the bed area with the additional heat source. She seems to know that her babies are unable to regulate their own body temperatures at this point. For us at Ever After, all of this is miraculous and never gets old. (Birth weights are listed under the pictures.)