Timber x Forrest 2025: Watch Us GROW!
Litter Name: The Nature Lovers Litter (inspired by the fact that both parents have nature names - theme and names chosen by the kids in Timber's family)
Puppy Names (in birth order): Fern (chocolate female), Juniper (apricot abstract male), Meadow (chocolate abstract female), Cypress (black abstract male), Clover (apricot abstract female), and River (caramel/red male).
Date of Birth: January 27, 2025
Number of puppies: 6 (3 females, 3 males)
Size: Mini - small medium (expected weights 17 - 27 lbs)
Parents: Leapfrog Woodland Wonder aka Timber and Van Isle Hundred Acre Wood aka Forrest
Week 1: From healthy newborns to chubby neonates.
This is a period of rapid growth. The puppies spend almost 24 hours/day nursing or sleeping. They have all gained a phenomenal amount of weight, especially River! Their size relative to each other, and their size overall 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
Fern 9.5 oz, 16.5 oz
Juniper 9.5 oz, 17.5 oz
Meadow 8.5 oz, 18 oz
Cypress 9 oz, 20 oz
Clover 8 oz, 16 oz
River 5 oz, 16 oz
Slideshow
Week 2 - Seeing and Gaining!
Another week of rapid growth and development. The puppies' eyes are beginning to open. They are becoming somewhat more mobile, occasionally standing up on all fours and teetering around. They are just beginning to notice each other. Feeding and staying warm remain their top priorities. And it just has to be said, they are so stinkin' cute!!!
Week 2 Weights
Fern 1lb 9.5 oz
Juniper 1lb 11 oz
Meadow 1lb 15.5 oz
Cypress 1lb 15 oz
Clover 1lb 10 oz
River 1lb 9.5 oz
Another week of rapid growth and development. The puppies' eyes are beginning to open. They are becoming somewhat more mobile, occasionally standing up on all fours and teetering around. They are just beginning to notice each other. Feeding and staying warm remain their top priorities. And it just has to be said, they are so stinkin' cute!!!
Week 2 Weights
Fern 1lb 9.5 oz
Juniper 1lb 11 oz
Meadow 1lb 15.5 oz
Cypress 1lb 15 oz
Clover 1lb 10 oz
River 1lb 9.5 oz
Videos
I zipped in and shot this while Timber was having her lunch. It can be awkward to video the puppies with a happy, friendly mama in the foreground. In order of appearance: Meadow, River, Juniper, Clover, Fern, and Cypress (with a few reappearances and moments of co-starring puppies mixed in).
I zipped in and shot this while Timber was having her lunch. It can be awkward to video the puppies with a happy, friendly mama in the foreground. In order of appearance: Meadow, River, Juniper, Clover, Fern, and Cypress (with a few reappearances and moments of co-starring puppies mixed in).
Sleeping babies (always in motion!).
Photos
The puppies' home is always changing with novel items being introduced and removed each day. At this stage, the items I give them to interact with are medium sized plush toys and blankets. As they get older, the list of novel items will become far more extensive and varied.
You can see in the second photo that the puppies have already begun potty training. Their sleeping area is extra cozy and clean. I keep it meticulously clean to distinguish it from the potty area. That's a washable pee pad taking up 2/3 of the space. I will use pee pads for another week and then switch to a litter box containing wood pellets. The puppies have one more week to go in the whelping nest. After that, they will transition to a bigger space.
The puppies' home is always changing with novel items being introduced and removed each day. At this stage, the items I give them to interact with are medium sized plush toys and blankets. As they get older, the list of novel items will become far more extensive and varied.
You can see in the second photo that the puppies have already begun potty training. Their sleeping area is extra cozy and clean. I keep it meticulously clean to distinguish it from the potty area. That's a washable pee pad taking up 2/3 of the space. I will use pee pads for another week and then switch to a litter box containing wood pellets. The puppies have one more week to go in the whelping nest. After that, they will transition to a bigger space.
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Week 3 - Toddling and Playing!
It's official - they are social, fun-loving little beings! They have found their voices (err eerrrr!) and they are interacting with each other, their mother and us a lot. I thought you would appreciate seeing some close-ups this week. Enjoy the photos and video!
It's official - they are social, fun-loving little beings! They have found their voices (err eerrrr!) and they are interacting with each other, their mother and us a lot. I thought you would appreciate seeing some close-ups this week. Enjoy the photos and video!
Video
The beginnings of play :)
Slideshow - Puppy Portraits!
Week 3 - Learning and Experiencing!
Four weeks is a very exciting turning point in puppy development! At this age, I start to work 1-1 with each puppy daily. We work on body handling and grooming, on clicker training, and on little training games designed to teach puppies they can offer behaviours to earn rewards. Beginning at around this age, I am very mindful and proactive about building a positive Conditioned Emotional Response (CER) to anything that is potentially aversive (such as interrupting something the puppy is doing, taking something away, picking the puppy up, or handling sensitive areas of the body). Anything aversive is paired with a yummy treat. Their capacity to learn at this very young age never ceases to amaze me!
The puppies look a bit serious in this week's photos. That's because we live in a very small house where everyone knows everyone else's business. A puppy with pneumonia in Rio's litter took a turn for the worse this week, putting Rio on edge and causing her to bark as I was moving around the house taking photos of Timber's puppies. In reality, Timber's puppies are very sweet, happy, and friendly! I'll do my best to get lots more photos and videos for you this week :)
Week 4 Weights (4 weeks and 2 days)
Fern 2lb 11.5 oz
Juniper 3lb 1 oz
Meadow 3lb 7 oz
Cypress 3lb 3 oz
Clover 2lb 13 oz
River 2lb 15.5 oz
Four weeks is a very exciting turning point in puppy development! At this age, I start to work 1-1 with each puppy daily. We work on body handling and grooming, on clicker training, and on little training games designed to teach puppies they can offer behaviours to earn rewards. Beginning at around this age, I am very mindful and proactive about building a positive Conditioned Emotional Response (CER) to anything that is potentially aversive (such as interrupting something the puppy is doing, taking something away, picking the puppy up, or handling sensitive areas of the body). Anything aversive is paired with a yummy treat. Their capacity to learn at this very young age never ceases to amaze me!
The puppies look a bit serious in this week's photos. That's because we live in a very small house where everyone knows everyone else's business. A puppy with pneumonia in Rio's litter took a turn for the worse this week, putting Rio on edge and causing her to bark as I was moving around the house taking photos of Timber's puppies. In reality, Timber's puppies are very sweet, happy, and friendly! I'll do my best to get lots more photos and videos for you this week :)
Week 4 Weights (4 weeks and 2 days)
Fern 2lb 11.5 oz
Juniper 3lb 1 oz
Meadow 3lb 7 oz
Cypress 3lb 3 oz
Clover 2lb 13 oz
River 2lb 15.5 oz
Week 5 - New Adventures!
This week, 1-1 training and socialization experiences continue. Along with that, I am introducing daily adventures. Our adventures include outdoor time, car rides, visitors, and visits to other people's houses. We are also working hard on grooming training and husbandry tasks this week. Today's videos were taken in our gazebo where you will meet the puppies when you come to visit them in-person or on Zoom.
Week 5 Weights
Fern 3lb 1.5 oz
Juniper 3lb 11 oz
Meadow 3lb 15.5 oz
Cypress 3lb 9 oz
Clover 3lb 4 oz
River 3lb 7.5 oz
This week, 1-1 training and socialization experiences continue. Along with that, I am introducing daily adventures. Our adventures include outdoor time, car rides, visitors, and visits to other people's houses. We are also working hard on grooming training and husbandry tasks this week. Today's videos were taken in our gazebo where you will meet the puppies when you come to visit them in-person or on Zoom.
Week 5 Weights
Fern 3lb 1.5 oz
Juniper 3lb 11 oz
Meadow 3lb 15.5 oz
Cypress 3lb 9 oz
Clover 3lb 4 oz
River 3lb 7.5 oz
Videos
First outdoor adventure :)
First outdoor adventure :)
The trials and tribulations of weaning...
In the end, mama gives in :)
Week 6 - Family Day (visit in lieu of photos this week)!
Families on the reservation list are invited to come and meet the puppies in person this week. A second visit is offered via Zoom for those who are unable to attend.
Families on the reservation list are invited to come and meet the puppies in person this week. A second visit is offered via Zoom for those who are unable to attend.
Week 7 - 8 - Getting ready for their first BIG adventure!
Our days are filled with as many novel positive experiences as we can squeeze in. We are also working on our daily routines so the puppies are well rested, well fed, and know more or less what to expect each day. As we reach the 8 week mark, they are almost ready to take on the world. I am sure going to miss these sweetheart puppies!
Slideshow
This is our last set of photos! The puppies appear in the order they arrived on the planet just 8 short weeks ago. I hope you enjoy the slideshow :)
Week 8 Weights (kg)
Fern - 2.06
Juniper - 2.84
Meadow - 2.56
Cypress - 2.52
Clover - 2.16
River - 2.42
Our days are filled with as many novel positive experiences as we can squeeze in. We are also working on our daily routines so the puppies are well rested, well fed, and know more or less what to expect each day. As we reach the 8 week mark, they are almost ready to take on the world. I am sure going to miss these sweetheart puppies!
Slideshow
This is our last set of photos! The puppies appear in the order they arrived on the planet just 8 short weeks ago. I hope you enjoy the slideshow :)
Week 8 Weights (kg)
Fern - 2.06
Juniper - 2.84
Meadow - 2.56
Cypress - 2.52
Clover - 2.16
River - 2.42