Play Time

The Icelandic Sheepdog puppies are playing just a tad more before they drop off to sleep. Here the two boys are 'bonding'.

Edgar (Eddie) maybe giving Bangsi a high five?

It's really too early but I suspect Eddie will have longer fur; Bangsi shorter fur. Why? Because Edgar looks fluffier or heavier and he isn't.

Eddie foreground; Bangsi facing.

Edgar is a tan shade chocolate-brown dog; Bangsi looks darker now but it may be several months before we know his adult color. Some Icelandics are born darker and lighten up as they grow, I often think that may be camouflage from predators (perhaps hawks or other predatory birds?) for wild-born puppies while dad and mom are herding sheep.

Bangsi foreground; Edgar facing.

Both boys have excellent markings including blazes and collars. I noticed today that their tails have started to curl a bit. Edgar's nose is almost completely brown now. Icelandics with white muzzles sometimes take a few days longer to have their noses change from pink to their adult colors; dogs with colored muzzles are sometimes born with some nose color. It's interesting to watch them change as they grow. Bangsi's nose has had color for longer.

Kippa

Kippa's a bit camera shy for a gorgeous girl. Unlike Betty who seems to lurk in the background and quickly insert herself into virtually every shot, Kippa hangs back like a classy lady. It's rare to get a good photo of Kip!

Puppies! Sometimes they fall asleep in what looks to me like quite uncomfortable positions while they are eating. Amazing. It's a hard life! Can you name the pups now?

Some are eating; others sleeping.

After eating the pups return to the safety and quiet (relative terms those!) of their travel crate. It's virtually impossible to take photos of them curled up in a 'pile of puppies' in the crate so I wait until feeding time - which for solid food occurs now about three times a day. (They are also drinking water for a smaller 'hubcap'.) Totty decides when to nurse. They "speed nurse" now.

I've noticed that the snow stays "white" up here in the country. When I lived in Royal Oak, the snow was white for maybe a day, if we were lucky, and then the ugly gray appeared. These shots I took while adding suet and seeds to the bird feeders; the surface of the snow glistens! This is not fresh snow. Clicking on photos enlarges them.