Thanks for all the Christmas and New Year greetings, along with updates sent to me over the last couple weeks. I will endeavour to getting the updates on here over the next few days. Below are photos and videos of Blottrie's ten pups, who are now twenty-six days old. 

At the moment I am growing in concern about how those awaiting a puppy from Blottie's litter are going to be able to choose a puppy from her litter and will then be able to travel to pick the puppy up. Three on the litter reside in Devon, one on the border to Somerset, which reduces the issue being that close. The rest are further afield in tier 3 and 4 areas. I have several more families awaiting a puppy from us residing in Devon, but they were further down the waiting list (I now regret doing), as looking at it logically at this time it would be a lot easier for the pups to home them closer to us, as I did with Teagol's litter. I am caught between logic, morality, law and knowing that those awaiting a pup from Blottie's litter families will be mortified to not be able to get a puppy now. 
In Devon we are at tier 2 (with infection rate rising), which means, even if I allowed a visit, it can only be conducted outdoors socially distancing. It's winter, so viewing pups like that is not possible, as it would seriously compromise their welfare. So the only option at this time will be to do it from videos, photographs and by what I can tell you so far about each pups developing personality. I can offer a one off live video link around six weeks old for each family to choose their pup and then keep following the development of their pup on the blog. I will expect you though to pick the puppy up in person by the time the puppy is 12 weeks old, I can stretch to 14 weeks if needed. I will not allow the pups to be taken by pet courier to their new home even in these times. 
At the moment I am reserving the little girl I have referred to as "Little Dot"she is tiny compared to the rest, she seems to be hitting all her development goals. Due to her diminutive size, I would though prefer her to grow on further and be checked over thoroughly by my vet before looking to find a home for her.  I have only so far taken nine people on this litter, so no one is missing out.
What I would like is for those on this litter further afield to consider the above and whether they are okay with choosing their pup like this and consider that they will be able to travel and pick the puppy up in the time above? It's a hard one and if I was hard and just applied the logical mind, I would drop those further afield off this litter onto the next litter (we have hopefully late Spring, ready Summertime) and put in place those that are within the county of Devon, but I know that leading with just my head will break the hearts of some. So those I have contacted about this litter and are waiting on a pup from Blottie, have a think and then please contact me in the next few days to let me know how you feel about things. You can ring me on 01769 560969 for a chat about the above or email me if you prefer. Midday is the best time to catch me by phone. Thank you!

As Blottie's ten pups approach four weeks old, we now can really start to see them developing as individuals. We now enter the dirty stage with pups, as they learn to eat, often getting more on them than inside them, and Mum starts to stop cleaning up after them. By six weeks they have learnt not to paddle in their food and given enough room, not to paddle in their poo as well. 

We have started Blottie's pups on solid food. Depending on size of litter we start them on solid food anytime between 3 to 4 weeks old. The earlier we start them (like Blottie's pups) we use a complete puppy kibble soaked in puppy milk softened totally, along with a complete pate tinned meat especially for starting pups on solid food. My husband, David caught little Dot cleaning the bowl up this morning.

For Christmas I buy a whole turkey and strip it down removing the breasts as a whole rolling it with stuffings in the middle. Each leg is frozen for a later time. Then the carcass is slowly boiled for stock for gravy and all meat then stripped of it and the wings for the dogs to have with their biscuits on Christmas day. I do have a very big turkey, so there's enough for all of them.

Thanks for all the Christmas greetings by email and post. I wish everyone a "Merry Christmas!"

Finally got this bit of video to load up on here, that was taken of Blottie last night with her ten pups at seventeen days old.

Teagol turned three years old on the 11th December, so a belated "Happy Birthday!" to her nine litter siblings. Her Dad and Mum are Ernest and Blottie making Blottie's litter now her full siblings.

Poppy now just over 4 months old

Today we moved Blottie and her ten pups into a bigger area, so Blottie could more easily spend time with them as, with ten pups the whelping box was getting a bit cramped. Their eyes are looking more defined and I would expect anytime now to see them starting to open their eyes and ears. Eyes and ears are closed at birth and start to open around 10 to 14 days old. Eyes will not be able to focus properly though until around 28 days old. 

All seemingly going well with Blottie's ten pups as they reach one week old.

Look out for paternal Grandfather Toby, maternal Grandmother Smudge and paternal Great Grandfather Reggie in the video (below).

Blottie's ten pups are all going on well at five days old. Once they get to around ten days old I will start contacting people on the waiting list. So that will be from around the 15th December. 

Blottie and her ten pups are all doing well as they get 24 hours under their belts. Listen out in the video below for the dulcet tones of the Lesser Known Kitchen Warbler singing to one of our dogs in the kitchen as they get their breakfast this morning.