Aura

FOUR WEEK UPDATE:

This puppy has some mild discharge in the corner of her eyes causing the fur in that area to be slightly discolored (rust tint). She doesn't appear to favor her eyes, squint, or paw at her eyes at all. They are not red or discolored in any way.

This puppy appears to be able to sway her back at times. This is not a constant structural issue, but when standing, her back seems to relax into a slight sway position.

BIRTH NOTES:

This puppy came into the world head first with her sack broken at the last minute.

FOUR WEEK UPDATE:

This puppy is exceptionally chill and easy-going. She can cry out when she is in distress.

A funny incident worth noting is that she pretended not to be able to go over the short barrier of the whelping pen, thus being left behind while her siblings placed outside of the pen. It infuriated her that she couldn't go play, too, but for some reason, she refused to cross the barrier of the whelping pen on her own. After watching her, I thought perhaps she just didn't feel confident enough to climb it on her own. So, I reached down and called her over. She put both front feet on the barrier, but wouldn't climb over. I then helped her front feet over the barrier, leaving her to deal with her back feet on her own. She successfully navigated her back feet and played with her siblings. When I went into the whelping pen to sit with the puppies for a while, she easily climbed over the barrier to get to me, as if she had known how to do it the entire time.

Now, if this were the only time, I would have simply dismissed it as inexperience and that she needed a little encouragement the first time. But the next time the puppies woke up and went to play on the other side of the barrier, she did the exact same thing again. She whined and cried at the pen fence, but seemed to not even remember that the short barrier was there. She passed it several times, not even looking at it. Again, I coaxed her over to the short wall that she easily climbed previously on her own. She again did not want to cross it, so I coaxed her until she placed her front feet on top of the barrier. She, again, did not want to cross it completely on her own, so I helped her front feet down so she could move her back feet on her own. She successfully navigated the barrier at that point.

Perhaps she just needed a second experience leaving the den with support? That's what I thought, even though she easily climbed in to get in once again.

Then, she fussed at the barrier a third time, which made me think perhaps she was doing this all on purpose. I did not help her this third time and she finally crossed to get out on her own. Now, she regularly climbs in and out on her own, but those first few times, she literally would not cross it no matter how long I waited to help her. Instead, she cried and fussed because all of the other puppies were out except for her.

TEMPERAMENT TEST:

This puppy was loose, still, and quiet during the rough pet. This puppy was loose, still, and quiet during the lift. This puppy was loose, still, and quiet during the turn. This puppy was loose, still, and quiet when placed in an unfamiliar location. She did not stiffen when touched on the head in this location. This puppy sat quietly in the same location when placed back into the puppy pen away from her siblings. She sat there was a few seconds, then laid down where placed.

This puppy receives a score of 10+ for this temperament test.

BIRTH NOTES:

This puppy is vocal and squirmy. She moves quickly and assuredly. She moved in a determined circle over and over again when placed in an unfamiliar location. She has a set of lungs on her when she is upset.

FOUR WEEK UPDATE:

This puppy is a giant white female. Her skin has now turned black. Instead of solid black pads, though, she has spotted pads. Her nose is black. As noted above, she appears to be able to sway her back on occasion when relaxed.

BIRTH NOTES:

2nd puppy born at 7:35pm is a large white female with all pink skin. She is long and thin, not robust and chunky like the first one.