What's Going on in There??
Is this not the look of every expectant father as they wait outside the delivery room? Atreus can hear the noises, the cues and squeals of the newborn puppies. His nose tells him there is a familiar yet new smell coming from what once was our dining room. What is going on in there?
We want to ensure our mama's are releasing non-stress hormones to our pups both in the womb and while nursing once the pups are whelped. One of the ways we do this is by limiting visitors until the pups start weaning; this does include poor papa Atreus. By blocking off the dining room (which becomes our whelping room) so the other dogs can't run willy nilly through her nesting space, Adira feels more comfortable and relaxed. These calm hormones are what we want to pass on to our puppies.
When the pups' eyes are open and Adira is spending time away from them,
she is indicating to us she is comfortable with visitors. It's then that we slowly begin introducing the rest of our pack to our new arrivals. Typically, Grandma Luna is the first to check in. Then Atreus will finally get to see...What was Going on in There?