Somebody Left a Box on the Floor. Two Puppies Moved In and Fell Asleep.
Somewhere between the packing and the unpacking, a cardboard box became a nursery. Two ruby Cavalier puppies are curled nose to tail inside it, their coppery coats almost the same shade as the cardboard. One has pressed its face into the other's neck, ears draped over like blankets, and neither has moved in what looks like a very long time.
Plenty of dogs, like plenty of cats, love snug spaces. A box with high sides can feel like a den, which gives a puppy a sense of shelter and security. That is one reason a cozy crate or covered bed is often a hit with young dogs, and why an empty box on the floor is so hard to resist.
If a box becomes a favorite spot, keep an eye on it. Some puppies like to chew cardboard, and swallowing bits of it is not good for them. Remove staples and tape, and swap it for a proper bed if it starts to get shredded. Littermates also tend to sleep in a heap for comfort, which is perfectly natural, though each puppy eventually benefits from having its own space too.
The ruby coloring is one of four recognized Cavalier colors, solid and rich with no white at all. In this sleepy box, though, color hardly matters. What matters is the soft rise and fall of two small ribs, keeping time together.
