Puppy Penthouse and other updates
- Posted on 31st January 2015
- in Featured
- by jvfairbanks
Two litters at once is very interesting! The moms and puppies are doing great. We did run into an issue, when Daphne would hear Millie puppies squeak, she is sure that she has a puppy missing! When Millie would hear Daphne’s puppies she would act the same. They were doing fine with each other until the litters arrived. But this “my baby! where is my baby? Let me get to my baby” act by both the new moms we thought it was best to move them around. I could foresee a dynamic I did not want to have happen in the house between two new mothers. Thursday we moved things around. Millie and her litter were moved into the puppy room, which we have dubbed the puppy penthouse since we already have a puppy room.
December and January Jeff focused on the new puppy room remodel. That became a priority over the doodle spa room (the future grooming area for the doodles) when we thought we might have two litters very close together. Previous doodle owners that have visited are aware of the plans for the Puppy Penthouse at doodle acres. And it is becoming a reality very quickly.
Sunday before Millie whelped he had accomplished an amazing amount of things on weekends and evenings and around the busy holiday events. He had insulated it and added OSB plywood to the walls for additional warmth. We purchased a special paneling that is easy to clean (with puppies it is a must) and had planned to install the same day which Millie decided to whelp. 🙂
With Millie being slightly ahead of time whelp wise we were so close to being ready! We could not install the pretty white paneling. To install it first you use a very strong glue and the vapors linger for a week. So excuse the plywood walls in the pictures but they will stay through this litter. Puppies and glue vapors don’t mix. I wanted to put an easy to clean floor paint down as well.
The puppies and Millie are doing great there. She is very happy and I think not hearing Daphne and her puppies really helps her settle in. Daphne is more settled as well. Jeff added the puppy railing to what was to be Millie’s whelp box, and that needed painting as well.
The penthouse is thermostat controlled and has a window for natural light from another earlier remodel project. It needs to be sanded and repainted. Excuse the “work in progress” that will show in the pictures. The painting and the wall install was so close to being ready for her.
It has shelves and an upper cabinet installed that will hold all our puppy blankets and bins of toys and supplies. Later when the big doodles remodel room gets done it will be joined by a dutch door so when we do not have puppies it can serve a variety of uses for the doodles including finally getting to unpack our grooming table and loop. Jeff did a great job and I am so lucky he is so “handy”. I wish I could clone him. So do the doodles. Here is a picture from last night. Millie needs an eye and over trim but I love the tongue picture. It’s a doodle thing, the tongue out in happiness. 🙂
Millie and the puppies have a dog door that leads out to an artificial turf area we are working on this weekend. We don’t have it open yet as we need to build a fence around it with a gate to keep other doodles out and make sure she and the puppies are comfortable. The area is covered, to keep rain and the elements off all that stay there (and us as we visit). The puppies will learn to use the puppy door. The turf will be easy to clean and help in training the puppies to yard. And much better than the rock that is currently there. As they get older they will get time in the puppy play yard with real grass. We also (well, Jeff also) did spray foam insulation between the metal and wood. If you look at the top of the photo below you can see it spilling over. We will trim it off and then add the upper trim later.
The turf has this black sand like filler you have to broom in to hold up the grass. This in time will be great to keep puppies clean and dry when it rains. Right now, after two hours “brooming” I still see areas that need to be worked:
Jeff is building a “step” for the door and puppies when they use the puppy door. Here is the work in progress:
Millie approves of the turf and overseeing construction:
We worked on the fence in the evening, more pictures of that in a bit.
I moved in a foot stool so she can escape puppies to a raised area when she needs a break and still watch the puppies. It is also a place for me to sit with her and watch the puppies. We are moving a loveseat out as well to give her the taste of home that she enjoys. The loveseat was her favorite spot. It is easy to clean and we will probably move it out once the puppies start running around (about 4 weeks of age).
Next week we will get internet access and hopefully install the wireless video cameras we had at our old house for remote puppy viewing and security. The covered walkway between the house and doodle remodel will be the last as the house remodel has to happen before the walkway. I stare at the plans and look so forward to having everything done. While I dream I also watch for both the two litters eyes to open. We have slits but no full opening of eyes yet with Millie’s litter.
Our dad has been visiting and helping with puppy watching during the week along with mom, making her flannel whelp blankets for the puppies. He visits to let the girls stretch and do their business and we are so lucky to have him! Both Daphne and Millie love his visits as well. Mom loves to sew and has made each of the puppies a blanket that will go home with the puppy. We find it helps to make the transition smoother with scents from home. All the puppies will sleep with the blankets prior to leaving. Truly a family affair!
And since he has nothing else to do…Jeff found wooden wine barrels that will be the big doodles bed for their doodle room. The one end of the barrel will be open, and on its side with a wooden platform in the barrel for a floor with a pillow on top. The barrel will have feet to keep it from rolling of course. 🙂 We think the doodles will love having a wine barrel of their very own! I will of course be taking pictures of all the projects later.
Last night I created a video gallery to hold all the videos for both puppies. This morning I added a few photos to both Millie and Daphne galleries. Jay and Kristina come to visit Daphne and the puppies on Sunday. Jay is Daphne’s guardian home and he really misses her and can’t wait to see the puppies! We don’t have puppy visitors usually this early other than family. I am sure that Daphne will be very proudly showing off her puppies to Jay!
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More later this weekend, including the weekly photos.
