A Day of Rest... I hope!

More of the same... Figgy just waiting and resting up...

It is Sunday, a day of rest I hope. Figgy's due date is not until Wednesday so I hope we get Sunday as a real day of rest to prepare for the grueling marathon that whelping a litter really is. It usually is not bad for the momma dog... it is a grueling marathon for the breeder! It is usually a day of nesting, waiting, panting, inside and outside, up and down... Up all night long... then finally when you are totally exhausted and wiped out here comes puppies 24 to 36 hours later. This is after days of monitoring and watching your girl. This is IF the momma decided to go by the book. Sometimes they decide they want to keep your blood pressure high and that you really look good with dark circles and bags under your eyes... and they draw it out as long as possible. The hard part is knowing when you have been patient long enough and when there is a problem. Usually the signs are subtle, so that is why I keep such a close eye on my girl. And that is why the close monitoring of temperature and bodily changes. Once labor has actually begun, things must keep on progressing with no long delays or there could be a problem and you could lose puppies or the momma dog. It is definitely a "pins and needles" time. Most of the time everything goes very smoothly and you just keep on telling yourself... patience... patience... but once in a while you see that subtle look and it is a judgement call as to whether things are not progressing as they should... and then it is time to rush to the vet for an emergency C-section.

Today I will be looking up the notes I took on Figgy's mother Rachel to see how she progressed and delivered her litter. I believe her whelping style was a bit different than my girls. Rachel was a very sweet girl that I leased from a very nice line. Figgy is 1/2 my line on Newt's side and 1/2 the other line (thus an outcross) and I do believe the girls do follow in their mother's footsteps generally on litter size and whelping style.

We were up around 7 a.m. this morning. Figgy had to go out and potty. She is looking bigger all the time. Faucets all getting puffy and fuller. She is still happy and wagging her tail, so it is not time yet. They get pretty serious when they start having contractions, even the subtle pre-labor contractions that we can't see. She ate a full breakfast. The books say that the momma dog may likely skip a meal before they are ready to whlep. My girls are CHOW HOUNDS and never miss a meal... so that is not a sign for me usually. I remember Starlet eating a big meal and then started whelping. Some momma's will then throw up their meal as an instinct to feed their puppies (even though pups are way to young for kibble).

More of the same... maybe I started monitoring too early... I don't want to get impatient too early... all is well...
Temperature
7:10 a.m. 100.3

I told Blackie he is a Daddy soon... he doesn't look one bit worried or stressed! Guys... they have it so easy! (sorry photos are sideways... not saved that way, and won't let me change.)