A Bed Never Felt So Soft...

Last night was the first night that I havent slept with the puppies and Momma in the kitchen...LOLOL-yeah I know-Im crazy...LOLOL But I did set the alarm for 4 AM and went to check on them-all was well:) Whoot!!! Momma had gotten out and back in without stepping on them-which means I can leave them now...:)WHOOT!!! But not for long...;)LOLOL-yeah I know...sigh...but thats a Tammy for ya;)

We have had to keep an eye on them as two were very tiny and were getting pushed off Momma by the bigger ones-so we had to make sure those two were each getting their time-now at day 5 they are both filled out nicely like the others....whew....

These next 3 weeks will be time will tell weeks...where anything can happen-so we have to be watchful-Dh and I have told the kids not to pick out favorites for awhile as you never know what could happen...

Im in love with them all-but I think Blacky catches my eye most;)LOLOLOL-yes Dad-he was the littlest.....LOLOLOL

In case any of you are interested Im going to describe the birth ..so you might want to skip this part if you have a sensitive stomach...LOLOL

Labor started in the morning about 10:00 AM -I went into the kitchen and she was visibly having contractions-which really surprised me-as I was thinking her being a first time momma, she would be uncomforteable, and moan etc-but she was calm and such a pro abt everything...

At this time I put her in the whelping room that we had set up for her in the pantry and sat with her-telling her what a good job she was doing and giving her rubs and scratches...:) We sat in there FOREVER-I was scared to leave as I thought any min she could push a pup out, but no...so I sat and sat...and sat...then I started to get really worried thinking it was taking too long and that maybee one was stuck or something-which is a very scary thing-as would have to have a c-section.....so I was worried...and sitting and sitting for a LONG time....

Then Puddin started grunting and pushing harder and harder-and I knew something was coming...but again she was so calm and never growled or whined...what a trooper-eh?

Then out came such a miraculous thing-a little white puppy-looking just like her Daddy. It was a good thing that this first one had no complications as Im not sure how long I sat there with my mouth open in awe at this tiny little miracle...Puddin quickly cleaned up the afterbirth and then proceded to clean up the pup. They are so rough in the cleaning-which is kind of worrying-but good thing I had researched it and this rough treatment and licking and shoving stimulates the pup to take his first breathe-which this little gal did:)

Initially I had decided to tie off the umbilical cord with floss and cut it myself...as Mommas can be too rough and pull off too hard causing a hernia or worse...but no time for such things...LOLOL So I held it abt 2 inches from the pup and let Momma bite up till that point-then I cleaned it up after everything was ok. Puddin during this whole time was going crazy licking up everything she could. So I really had to hurry and deal with the cord after I was sure pup was breathing-as she was licking and going to town...LOLOL.

After I made sure she was breathing-had to suction as she was wheezing....I gave pup a lick of Kyro syrup-which stimulates them and helps their sucking reflexes kick in. Then put her up to Momma and she began to nurse. Soo amazing....Sooo miraculous!!! I cant begin to describe it.....and the sucking noise-adoreable!!!

The next two came pretty much the same way-abt an hr after each other give or take....some where slow to revive and get to breathing-so Id have to take over for Momma-which was way scary as I was holding a life in my hands and it was up to us-ya know...yigh...After each delivery Id let them nurse,-this is when I woudl finally breathe...LOLOL then when pushing started again-they all would be put in the warming box I had made up...then once born they all would be taken out to nurse again on Momma-as this helps with the contractions etc...

The 4th one didnt have such a good outcome. Everything was progressing like normal-and then I saw the water sack( which looked like a bubble)Up until this point all the sacks with previous pups had broken before the birth. So I thought to myself "Okay..this is different." K-girl-we can do it...but pushing...pushing...and pushing...it wouldnt budge.... I feathered, lubbed it up, tried to help-but it wasnt out enough for me to get a grip on it....woulndt budge. :( This is when I seriously started praying that Puddin would be able to get it out ok. I knew something was bad-something wasnt right...that the pup had been in there way too long...but I was helpless to do anything to help her....but finally she pushed him out. After I could get a grip on him-I helped her. He was really long-alot longer than the others-which explained why Puddin had such a hard time with it...He was listless, not moving-despite licks and licks from Puddin-so I took over and tried to revive him-nothing worked. The poor little guy sat there gasping for breath....which told me he had swallowed too much fluid being in the canal too long...so we aspirated, swung him like I had been shown to do, rubbed and rubbed.Gave moth to mouth...anything....

Stinger was helping me through all of this-as soon as he knew Puddin was delivering he wanted in there to help. So we both tried and tried and before we knew it another pup was pushing out and had to be looked to.

We tried for abt an hr trying to revive that little guy-but he didnt make it:( It was SOOOO sad.....I get teary eyed thinking about it agn....but another pup had to be looked to-so we had to go on.....:(I keep telling myself maybee if we had worked longer...harder...he would have made it...maybee it was my fault...? But at any rate-we buried him out under our big oak tree-and I know he is up there in Heaven playing and having fun-this is what I told the kids and it put a big smile on their faces:)as it did mine:)

The next 4 had to come from the other horn-so it took awhile again to get them all lined up I guess....Puddin took a nap and was cool as a cucumber...LOLOL and once they did-they came every hour again...

We didnt finish until abt 5:30 in the morning....yigh....we were all pooped. Everyone went to bed before she was done except for me-and then the kids woke up and took a shift watching at 8 when they woke up and let me sleep for abt an hr...LOLOL That was very nice-eh?LOLOLOL

Dh has such a queezy stomach-so he didnt watch much-but hes been loving on the pups and puddin now....LOLOLOL

Puddin wouldnt leave them to go bathroom or anything for the first day, now she is leaving them for longer periods of time...and she gets nervous and checks on them when they wine. Shes a fantastic Momma. She wont even go back into the whelping box until I have moved them all over as she might step on them:)

For the first 48 hrs she had a very black/green discharge-totally freaked me out...as I thought it was an infection from a retained placenta(which they can die from)but its now just red/brown and getting lighter every day-and this will go on for abt 2-3 weeks-poor puddin-confined to the kitchen...

Puddin has her appetite back times 3-4!!LOLOLOL
She also takes them one by one and cleans them inbetween her front paws-but then they cant get back to her teats -so Ive got to check on them to make sure none have found their way behind her( as they cant find their way back) or that she isnt laying on them in the front there...LOLOLOL, listening for cries of distress...etc..

I tried to mark teh tips of their tails with dif color markers-but Puddin would have none of it-and she licked it all off..so the brown ones are hard to tell apart, but the white ones arent-we have a 1 spot, 2 spot, 3 spot, no spot,...LOLOL

Ive also been keeping a careful eye on weight gains of the pups-and have been having to limit our pudgy ones until the smaller ones have been on for a bit. One little guy we have is sooooo pudgy...LOLOl-and he just loves to crawl under them all when they are all lined up nursing and pushes whoever is in his way off the teat so he can have it...LOLOL-hes a character-I tell ya...

They are so fun to watch-they grunt, cry, scream, make the cutest sucking noises-Im soo in love-Im not going to want to get rid of them-I know it!!!!

And Momma Puddin is doing her motherly duties wonderfully. She cleans them to stimulate them to go bathroom-and she will clean that up too-for the first 3 weeks anyway-until she starts to wean....and they start to eat kibble-Boy-wish I had had that service for my 3!!LOLOLOLOL

Im a Proud Doggie Grandma!!!:)I cant wait till their eyes open(7-10 days)Ill take close ups of them all individually so you can get a better look:).

We have also bough a pen from our neighboor-so when they grow and are all roudy we can put them outside-that will be so nice for them:)

Say Hi To Our New Arrivals :)

After 16 hrs....yigh...the Gang is all here:)

This slideshow design customized with Smilebox

I THink We Are Done Baking....:)

Well as you all know-Puddins temp dropped day before last and then last night again-just like everyone said it would, but no other signs last night-so I thought maybee just a fluke thing-...nope....LOLOLOL
Started panting hard last night-so I set my alarm for 5:30 and went and checked on her-still the same.....but then this morning-shivering, puking, panting, no appetite...so she should be delivering in the next 36 hours!!:)

She cant get comfy anywhere and she is trying to dig up everything and puking up bile every 5 min or so...so kinda messy already...LOLOLOL

But looks like we are in for a long day and night here....she wants to be by my side-so I have her on towels and Im taking her along ard everywhere with me, with the towels-until she starts having contractions-then its off to the whelping box:)and another long wait and see....:)

This weekend is grocery weekend-Dh already said he'd do it-so he's going to be on his own for a good part of the weekend it looks like-as I need to be with Puddin and the soon to be pups:)

Im sooo excited and so nervous I could just bust!LOLOL, but Im trying not to show it for Puddins sake...she needs all the calm right now....

Im fixin to do some clipping ard her teats-to make things easier for the pups.....

I'll update as I can:)

LAB TAILS: Blue and White Gets Breakfast

Oh!!!!!!!! How adoreable is this!!!!!!

LAB TAILS: Blue and White Gets Breakfast

2 More Weeks In the Oven

She is getting really..really..really...big...
1 more week till we can feel and see them moving....:)

6 weeks in the Oven......:)

Okay-
There is something def cooking in there...LOLOL

Dh has even said it!!!LOLOL-and THAT is somethin!!

So Im preparing fro whelping now-3 weeks left-can be born at anytime after 7 weeks...so Ive been getting ready, getting all supplies ready...watching and freaking out if Puddin starts to pant now...LOLOL-but shes doing really good and just a growin..growin...LOLOL

Her appetite is incredible-wanting to eat anything and everything-the kids are impressed-shes even wanting their veggies..LOLOL Stinger says"Shes GOT to be pregnant mom!!"LOLOL-This had me rollin!!:)...so Ive been limiting her of table scraps...which is hard as thats been her treat ard here...and not letting her slurp up breakfast cereal milk....which she is having a really hard time understanding...but I want her body to be able to build up her own calcium once the babies arrive or she could get into trouble...

She's getting really big in the middle and her abdomen is hard-which are the puppies developing...She's a little slower, but not sleeping so much-but shes sprawled out ALOT these days...

So supplies I have so far:

nose squeezer thing-to clear fluids
box-to warm puppies in during whelp
milk replacer-for fading puppies (in case)
droppers for milk
iodine-to disinfect cords with

I also have set up her whelping place in our pantry, and have started feeding her in there.

still need to get and put in whelping box:

towels(white) and more towels
board for whelping box-so Momma can get out but puppies cant.(dh buying)

Last night she kept on jumping on our bed-so I went out to the couch with her and then awoke to puke in the kitchen and diarrea by the door.....and the fun is JUST beginning...LOLOL But tonight we will be closing her off in the kitchen-as she needs to get used to sleeping in her whelping area.

So just anxiously waiting here:)

Puddin-Plain Pooped.....

Someones exhausted doing absolutely nothing...LOLOLOL
Hmmm-week #3 sign: "She may also stretch out a lot due to her movement in her abdomen." Hmmmmmmm.....


THis is what dad looks like-more white with black patch on eye though-but Aussie Shepard:)

Puppy Research continued:)

Okay-so I am driving everyone nuts here-asking "She looks pregnant...Is she pregnant?!!" LOLOL Dh says he doesnt know-me and the kids say yes-LOLOL maybe there is a little bias as we all WANT her pregnant-LOLOL;)Dh says its in my head...so maybee it is...but its not stopping me from learning and researching all that I can...I just HAVE to...HAVE to be prepared for this type of thing..but we really wont know I guess until abt the 6th week-so 3 more to go....sigh...

Dh said he didnt want to hear anything more abt it until we were sure...then he started talking abt the whelping box-LOLOL-how funny is that?!LOLOL

Puddin is crazy affectionate these days-when dh gets hoem she abt pounces on him on teh couch and wont leave him alone-this usually only happens when he is eating something, but lately she is all over him-and following me ard even to the restroom-which is not normal. But dh is loving this affection-ist reallyweird if you actually watch her-she is the funniest girl-LOLOL

At night and during the day she acts as if she has just ran a marathon-and plops down exhausted-LOLOL-Shes soo tired and sleeps ALOT more so than usual. Which is NOT normal fro her either.

Her teats are enlarging every day-not too big or swollen, but def a change in that area as well-along with her private region...........her stomach looks like it is a bit bigger-which I still need to measure behind her last rib(*update-just measured-shes a slim 29 inches:))-then at day 40 I will measure agn-if it has grown-she is carrying...

SO...all this leads me to believe that she is with child!!!Right?? So nayway-tahst what Ive been doing-driving myself crazy-learning as much as I can so I can be confident if she is pregnant .;)

Flamingo has started Soccer agn-so we are running ard 3 times a week for that-but she LOVES it:) Monkey boy will start baseball in May , which he is excited for:)

Puppy Research Going On....

Well this is what I have found and this is what I am planning on sticking to for awhile...I researche dteh optimal time and ..BINGO..we hit it right on....yigh...so looks pretty darn for sure we will be having puppies..Grami has spoken for one already...
Puddin usually follows me ard -is my shadow, unless Grami is here-LOLOLOL So she wants one if we do end up having puppies :)Puddin is REALLY particular ard anyone but family....she gets REALLY teritorial...but shes got a very friendly loyal devotion to us and we love her so much:)But she has a few outside favorites-Grami included:)
Anyway heres the schedule-shes going on 2 weeks now come Tuesday. She sleeping alot more, I can see a difference in her personality-a bit more attention seeking....etc...


Pregnancy Timeline

Week 1

* Fertilization occurs.
* 2 cell embryos are in the oviduct.

Week 2

* Embryo will be 4 cell at start of week and 64 cell by end of week.
* Embryo enters the uterus.
* Feeding small amounts of high protein supplements, such as eggs, lean muscle meats (not pork) or liver is a good practice..

Week 3

* Embryos implants along uterus wall.
* During the next two weeks the important organs will develop.,
* Her nipples begin to turn pink and enlarge.
* May loose appetite during this week.
* Morning sickness may occur -She may also stretch out a lot due to her movement in her abdomen.

Week 4

* Morning sickness should go away and appetite return.
* One of the early signs of pregnancy is for the dam to ‘adopt’ a toy.
* Development of eyes and spinal cord and faces take shape.
* The fur on the belly and around the nipples thins.

Week 5

* The doctor may be able to detect pregnancy (85% accuracy) by feeling the abdomen. Diagnosis by x-rays is usually possible after 45 days (95% accuracy for determining the number of puppies).
* You may be able to feel the little puppies -they whould be the small bumps in the abdomen.
* Develpment of toes, whisker buds, and claws.,
* Eyes now close and gender can be determined.
* The puppies are now considered fully developed miniature dogs.
* She may be showing… She may also gain a little weight particularly if she is going to birth more than 1-2 puppies..

Week 6

* During the last several weeks, your dog’s nutritional needs nearly double. Feed small meals several times a day.
* We recommend feeding puppy food through the end of lactation (nursing)..
* Increase water.
* Enlargment of mammary glands as nipples darken and enlarge.


Week 7

* She may shred papers, blankets or bedding in an attempt at “nest building” in the last weeks.
* During the last 2 weeks, your pet may become irritable and should avoid contact with small children.
* Moderate exercise is the proper approach. Neither forced rest nor strenuous exercise is a good idea. Short periods of gentle play and short walks are good..
* You may feel the puppies now but counting them may be a bit more difficult.
* Definate abdominal enlargement.
* Abdomen hair will start shedding.

Week 8

* Dam begins to spend a lot more time grooming herself.
* Her breasts become swollen as her milk forms.
* Nesting begins as she looks for a place to have her puppies… Make sure you have her box or spot ready..
* The dam may not have as big of an appetite during this period. Her abdomen can be crowded with puppies.
* You can feel the puppies move now.
* See if you can get her used to her whelping box

Week 9

* Nipples and vulva should be gently cleaned with warm water, you might want to trim the hairs surrounding the nipples, to allow easier access for the puppies to suck.
* She may express milk from her nipples.
* Watch for her temperature to drop. You may take it rectally if you want but she’s just plain old cool to the touch compared to what she has been the last 8 weeks.
* She may also become restless, seek seclusion and in the last few days, soil the house.
* She will be ‘nesting’ 12-24 hours before the birth

Expected Date of Whelp.

* Expected date of whelp. Average is 62 days but may take place from the 58th to the 68th day.
* Keep watching for that cool to the touch.. if you’re actually taking the temp, it does drop from 101 to 98 degrees.
* Appetite will disappear as whelping approaches.
* May see a clear discharge from the vulva.
* At onset of labor may pace, dig, shiver, pant and/or vomit.

First fetus will be delivered within 4 hours of the onset of labor.


*so Ive calculated and ard the 14 of June is what we are looking at :)

OOPS........

WEll...well.....well....

We might have a litter on the way.....

Puddin has been in heat for the past 2 weeks. We have been keeping her in the kitchen and taking her out on a leash whenever she goes out front. We have never had a problem with other male dogs coming ard when she has been in heat before, so I didnt even think twice when she bolted out the door before I had a chance to leash her and to the side of the house(this is the normal place she usually goes pottty)

So I follow her over there and there is this big male farm shepard dog,(you know those farm dogs that heard sheep and are really good at those agility training things on TV))whom I had never seen before.

I realized in just that second I am too late and its done....yigh.....I tried to shoo him away and he would have none of it-there was nothing I could do:(

So I guess we are trying to decide what to do. We had called the vet abt 2 weeks ago and they had said they wouldnt spay until 2 weeks after heat cycle, so we were just waiting for her to stop and then we were going to have her spayed.

But I think we have decided to see if it has taken, as there are alot of variables such as:
1. She is at the end of her cycle
2. The male might have been neutered?
3. It might not have taken just because...

At any rate dh has thought abt it and I guess he has decided that another Puddin woulndt be SO bad-so he is okay with just waiting and seeing...so Im thinking that is what we will do...

Puddin is the best dog that we have ever had, and Ive been looking online and theres always a chance of something going wrong and something happening to the momma...so Im not 100% sure we should do this....although-you know my love for animals and Id love a litter of pups too..so Im torn,I dont know....

I guess we will just see what happens-if she is pregnant we will be okay with it, if not then we will get her spayed...

I havent said anything to the kids yet-only Stinger-as I dont want their opinions persuading me......as I know what they would say-they would love it....

So I will keep a close eye on her and watch for signs and act and treat her as if she is...and we will be ready either way then....

The gestation period is 61 days...so abt the middle of June Im figuring.....

I get excited then I get worried, excited, then worried agn....LOLOLOL

I know Puddin would be a great Momma-and I know dh wants a litter-as he has already told me we are keeping one-LOLOL, Dh even considers Puddin apart of our family. I just think it worries him too abt possible problems...but I will research EVERYTHING-you know Im good at that one;) LOLOL, and we will be 100% ready for whatever comes our way....

At any rate-the little peep chickey plans are out the window for now-LOLOLOL