Day 15 (Updated)

Mary-Ann Sontag June 19, 2025

As the eyes open, they are all blue-gray at first.

The faster they look dark, the darker the puppy’s eyes will be as an adult. Puppies who have lighter eyes at 5 - 6 weeks are likely to have lighter brown eyes as adults.

This morning Star Garnet stayed awake for a while, interacting with the Bluey pillow and then with me.

Jasper was also awake for a while, doing his morning marches around the whelping box and checking out the toys.

He also continued to plot his escape.

All three boys are in this photo. Sapphire was playing tug with the fleece before he fell asleep.

And here they all are, growing right in front of our eyes.

Happy Thursday!

🩷💙💙💙

(Later)

What was new today was excellent walking and lots of short bursts of play — especially involving Jasper.

This is Jasper telling Star Garnet about his escape plans.

Jasper hasn’t quite mastered reciprocal play. This is Sapphire sleeping while Jasper plays 😂

Jasper playing while Topaz attempts to sleep.

Capella continues to do a great job with the puppies 🩷

Star Garnet was also pretty busy today (for a 15-day-old puppy, that is!). This is her with Sapphire.

Every day with the Gems is magical 🪄

TWO WEEKS! (updated)

Mary-Ann Sontag June 18, 2025

Happy Two Week Birthday to the Gems 💎

All of the puppies now have their eyes open, and that makes photos harder because I want to minimize the flash in their eyes.

Novelty that is noticeable but not stressful is important to puppy development, and so today we have something new in the whelping box. Star Garnet checked it out and decided it would make an excellent pillow.

Jasper also checked it out, including tasting it 😂

Puppies are starting to perk up their ears, and let me tell you — THAT is adorable.

But again, they are still small babies and that means they use 98% of their energy to eat, sleep, and grow.

Two week photos later 🎂

Please have a day worth celebrating 🥳

(Later)

It is so crazy how quickly they change! This is Star Garnet with Capella — look at that sit.

Mark my words — Jasper will be first out of the whelping box. Here he is making his plan.

Two week photos were a bit of a rodeo. It took four separate sessions to get a halfway decent shot of Sapphire.

Topaz is the litter cooperator — he must be a middle child.

Jasper would not sit still — this is the best I could do.

This photo of Star Garnet is exactly like one I did of Sparkle at two weeks — in the same glasses.

Here is the comparison.

I sure miss my Sparkle.

Two weeks is all about the mouths — here are some outtakes from the two week photos, starting with Star Garnet.

I love this one of Jasper — it is like he is singing.

Even our cooperative Middle Child got into the mouth act.

Sapphire also had mouth open photos but they were all blurry — he was like whirly twirly for his photos today 🌪️

Two weeks — amazing.

🩷💙💙💙

Day 13 (Updated)

Mary-Ann Sontag June 17, 2025

I went back and looked at milestones for other litters, and I was struck by a couple of things. These puppies are big for this age. Even though Topaz is the smallest in this litter, for example, he is similar to the sizes of the Wildflowers at about this age. Jasper, on the other hand, is much bigger than other litters at the same age.

Eyes are more open in this litter.

Walking/play seems about on par with other litters.

Carol asked how much time Capella spends with puppies vs. outside. Capella only goes out to potty — otherwise, she is in the living room with the puppies, although she doesn’t spend all her time with them. She tends to nurse and snooze with them, and then get up and hang out away from the box.