The puppies turned 8 weeks old on Saturday, and two (Alydar and Ruffian) had already headed to their forever homes by the time I arrived. Kincsem and Kelso left with their families a little later, while Seabiscuit and Zanyatta settled in for another week before they go to their homes. They all have been handling their dwindling pack size very well, and by all reports, the pups in their new homes have been doing great! They certainly grew a lot in the less than two weeks since my previous visit. Here are a few photos for you to enjoy from Saturday. I want to thank Donna and Peter Russell of Wachusett Chinooks for doing such a great job raising these fabulous group of puppies. We look forward to watching them grow and develop.

My visit and photos are from a few days ago, when they were 6 1/2 weeks old. They have grown a lot since my last visit! They are getting lots of access to the outdoors via a large deck and an even larger penned-in grassy area. They have lots of interactions with people and the adult Chinooks in the pack. It is fun to watch their exuberant play and they increasingly complex interactions with each other.

Ruffian may be the smallest pup, but her name suits her. She could have been named Tuffian, as well, because she will take no guff from any of the other puppies!

These pups have really grown! They have had many visitors and have had their first taste of the outdoors. That was very exciting! Their amazing mom, Guen, has even left the milk bar open, ouch! They are learning about using a litter box too.