The Bean puppies are 8 weeks old today!
Eight weeks represents such a vast transformation from 1 pound, sightless, suckling newborns into these giant toddlers with budding independence and emerging individuality.
The puppies are starting to venture a bit farther from the pack when we are outside. When they realize they are solo, the pep in their step changes slightly and I can tell they are drawn both to explore and to retreat.
Likewise, indoors they vary between trying new things (stairs!) and climbing into a well-known lap.
We have been starting on some basic training with these puppies. When they naturally sit, as they often do when gazing up at us, we tell them “sit” and reward them with a pet or a treat (if we have one on us). They are extremely attention and food motivated and have caught on quickly.
Their desire to be with humans is a delight for Nora, who enjoys taking them on “walks” through the backyard and around the pond.
These hunks of puppy love are all between 14 and 17 pounds now. This 8 week weight (by my handy dandy calculation of weight in pounds/weeks of age x 52 = predicted adult weight), puts these puppers at adult weights between 90 and 110 pounds. I mean, that can’t be right, can it?! I am hopeful that their adopters will give me some feedback in a year and let me know how accurate these calculations are.
My puppy photography advice from a couple weeks ago (you know, wear the puppies out and then take them somewhere unfamiliar and snap 100 shots before they scamper off) no longer works. These pups are always on the move (or passed out asleep). My modified advice for photographing 8 weeks old puppies is simply to let them play while snapping tons of photos and hope there’s at least one non-blurry, somewhat cute picture of each pup at the end.
Transcript for below video:
me: what’s going on in the tunnel?
Nora: oooohh! aaaahh! Ow! (then coming out) That was a crazy commotion! (laughing hysterically!)
me: who was in there with you?
Nora: Everybody except…(pauses as she notices the pup behind the couch) Poop! Or Pee!
(end video to clean noted excrement – thankfully pee!)
These puppies bring joy (and chaos!) to each day.
They are just sooooo beautiful! And humongous. So chunky and adorable and I’m sure, a lot of work. Have fun! When do they go home?
They go home TODAY!
We’ve been following bean and the beanie babies since the beginning! Thank you so much for showing these little nuggets love and affection. We hope to adopt one of the puppies when they become adoptable and hope to keep in contact with the bean family and you too! ❤️
Thank you for following along! Good luck snagging one of these perfect pups (insider tip: check HSHV’s facebook page this evening!)! Please stay in touch with updates if you land a beanie baby or another awesome HSHV alum!