Day 60 – The Evening Report

Deca’s first puppy was born at 6:30 pm. I almost missed it. I was upstairs, collecting materials that she might need for her delivery. When I returned downstairs, she was moving around in her whelping box. Within second, a puppy had emerged.

To my great satisfaction, Deca instinctively knew what to do with her new puppy. I watch in amazement as she cleared the sac, first, from its head, then from the rest of the body. The umbilical cord was severed, quickly and neatly. Then she picked the pup up in her mouth, and massaged it until it began to cry. Very nicely done, Deca. Thank you.

The pup floundered around for a few minutes, as Deca licked its body clean. The pup is a noisy one. And soon, he was nursing on his now surprisingly content mother.

Sad news. A pup, a male, was stillborn at 8:16 pm. After she had cleaned the pup, and I noticed it was not responsive, I picked it up and tried, unsuccessfully to care for it. But, in vain. There wasn’t anything I could do. I held it for quite some time, and took it away when Deca wasn’t watching.

It’s 8:45 pm, and it seems to be the time for another puppy. This 2^nd pup arrives quickly, and is noisy from the start. Deca takes care of the cleaning business, but seems less engaged in the massaging process compared to the first pup. This pup quickly makes its way to mom’s belly. I can’t see it, I hope its’s nursing.

9:38 pm. Deca’s Number 3? I think. I went upstairs, for just a minute, and when I came back down, there was a squealing pup. No. False alarm. She stood up and there were only two.

10:57 pm. Another pup. A male. Stillborn. She did a good job of cleaning him up, but he wasn’t alive. I try to help, but there’s nothing anyone can do.

11:12: Another pup. Alive. Trouble? I don’t know, but I pick up the pup and massage it a bit till he responds. Then I give it back to her for some attention. It seems to be doing fine.

12:00 am. These are some noisy pups. But that’s a good thing. It’s going to be a long night.