Raising the scrim . . . .

The Tiny Dancers are two weeks old, and the fun is about to begin.  Over the last few days all four opened their eyes, and now interaction has started, not only between puppies (I saw miniature muzzle fencing for the first time yesterday, and today they are much more aware of and interested in each other) but between the pups and Victory (they know she's there, and not just because they smell dinner -- and I saw Jazz chewing Victory's foot tonight) and between the pups and me (they all toddled towards me tonight when I got in the box, and Jazz even mouthed me).

They're getting steadier and steadier on their legs, although there are still some pretty comical pratfalls (thank God for fluffy vet fleece -- it cushions the falls).  They walk with a funny, stiff-legged sense of purpose; they haven't quite got the dancer's grace yet.  And they pause, purposely, and pee -- without mama's help and in prodigious quantities for such wee little creatures.

Today is Day 16, the last day of the Early Neurological Stimulation exercises.  Open eyes and increased awareness added another level of excitement to the last couple of days of the program; pups were less inclined to be gracious about being hung upside down or laid on their backs, and they had NO intention of remaining standing on that cold, wet facecloth.  I had to laugh.

Each has now been carried into different parts of the house, though so far we've stuck to the first floor.  And they all got to spend a minute on the foam squares we have on the living room floor -- their first time standing anywhere other than in their whelping box.  Victory was rather alarmed at this proceeding, so each pup had to submit to having its bottom tended to by a rather nervous mother.

Twist on the mats, investigating a dog bed

Jazz checks out the new surface . . . not too sure about it!

Disco: "Ma, do you HAVE to?"

Tango: "Mama -- that's emBARRassing!"

I am delighting in a drama-free zone and have finally -- finally! -- exhaled the breath I think I've been holding for two weeks.

Let the fun begin!  My next mission is to hit the thrift stores looking for interactive children's toys. Soon we add the weaning pen, and the puppies' world will expand.  We're looking forward to visitors, too.

Tiny dancers . . . learning by leaps and bounds!