All is well

Yoko and the pups are doing very well.  Big litters are challenging, but with this litter being so vigorous and uniform in weight, it has been amazingly uneventful so far.  The pups had been gaining 2 oz a day, but dropped off to 1 oz the last 24 hours, so time to start ramping up Yoko's food.  My guide is that the dam is fed the 1 cup per pup, so Yoko could be eating 10 cups of high calorie kibble within the next week.  That should make for one happy Labrador retriever.  A couple of days ago, I moved the pups into a small circular ex-pen about the same size as the big pool, with a crib bumper and a step-over half gate.  The pool was getting to be too hot, especially for Yoko.  The pups are very mobile and some are already trying to walk/wobble a bit.  On Thursday, I started BioSensor early neurological stimulation exercises which will continue daily until 16 days of age.  More info at:  http://www.angelfire.com/ca/curlycr/2001pups2a.html  The pups have already outgrown their newborn hairband "collars" and have graduated to elastic tie collars.  This AM, they received their first nail trim.  Next big milestone will be eyes opening at around 12-14 days of age.