Into the 2nd Week

I've been out for my usual morning visits, and after yard clean up I sat down with the puppies for a few minutes, with some yummy apple treats from Linda that they love! I've been seeing some nice progress with Nevada over the last few days. She is much less nervous about coming up and getting treats our of our hands, even from strangers. Whenever I get the chance I stroke her under the chin with my fingers while she's taking a treat. Natasha still plays the jump away game most of the time with petting, although she did accept some this morning and yesterday afternoon accepted some from Mark. Although Natasha is the most comfortable being near people and the least fearful, Nina and Nora are passing her up with the petting progress. This morning while they ate their apple treats I was running my hands all over Nina and Nora's backs, sides and top of their heads. They rarely moved away when I did this. I would say Nora won the contest this morning, as several times she put her front feet up on me with her face near my face and accepted petting this way. The girls are starting to get a little fiestier with one another, especially over food. Nevada and Nina are the most priveleged. At meal times Nevada will continually switch food bowls, and both Nora and especially Natasha will let Nevada dig into their bowls. Nina will not let anyone share with her, nor will Nevada. Natasha is the one who will back off to anyone. It's my guess that within a couple of weeks we will have start splitting them up into pairs, to prevent fighting. Many littermates, especially of the same sex, do not get along well once they get out of the young puppy stage.