The pups are growing up
All the signs are that the wild dog pups are growing up fast! The trail cameras are recording them outside the den for longer periods of time, throughout most of the day, and up to all sorts! Ears are growing up, snouts are pushing out and legs lengthening as they transform from the balls of fur they were just a few weeks back into the rangy adults we know well.
Although still happy to be within close proximity of the adults, especially if there's a chance of some milk, they are becoming increasingly confident readying themselves for the time when the pack will leave the den site and they will have to roam with them.
At that point the pups will be especially vulnerable as they will still not be fully grown and will lag behind the leggier adults, especially when they hunt. This can leave them vulnerable to other predators who won't think twice if the chance comes to grab a meal and diminish a rival species' numbers at the same time.
But that time must come and perhaps there will be a last image like the one above, where the pups realise they must follow the last adult off into the bush on the next stage of their lives?