Playing and thinking

This might come across as controversial and I hope nobody thinks I am trying to be offensive, but I've been having some thoughts about the puppies and their growth.

So I've read that puppies are not "conscious" for the first three weeks of their life, and that conscious life begins sometime on the 20th-21st day. However, I've decided that, unless my pups are very unusual, people have been confusing "conscious" with "able to make eye contact."

The pups have been developing new behaviors, one at a time, but still have no senses. They are beginning to hear, starting last night, with Aqua hearing the most, but still don't seem to react to visual stimulus. However, they interact, play, sniff and focus on absorbing new smells, and most importantly, LEARN.

Aqua learned the best way to escape the nest and has done so several times, always in the same spot and with the same sequence of motions. Blue uses his nose like a radar and points his face straight at me from five feet away, prompting me to think he can see me until he fails to react to a hand waving in front of his face. They all potty on papers when they can, and specifically in an area of the nest that is slightly lower due to the foam pad underneath the nest flooring not quite extending all the way to the edge of the box - in other words, DOWNHILL from their nest. And I'm afraid that Goldie has learned that, if she cries, I will come over and pick her up; this weekend, she started doing a lot of pitiful whining while sitting near the entrance of the nest, whining which immediately stopped if I petted her but began again when I left. Foolish, foolish me, believing that an 18-day-old puppy could not be clever enough to manipulate me.

At some point tomorrow they are due to begin to see properly, and are supposed to be able to take sound conditioning a day or so later, and Science thinks that's when their brains are awake and thinking thoughts. But I think Science, being the domain of a visual- and audio-oriented species, is missing the boat here. These pups are wide awake.

Meanwhile, here is a video of the puppies playing.

Goldie learned to "play" Friday night; Blue learned Saturday; Red reacted to play yesterday and today he and Aqua will both initiate it as well. Goldie's frustration with being the only playful puppy was a little sad yet very cute, but I do feel bad for them because they cannot find their playmates. Red tries to attract them with barks, but most of them can't hear him anyway (and probably wouldn't know what he meant because no one else is barking yet); Goldie wanders around until she bumps into someone, then pounces. The pups will react to and play with our hands, too, pawing and trying to bite.

Goldie is trying to summon me. What do I do? I don't want to set a horrible precedent but she is SO CUTE. I must be strong!

Other news: I covered the muddy part of the yard with pea gravel today, but had to leave one section as dirt. Trinity has decided to dig an enormous hole and she works on it every time she goes out. I'm letting her do it because it helps her not dig in her nest, a behavior which is really annoying and a little dangerous.

I took the pups out to stand on the gravel for a minute each, to feel the cool stones (instead of the chilled towel) for thermal stimulation. Their reactions varied; Red couldn't do much because Trinity decided he needed to be pottied and pinned him down for a good licking. Blue sniffed about curiously, but with his tail tucked. Aqua didn't seem to notice or care, but just lay and let me pet him. (By the way, he's doing fine and having fewer snuffles, so don't be worried about him.) Goldie immediately stood up, sniffed briefly, and peed. I was SO proud. I wished she could hear me so I could tell her what a GOOD DOG she was. Our first outdoor pee!