Day 13...

Figgy was having a bad day yesterday, panting alot, not much milk. It was so humid it was a bit warm at times, I turned the central air on and then at times it felt chilly. I hate that! And I had a bad day, and then could not sleep last night. I finally laid down for peaceful slumber after midnight (yea right), dozed off for a bit and then woke up. Something had bitten my hand by my wrist. Then my pinky finger was itching and burning, swelling and red so I went downstairs and got allergy meds. I then sat on the couch with the group down there for awhile. Anyway, I didn't try to go back to sleep until after 3 a.m. and tossed and turned for awhile. I don't know if it was a mosquito or a spider, but it is still tender and sore this morning. MEAN bug!

Figgy has had her breakfast and is sleeping now. Puppies have nursed and dozed off. I am drinking some super charged coffee this morning. I don't feel a thing... I am still sleepy! LOL I will weigh puppers and get back at you.

Everyone gaining every day so that is good. They are rounded and strong. I think they could be gaining a bit more each day, but they look healthy.

More eyes are cracked open! Both Liver Girls are cracked and Girl 1 almost all the way! And we have puppies hearing me today!  SO CUTE to go up when they are all sleep totally spread apart (no one touching) and to say "Where's My Babies?". Oh my they sat up and looked around! You think their necks looked like giraffes! Oh yes they did! LOL

Day 12...

Yesterday was a stormy day and internet was intermittent. When I was trying to update it bombed out... so all you got was the weight chart yesterday. Today I will do much better! ;)

Puppies are up on  their feet and toddling around, so CuTE! Eyes are starting to just barely crack open in the very corners on Black Girl 1. The others not yet... maybe tonight or tomorrow.  Black girl one crawls/toddles over the edge of the whelping box and hollers for me to pick her up! REALLY??? I have spoiled one already!!!! LOL amazing! She likes to be cuddled, what can I say. I actually cried a tiny bit when holding her last night. I thought, No way this young of a pup understands cuddling yet, with eyes still closed and ear canals not open yet... could she be a reincarnation of Millie? Of Shady Lady? Starlet? Barkley? Perky?...of one of my past fur kids? Wow, I hate to think of that because the one that chooses me is not always the one that I keep... :(

The one that does NOT like to be held is Liver Girl 2. She is a stubborn butt at this point. She is the biggest and  it's all about her right now. :) Things will change as the eyes and ears open up and she discovers there is a whole world out there. Right now she is just a little narcissistic! :) I will keep on loving on her and she will be fine... there is always one in the bunch. Girl 3 is loving too, and Liver Girl 4 and Liver Boy are pretty complacent at this point.

Weights coming and a video!

Video earlier this morning...

Day 11...

Puppies are still gaining...

Day 10...

Oh glorious sleep! I got a bit more last night! Pups are doing well. I got a video of them this morning. Sorry it uploads a bit small and out of proportion. Weights coming...

Liver Boy did not gain much at all since I weighed yesterday. This is not good. I am a bit worried. I was putting him on a teat each time I checked on them, I will have to make sure to do that again. I hope he can pick it up again. He is not dehydrated. He is strong and has good suck reflex and really suckling on a front teat now, so not sure why he did not gain much. This is why you should weigh them every day. So you can notice when one is not gaining as much as the others, hopefully the breeder can intervene and help before a puppy is lost.

Girls are all done nursing and falling asleep again. I just helped him latch onto one of the back teats that still had some milk it in. He mainly nurses on the two front smaller faucets. Hopefully I can get him where he is catching back up to the piggy girls again.

8:10 p.m. I have been putting the liver boy on a teat whenever I get a chance. Just weighed him and he is now 20 5/8 oz, so still gaining. I will have to keep on giving him special attention. 

Day 9...

We had a bad lighting and thunderstorm and over 3" of rain on Thursday night. That is the night I did not get much sleep at all. I have to mention a story before I forget. The lightning and thunder was getting very close to us when all of a sudden one of the pups let out a loud cry just seconds before a HUGE CRACK and BOOM  right next to my house. I should have noted which pup it was to see if later he/she will be afraid of storms. But the interesting thing to me is how they can still sense so much even though they cannot yet see or hear! That baby felt that lightning coming! I am positive Figgy did not step on one, I was right there and she was laying down resting.

I DID get some sleep last night! Only up 3 or 4 times... who knows, lost count... I was such a groggy zombie... LOL. I feel tired but much better today! I was a bad momma and did not weigh the little spots last night, it was 11 p.m.and I still had that one little thing to do...  I thought, I am just too tired, tomorrow will be soon enough. So sorry! ;)

Just took puppy weights for today... they are sure getting bigger and more wiggley. A good rule of thumb is to get their weight AFTER they are done nursing and are a little sleepy!

 

Day 8...

Good morning! A couple of pictures of Black Girl 3 to get started. I will get photos of the others too as the opportunity arises. They have to be laying a certain way and the lighting has to be just so, or it gets way too grainy on my iPod.

Black Girl 3. Spotting is just barely showing through the fur. Right now it is still just pigment on the skin, but by 2 weeks of age it will start coming through on the puppy's coat.

Black Girl 3. What a pretty face!

And yes it seems like they have been on the pink blanket continually. Not so. I am changing the blanket 2 times a day at this point. The frequency will keep on increasing as they get bigger and make bigger pee and poop messes. I have 6 blankets in the rotation right now and have the washing machine almost going non-stop so I can stay ahead of the blanket game. But there will come a time when it will be all I can do to keep up. Right now Figgy is being an excellent mom and keeping them and the whelping box all licked clean. Usually after weaning the mommy dog decides that puppy poop is now gross and it is now the breeders job to keep everything spiffy! OH MY that is a full-time job!

Oh I have forgotten to mention PUPPY BREATH! Yep I got it, you want it.... na na na! I could make a rap song!

It will be very interesting to see how the personalities on these pups develop. Right now the livers are quieter and more complacent to being picked up, weighed, etc. The two Black girls are a bit fussy at times, and more vocal to find momma. Both black girls have decided that they like to be held and I gently pet them on their cheek under their ear and OH MY they seem to like that. They settle down, relax and then try to suckle my nose. LOL Yes, all could be reflexes, but I do believe they are Sabrina granddaughters! :) She loves ANY attention, even trimming her toenails and whiskers when we were showing. Very funny girl. She would stand there with her head held high for whisker trimming, so proud and enjoying it! Most dogs do not like it one bit, but will tolerate it.

Oh and Liver Girl 2 has already escaped from the whelping pool twice! Black girls 1 time each. They really are not trying to get out just yet, as they cannot see or hear yet, but they are strong and are climbing up on momma dog and slipping over the side. LOL.

Liver Girl 2

 Most pups look like they will be medium to medium+ spotting at this point. It will just be a wait and see how the spotting holds! Nerve wrecking and the suspense can be hard. I did not expect anything less with both parents being medium/medium+, which is fine, but I was hoping for a surprise "Snowman" (Blackie's litter brother) in the bunch. The Liver boy will most likely be the less spotted of the group.

One Week Old Today!

Hey we are one week old! Hoorah! Two weeks of age is really the point where the books say you can relax a little and say they "made it' for most breeds. Two weeks is when the puppy can maintain his/her own body temperature. Toy breeds is it much later before the breeder can relax a bit and feel that they have viable pups. Everything seems to be going well. I will get weights later today.

Here is a link to a blog I ran across this morning on Potty training your puppy... thought it may be helpful for those of you that have not had a puppy for awhile! http://www.upwithpup.com/blog/entry/housetraining-a-guide-for-a-new-dog-or-puppy We all can use reminders! I re-read stuff and think, "Oh Yea" :)

More later...

Sorry didn't get this posted last night. We had thunderstorms and my internet connection (satellite) was down for some time. I just turned it off and gave up.

I did get puppy weights last night. They did not quite double in a week, as desired, but close. They are looking healthy and gaining so it's good. Figgy is still not drinking alot of water, so she enough milk, but not an over abundance. Which is actually better for her with a small litter. If she had too much milk, she would be at risk of getting mastitis. I just keep on offering her water, putting a little bit of milk in the water (which she has stopped drinking now), and really float her food when I feed her. I am feeding her snacks (puppy kibble) throughout the day with lots of water.

Day 6...

Got their weights last night and then again just now... so have now added Day 5 and 6 to the table...

All are gaining steady. The Liver Boy and Liver Girl 4 are running neck and neck at the back of the pack, but doing fine. The goal is for all puppies to be consistent in weight by 8 weeks of age. This is a pretty consistent litter.

It was a better night last night, but I think I am getting used to going on just a few tidbits of sleep here and there... just don't ask me to operate any sharp or heavy equipment for awhile.

I can see spotting just slightly through their coat. So far all look medium spotted, and Liver Boy looks the most open spotted at this time. Livers can be deceiving because the brown pigment does not show up through the coat as well as the black at this age. I am not trying to really see the spots at this time. Just want healthy, thriving puppies. The rest will be what it will be, and will be revealed later... (in short order actually in the big scheme of things).

Here are a couple new photos. I think they are from late last night... not sure. It's all blurring together today. They are so adorable... even at this young age.

The group late last night...

I believe the two girls both upside down!

A Liver (brown) puppy and a Black puppy.

Day 5

Pretty and Pink... I do not normally like PINK with livers, but don't they look so sweet!

Had a stressful night last night. I could not seem to get the whelping box to stay the right temperature, although the thermometer read 85, and I still have sheet covering most of it,  I could feel either the slight coolness or the heat. What the heck? Pups were a bit fussy on and off... not sure if it was that, from having their dew claws done that day, or they just wanted more milk. I am used to end of Winter/Spring litters so this Summer weather is driving me batty. The central A/C is definitely on... have to keep pups a certain temperature... when the A/C is blowing you sure can tell it, when not, it can get a bit warm. I have to keep adjusting the vent in my room. Do not want a draft! So frustrating! Pups are all settled again this morning thank goodness...

Yea... THEY are all NAPPING while I have to do puppy laundry and all my other chores, as well as WORK! Yes, I am jealous. Oh well... life of a dog... :)

10:55 a.m. Figgy's Temperature was 100.5. She is eating well, going out to potty and being careful to not step on her babies when she comes back inside. Good girl Fig!

Here are a few photos for your puppy fix. I am hoping to get one head shot of each pup soon. will need my assistant (LOL) to help me with that. :)

Liver Girl Two.

Liver Girl 4.

Black Girl 3

Liver Girl Two.

I think this is one of the Black Girls.

I think this is the Liver Boy.

Day 4...

Ever been so exhausted, but also wound at the same time? Well, I was there last night. I just could no go to sleep. Tossing and turning and waking at every little peep, licking or scratching of little feet digging in on the blanket or pool. I finally got a couple hours in right before it was time to wake up and then wouldn't you know, I had to get up for a 8:00 a.m. vet appointment for dew claws!

It was a mad dash to get early morning chores done and pups and Fig loaded in the van. I put down a nice soft quilt and they laid on that. My mom sat in back with Fig and babies to make sure they were all staying where they were supposed to and that there were no drafts that might chill the babies. Good job Grandma!

Figgy was such a good momma, she had to wait outside in my van with Grandma while I took pups into vets. She looked a little worried, but this is one smart, sensible dog. I just told her what we were doing and that she had to wait there and she didn't even get up. Sometimes the momma dogs are stressed and whining and panting, not wanting you to take their puppies away from them. She was concerned, but she trusts me.

We are all back home safely. Pups have nursed and are now asleep again. That is really all they do... sleep, eat, and pee and poop with mom's help by licking. If you have never had baby puppies before you may not realize that they cannot urinate or defecate on their own until around 21 days old. Eyes start to open around 7 to 10 days. They can see around 15 days of age. Their ear canals are closed at birth and start to open around 14 days of age, when they start to hear, but hearing is not acute until around 35 days of age. That is why the BAER hearing test is not to be performed on puppies until 5 weeks or older (35 days).

Pups are unable to regulate their own body temperature until around 5 weeks of age. This is why it is imperative to keep the temperature of the whelping box around 86 degrees for the first week. You can start to gradually lessen the temperature in the whelping box each week until they are 5 weeks of age and can maintain their own body heat.

Everyone wants a "Super Puppy", well there are actually a few simple stimulation exercises that you should perform on the pups each day to help neurological development. Over stimulation can have negative effects so a breeder should follow the recommendations closely not to exceed the amount of time or frequency of these little exercises. 

1. Tactical stimulation (between toes)

2. Head held erect

3. Head pointed down

4. Supine position

5. Thermal stimulation. 

For more information and the complete article go to: http://breedingbetterdogs.com/pdfFiles/articles/early_neurological_stimulation_en.pdf

The benefits are a healthier, more well-rounded, more adaptable, higher achieving puppy/dog.

11:00 a.m. Figgy Temperature 101.6  :) 
11:07 p.m. Figgy Temperature 101.2

Puppies are gaining well.

Day 3

Sorry I have not been updating as regulary... I am TIRED! I missed weighing pups in last night (oh NO! bad momma) but I was not feeling good. I know they are eating and keeping rounded tummies.So I weighed them this morning. I like that better than weighing at night anyway. I am way too tired by evening time after a full day.

Figgy's Temperature is down! YEA! 101.6 this morning at 10:33 am. And she is drinking more now. I think she was just so FULL from eating all the placenta's and other "stuff" that she did not feel like drinking alot. Now she is looking really good and tummy not so gassy. Thank goodness!

Our First Video... Is This Some Buffet or What?!

Our first video at 2 days old! 

Birth Date will be... July 18, 2013

One puppy was technically born on 7/17 and the remaining 4 were born on 7/18. In a case like this it is the breeder's choice to choose the date of birth for the litter. I decided on July 18. I usually have Spring litters so to have one in July is unusual and to make it more special, that date is the birth date of my very first litter of Dalmatians out of my beloved Barkley, may she RIP until I will see her again. She had a litter of 10 (lost one) and I kept Freckle Nose and Perky from that litter. I lost them at almost 15 and 14 respectively. Still miss them today. It is bittersweet remembering, but I feel I am honoring them in this way.

Pups are doing well, content and have rounded bellies. Figgy is not panting as much. Her Temperature this morning at 8:40 a.m. was 102.3. I wish it would start coming back down to 101 range (which is normal for a dog). The books say that lactating bitches can run 1 degree higher after whelping. And my vet did not think it was very concerning unless it goes up higher.


Figgy is doing a great job, but every little peep or noise in the night and I have to check on them to make sure all is okay. Momma dogs can accidentally lay on a puppy and suffocate it. Or they can crawl too far away from momma dog or your heat source (heating pad or lamp) and get chilled and die. That is why many breeders sleep right next to the litter for the first week or two until the pups are big and strong enough and the momma dog is not so exhausted.

Yea... Figgy is drinking a bit more... still not a bucket full at a time, but more than just a taste. That makes me feel better. Of course I have been floating her food in water, so she has been getting fluids.

I just wiped out the pool and put in a fresh blanket and Fig and pups settled back in....

Figgy doesn't like it when I take a picture... thus the hang dog look... LOL.

After a Good Nap...

After a good nap everything is so much better! Figgy got a good nap too. Less panting. I think she was just exhausted and a bit warm. Still not drinking as much as she should be, but has milk and pups are pretty happy so must have full tummies.

Forgot to mention that pups appeared to be born with all trim, thus the call on the colors already. Noses are the way to tell when trying to determine if a newborn is Liver or Black. :)

Puppy weight chart. It is normal for pups to drop a bit after birth and then start gaining again. At 8 days they should be double their birth weight.

Sleep would be Good and a Little Worried...

Puppies are doing well, hardly ever fussing, roaming all over whelping box. Happy campers! Figgy has me a little worried she is panting and panting and not wanting to drink much at all. What is up with that? Usually they can't get enough water and drink buckets full at a time. Ran her into my vet for a check and xray this morning just to be sure and all felt and looked normal. 102.5 Temperature, same as I got yesterday and this morning. She didn't pant all that much at the vet, but now we are back home in her whelping box and more non-stop panting. I have been keeping the whelping box around 85. which you need to do for the pups health. It is not that hot. I did open up my A/C vent to my room a bit wider,  as I do have the whelping box draped in a light sheet 3/4 way around to prevent drafts from chilling the puppies.
Retained placenta, retained puppy and/or eclampsia can cause constant panting. They can run a bit warm and pant after whelping, but I have not had one pant quite so much and the not drinking has me worried. She has milk but not tons of it. With only 5 pups, she should have a lot of extra milk.

I know both Figgy and I could use some real sleep. Constantly getting interrupted by little chirps and peeps in the night, takes it's toll. Each time I hear a pup, I sit up and look to make sure all is well. Why does it seem that they are a bit more vocal at night? Murphy's Law?

We had a power outage last night around 10:30 p.m..... it did get a bit hot and stuffy then, but thank goodness it was not that hot of a night and they did get it back on in an hour or so.

Hey it is quiet, no panting for a few minutes. I think she is sleeping... Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh............... Good idea, nap time for me and then time to dig back into work! oh darn she is sleeping panting too now.

I will post the puppy weight chart later... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

A Nap has Never Felt So Good!

Oh my! I do not want to wake up. I laid down on my bed this afternoon when I could not keep my eyes open any longer. And Figgy finally settled in and gave in too. I KNOW she must feel the same way I do.... that a nap has never ever felt so good!

Pups are doing well, nursing on and off and pretty quiet. Active and get around in the box and Figgy is not stressed when they roam a bit away. Usually I am the dam servant, or is that damn servant? And have to move the pups around constantly and get water, etc. Just a stare tells me what a momma wants. She is an excellent mother, but I just can't quite totally relax and trust her 100% yet, as she has never had pups before. And I noticed she is watching me too. LOL Turkey. I am sure I will have her totally spoiled and she will be  telling me what to do in a day or two...

Pictures I took of them not even 24 hours old...

Girls ganging up on the boy already? The four girls nurse together while the boy (the smallest at birth) nursing the back teats alone.

Figgy seems to be rolling her eyes... another picture... geez.

Morning has Broken...

Guess I drifted off last night. I have the whelping box right next to my bed, have it covered in sheets, but had the side open so that I could just lie there and keep an eye on Figgy and puppers. I must have been dozing on and off the remainder of the early morning hours.

Final Count 5 pups, no patches.

6:30 a.m. Took Figgy out to potty and boy did she have to go and go. Puppies were put in a warming basket (heating pad and laundry basket) Then back upstairs. I cleaned the whelping box, fresh blanket and pups put back on momma.

Figgy ate a small pre-breakfast.

I need more sleep!!! Coffee, Ibuprophen, potty dogs and then I hope to lay back down for a little bit and keep one eye on them.

9:15 a.m. Figgy Temperature is 102.1 running a tad high, but it should be okay. They can run a tad high after whelping. I will continue taking her temperature at least twice a day for awhile to make sure she is not getting an infection or is ill.

I am keeping the whelping box around 85 in the non heat source side... I have not have many Summer litters (usually Spring), so it seems a bit warm up here in my room but do not want them to have a draft or a chill. Maintaining the proper temperature is imperative for the first 2 weeks. Puppies are unable to maintain their own body temperature up until this point. If they become chilled their gut can stop digesting (become sterile) and they will die. If they get too hot they can get dehydrated and die. This is a critical age.

I have the pups on a light colored blanket so I can see how the discharge is looking on momma dog. Bright red discharge (bleeding) can mean a serious life threatening problem. Darker discharge is normal and can last up to a week or so, but should get less and less each day. Black and really stinky discharge is very serious!

We have Puppies!

First puppy in sac on it's way out into the world!

We have two puppies so far! Both girls and strong and healthy. At 11:55 p.m.the first one was born (11 3/8 oz. Black, I think) and the second (10 3/4 oz Liver, I think) at 12:05 a.m. I  have marked them but have not weighed them yet. New mommas need to settle in a bit. She is doing excellent with them and knew exactly what to do with the placentas. Yuck...but full of nutrients. She is licking them and they are nursing. She is so gentle and careful, not frantic like some new moms. Now waiting for more pups...
I will have to verify the colors later, the lighting is dim in here to keep momma calm, and my eyes are not as young as they used to be.

First 2 Girls born

A couple big contractions at 12:25 and 12:30 but no pup yet.... C'mon Figgy...

Puppy #3 is here! 1:11 a.m. Girl (11 1/4 oz. Black, I think)


Pup #4 It's a BOY! 1:35 a.m (10 1/4 oz, Liver maybe)

All so strong and healthy pups and nursing and pushing for the teats. No slackers here.
Should be a couple  more in there I hope.

Figgy is resting, pups are nursing vigorously. Where is my Black Fig Vodka? I wanted to make a toast to the new litter for good luck. Darn those people never emailed me back. I found a contact email, but no answer on if I could buy a bottle. :(

First Four Born

These are some strong pups... already fighting over the faucets! LOL

 2:18 a.m. Pup #5 Girl (10 5/8 oz, Liver), this girl had a bit of fluid in nose/lungs. I swung and rubbed with a towel and she is doing great now.

Not sure if we are done yet or not. I don't want to make her get up yet to feel her stomach. It has not yet been an hour since the last pup and she is totally relaxed.

This could be the final... 4 Girls and 1 Boy
I think 2 Girls are Liver and 2 Girls are Black and the Boy is Liver.

I can barely keep my eyes open. I am so tired. My face itches and my hands need washed. I need some Ibuprophen for me, and some water, yet I do not want to go downstairs and leave her all by herself. 

Is Today THE Day?

I actually got some sleep on and off, but mostly on, thank goodness. She has been restless all night but still wags tail for me. She LOVES her momma... and ditto. :) I have a stuffed up headache though. I should have at least changed the pillowcase before I went to sleep. Her little bout in the bed last night got to my allergies. Little stinker!

Up at 5 a.m. to go out to potty, not because of Figgy, but someone else had to go. Pottied Figgy and everyone early to get that done in case she starts full labor. Still no mucus plug when she pottied. Some say the mucus plug starts coming out 24 hour pre-delivery, but in my experience my girls usually lose it close to delivery time.

Temperature
5:44 a.m. 99.1  ( Still down a bit, I am sure she had the drop last night so should be within 24 hours or less for puppies to arrive)
12:50 p.m. 98.9


Time to put on a pot of coffee... she is totally quiet now...resting.

Well... we both went back to sleep! Got a good nap until 9:30 a.m. Needed that, but still groggy.
She was a bit hesitant to start eating her breakfast, but then ate it.

11:28 a.m. she is being totally quiet and resting... she will probably rest on and off all day and then have them in the early morning hours of the night or first thing in the morning when I am totally exhausted from watching her with anticipation all that time. LOL. That's usually the way it goes...

2:38 p.m. Resting but breathing deeply. Eyes not looking happy, but still wags tail when I peak at her.
3:00 p.m. She was just looking so cute and cuddly, I got in the pool with her and we face snuggled. 
4:51 p.m. small snack (didn't eat it all) and now restless. She didn't want to go outside, but I made her go out and potty. She peed and pooped and literally ran back to the whelping box.
5:15 pm Panting and resting. Panting and resting. The waiting is the hardest part!

7:13 Panting more frequently
10:15 Temperature 99.5  (temp has me a bit worried, usually does not stay lower but goes back up to 100.0, it's been running under 100.0 all day... )
 She is much more uncomfortable but still smiled at my mom when she came upstairs... goofball! LOL
10:50 I felt her vulva and noticed some wetness, did digital exam, no pup in the birth canal so we are still okay at this point
10:55 Out to potty and was squatting funny when she peed, she is feeling the pressure on her bladder.
back to whelping box, licking/cleaning her teats...
This could be a very long.............................night............................

The day before the 1st Due Date...

Up at 6:30 a.m. and out to potty, she is acting a bit more serious in her demeanor, still wagging her tail when I talk to her, but she wanted back upstairs to the whelping box right away today, instead of getting on the couch and stretching out and rubbing in the blankets covering the couch. She ate all her breakfast readily, then out to potty again. I noticed she is walking a bit slower and more purposefully, but still wags tail when I tell her how pretty she is, or how much I love her. :) She is a bit more restless in the whelping box today, changing positions more frequently, but not "nesting" yet. When they "nest" they start fussing with the blankets, pulling on them and sometimes ripping them apart. That is when they say the mild contractions are starting. By the time visible contractions have started she should be panting and in actual labor. Pre-labor "nesting" stage can go on for some time, or they can just go quickly into actual labor. It is not unusual to be in pre-labor for 24 -36 hours. We are not there yet...

Temperature:
6:48 a.m. 100.4
11:48 a.m. 99.9
6:30 p.m. 100.0
10:23 p.m. 98.9 (probably be the drop)

Figgy outside to potty early this morning... Notice her closed eyes, she does this when I sweet talk her! ;)

10:30 p.m....Now getting into pre-labor panting on and off! I let her outside to potty before bedtime just after 10:00 p.m. She usually runs back upstairs to my room and gets in the whelping box (honor system). I came up at 10: 23 to find her back on my bed! She is so darn sweet, I am letting her stay there while I type this, but then she better go back to the whelping box in case she leaks some fluids.

I better lay down and try to snooze just a bit while I can, if she will let me...

11:42 p.m.... Sorry viewers... no not busy whelping puppies yet, just a busy day and just now getting a chance to update my blog. It was the same old waiting game all day today. Nothing remarkable to report.
Figgy is doing well, has a great appetite and still wagging her tail when I walk in the room or talk to her.
Temperature
7:08 a.m. 99.7 & 100.0
1:50 p.m. 99.9
8:52 p.m. 100.1
11:42 p.m. 99.8

I did look up my notes from when Figgy's Mom Rachel whelped puppies for me and I noticed I never did catch the temperature drop, but that she did talk to me and moan and wanted me to lay in the whelping box with her the night before she had her pups. LOL... and you bet I did of course! :)

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.)

The waiting is the hardest part...

Figgy is still happy today, but waggy tail is getting a bit more subdued. She is looking bigger all the time. Her eyes look a bit more serious until I say something to her and this it's all squinty-eyed happiness, a dog's way of showing sure bliss! I believe pups are starting to move around in there and maybe even pre-contractions as her body prepares for labor soon. No temperature drop as of yet, I will continue to monitor...
Temperature
6:37 a.m. 100.2
1:11 p.m. 100.3
9:46 p.m. 100.0

Bodily changes....

6:58 a.m. 100.4 Temperature. She is resting normally, no panting... not ready. She is wagging her tail alot and showing me her belly and smiling. Sweet baby girl. She is getting a tiny bit of colostrum in her teats. It started with the very back teats almost a week ago and now is slowly moving up the line to the next "faucet". Not all the way to the front yet. One step at a time. She is getting baggy in the rear area, skin gets a bit elastic "back there". The pups have dropped low in her belly and she now looks bigger.
And good news my eye is much better today. I will be taking it easy on dusting and vacuuming for a little while.
Temperature
3:58 p.m. 100.4
8:47 p.m. 100.3
11:48 p.m. 100.3

She sure is getting very baggy around her vulva area and she has started cleaning her belly and faucets a little. I saw some puppy movement this evening (fluttering in her abdomen area). Colostrum is up to midway faucets now. Tail is still going like crazy when I talk to her or walk into the room.

Tail wagging like crazy, but I couldn't catch the smile...

Temperature Taking and waiting....

10:52 p.m. last night - Temperature was 99.9. Not the drop. It is "usually" a 2 degree drop. Up early this morning due to a thunderstorm... Figgy out to potty and temperature is 100.5 (normal). She is happily laying on my bed tail wagging. I am not so happy this morning. I got something in my eye yesterday and I can barely see and it is weeping an hurts like heck! Not a great start to my day today. Luckily it is early, cause I sure hope my eye is cleared up before she whelps! 1:43 p.m. Temperature 100.3.
Temperature
6:44 a.m. 100.5
1:43 p.m. 100.3

Figgy Settling in the whelping room... my bedroom! LOL

Just need to add a top sheet over the pen when she starts nesting to make her feel more comfortable. Figgy has checked out the whelping box, but prefers my bed for now, of course! Happy as a clam. I just took her temperature and it is 101.4 so normal. It is early yet, but best to be prepared and start now. She is day 56 from breeding, day 63 is target due date, but depending on actual ovulation and fertilization time, she could whelp anywhere from day 57 to 65.
Temperature
4:36 p.m. 101.4
10:52 p.m. 99.9 and 100.0

Setting up...

Getting ready for the whelping of a litter is a bit of work. I have moved my bedroom around and cleared a large space for the whelping box and xpen. I am setting up my large whelping box, surrounded by an xpen and then draped in sheets for privacy. Inside of my whelping box I am putting a baby pool for the whelping process itself. It helps make it much easier to keep things nice and clean and tidy.

New mothers feel more at ease and less stressed if they feel they are safe and secure and have a space all of their own, much like a cave or den. The sheets also keep a draft from chilling the puppies once they are born. Relaxed momma's should have an easier time during whelping and will let down more milk for the puppies.

I am setting up my supplies table. Thermometer, Alcohol, small blunt-end scissors, digital scales to weigh newborns (and daily), ear bulb for clearing nasal passage and throat. I have my pink (female) and blue (male) nail polish for marking a toe of each pup for identification. I have plenty of small clean towels for rubbing puppies, and wash rags for wiping up and cleaning up momma. I have my whelping books and puppy intensive care book for quick reminders and a guide.I have my notebook for keeping track of her progress and will take her temperature three times a day so I will know when her temperature drops. Whelping should be within 24 hours of the temperature drop.

I have a heating pad and laundry basket ready for a warming area for the puppies as she delivers more. Water bucket for momma.  I have sterilized my bottle in case one will need help getting started nursing.