Litter Name: The A cappella Litter Puppy Names: Soprano (apricot tuxedo female), Alto (red female), Tenor (apricot tuxedo male), Bass (apricot tuxedo male). You can tell the boys apart because Bass has a tiny dot on the top of his head while Tenor does not). Date of Birth: May 31, 2025 Number of puppies: 4 (2 females, 2 males) Size: Mini - small medium (expected weights 18 - 34 lbs) Parents: Leapfrog Trillium aka Robin and Van Isle Hundred Acre Wood aka Forrest
Week 1: From healthy newborns to chubby neonates. This is a period of very rapid growth. The puppies spend almost 24 hours/day nursing or sleeping. They have all gained a phenomenal amount of weight, especially Soprano and Bass who are now almost 3X their birthweight! Their size relative to each other, and their projected size as adults cannot be determined at this age. A puppy that is large at 1 week of age can end up on the smaller end, while a pup that starts out small can bypass most of its siblings by the time they go home at 8 weeks.
Birthweights and Week 1 Weights Soprano - 5 oz, 14 oz Alto - 8.5 oz, 1lb 2.5 oz Tenor - 9.5 oz, 1lb 5 oz Bass - 8.5 oz, 1lb 8 oz
Slideshow
Week 2: Gaining and Seeing! The puppies are now 3 - 5 times their birthweight! During week two, they still spend most of their time nursing or sleeping. On day 14, their eyes opened, but they are still used to keeping them closed, as per this week's photos and video. They still are not particularly mobile, and they won't be able to hear for up to a week. If you compare this week's photos with last's I'll bet you can notice a difference!
Birth, Week 1 and Week 2 Weights Soprano - 5 oz, 14 oz, 1lb 7.5 oz Alto - 8.5 oz, 1lb 2.5 oz, 1lb 9 oz Tenor - 9.5 oz, 1lb 5 oz, 1lb 13.5 oz Bass - 8.5 oz, 1lb 8 oz, 2lbs 3 oz
Slideshow (Scroll down for video!)
Video Introduction to the A cappella Litter :)
Week 3: Up and About! The puppies can see AND hear! Hearing results in much more frequent and varied vocalization. With that, they become far more social. They now show curiosity about their surroundings and intentionally interact with each other, with Robin, and with the humans in their environment. The bigger pups are even wagging their tails! I will post a video of them interacting with each other on our Leapfrog Labradoodles Facebook page this week :)
Birth, Week 1, 2 and 3 Weights Soprano - 5 oz, 14 oz, 1lb 7.5 oz, 2lbs 4.5 oz (no longer the smallest!) Alto - 8.5 oz, 1lb 2.5 oz, 1lb 9 oz, 2lbs 3.5 oz Tenor - 9.5 oz, 1lb 5 oz, 1lb 13.5 oz. 2lbs 12 oz Bass - 8.5 oz, 1lb 8 oz, 2lbs 3 oz, 3lbs 3oz
Slideshow: This is a great week for popcorn, I took LOTS of photos! Apologies for being a little late with this week's update. I had to lighten each of the photos a little and it took forever!
Week 4: Big Wide World! The puppies have moved from the whelping nest to a larger enclosure with see through sides. This week's update takes you into their world so you can see how it's changing as they grow!
Last moments in the whelping nest, place of their birth... (Apologies for the bedhead! Mama and puppies will all have a spa day this week).
First moments in their new home, which will continue to grow along with them for the next 4 weeks...
(Sorry for the rambling commentary. Families on the reservation list already know I'm getting over the flu and shouldn't be explaining anything to anybody. Thanks for bearing with me, and have a great week!)
Week 5: Exposure and positive CERs (Conditioned Emotional Responses) The puppies' world continues to expand as new experiences are introduced. Just exposing puppies to new experiences isn't enough to make them brave and behaviorally sound as adults. If an experience is likely to be annoying, frightening, or in any way aversive to a puppy, we pair it with lots of treats, cuddles, and gentle words of encouragement to condition a positive emotional response. Exposure plus positive CER = emotionally/behaviorally sound puppy.
Week 6: In-person Family Day Visit in lieu of photos :) All families on the reservation list came to visit in person. Thanks everyone!!! I ended up taking a few photos and videos and posting them below and on our Leapfrog Labradoodles Facebook page.
Week 7: Puppies going home next weekend :) :) The last couple of weeks the puppies are here are BUSY! The puppies are busy, and I am busy enriching their world, and working with each puppy individually to prepare them for the transition ahead. This week is also temperament testing and matching puppies with families!
Slideshow This week's slideshow shows the puppies in another outdoor fun-zone enclosure that I set up for them this week. They spend about 90 minutes /day (supervised) here or on the deck where there is more shade. This enclosure is filled with items that are very intriguing to the puppies, and that also require courage to interact with. There is a swing that moves when the puppies climb on it, a push toy that rolls and plays music and sounds, a swimming pool with water in it, a tunnel, a balance board, tippy chair, and large balls that roll. When you watch the slideshow, see if you can spot when the puppies are being curious, and how that leads them to interact with their environment.
I also spend 1-2 hours/day working 1-1 with puppies. I am teaching them a variety of life skills, and also getting them accustomed to being away from their mom and littermates for short periods. This week, our focus is on manding, car rides, and puppy adventure walks around the property.