We got a little break in the weather and with temperatures hovering around freezing, it was time for the pups to get their first view of the outside.  I’ve also been trying to pay attention to the individual personalities as they are beginning to show through quite strongly.  All the pups are several pounds bigger than the first litter at this age.  The smaller litter size I think helped with early weight gain.

Let’s start with Vixen.  She’s a bold pup, willing to travel away from the pack and adult dogs to explore the outdoors.  Vix is a very bold and outgoing dog.  She has a lot of confidence and maybe a little swagger.

Blitzen is huge at nearly 12 pounds.  We’re a little worried about his weight as he was a little too round, but we put him on a puppy diet by pulling him out of the box at feeding time about half-way through and he’s getting back in shape.  Blitz loves to be out of the box and outside.  He launches his portly frame towards the top of the box.  Since most folks like the “first pup to come to me” Blitz may be a top choice as he is frequently the first to run to people.

On the other end of the scale is Dancer.  He’s the quiet observer type.  Amanda thinks he’s cerebral; I don’t quite know what to think.  I’ve never seen a puppy so content to sit quietly.  He’s not stupid or timid.  He was the first (and second) to get out of the bath tub despite being one of the smaller pups.  (We use the tub to hold the pups while we clean the whelping box).

Comet, now Mason, is going home with my friend Erik.  Mason is one of the “in the middle” pups.  He’s outgoing and bright, but not the biggest, smallest, noisiest or quietest.  Of course, he is the only solid male, so that makes him stand out.

Donner is a big boy too, over 11 pounds.  He’s kind of in the middle personality-wise too.  He seems to be a bright guy too.  He was the first to pee on the paper we put out when we had free-for-all puppy time in the house.  I guess he’d stand out more if not for Blitzen being bigger and more outgoing than any other pup in the litter.

If we keep one of the pups, I really don’t care which one it is.  My opinion of my favorite changes every few hours.  They all have a lot of “pick up and carry” instinct in them and they are all very close in personality.  I’m making a big deal out of little differences here.

Dove is up to her old tricks!  We found evidence that Dove is “snitching” food, as per her usual counter-surfing self.  However, she’s dropping at least some of it in the box for the puppies.  They had a good time trying to chew on the stale baguette before we found it.