The pups will be one week old tomorrow, so it’s time for a progress report.
Deca and the pups are great.
It’s quite amazing to me to see how fast they’re growing. And although their eyes are not open and they can’t walk, they’re remarkably mobile—and fast—as they crawl around the whelping box. Looking for their mother and a meal.
They’re also quite noisy. One of them is almost always making some noise, more often than not, two or three of them are squealing. That’s really what it is…a squeal. And loud too. But this is a good thing.
I’m still checking on them regularly to see if they’re still breathing! It’s what I do, can’t help it.. And I check to see that they haven’t crawled under the mat which lines the whelping box. They have done that on several occasions, and it appears that Deca has pulled back the mat so that puppies are not covered. Good Deca.
Deca is a great mother. She seems to have the puppy thing down. This litter was delivered in 2 ½ hours, her first litter, although larger, took more than 14 hours. Deca spends a lot of time with the pups, although not all. When they’re sleeping, she visits Ajax and I in some part of the house, or she takes a nap outside, where it’s cool.
Her appetite is ravenous, as you might expect, eating more than 6 cups of food per day. She’s still on the Science Diet Puppy food, which was recommended for pregnant and lactating dogs, and she seems to enjoy that.
Here’s some news: There are two males and two females. I think!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Deca and her pups
Deca's pups were born on Friday, July 25, 2008 in the late morning.
She was restless during the night, but there was no apparent sign that she was going to deliver today. The calculated whelp date was July 30th, so this was an early delivery.
I could tell that something was up when Deca was not standing, as usual, at the front door as I spoke to a neighbor outside of the house. After a few minutes, it was apparent to me that she was probably preparing to have her puppies.
When I went into the basement, where the whelping box is located, she had already delivered two pups and was busy attending to them. One of these pups did not survive.
A third pup was born at 11 am, a fourth at 12 noon, and a fifth at about 12:30 pm.
Mom and pups are doing fine.
Four Puppies...
So far, Deca has four pups!
The first pup was born at 10 am, the second at 11 am, the third at noon, and the fourth a few minutes ago, about 12:20.
They're a noisy crowd!
The first pup was born at 10 am, the second at 11 am, the third at noon, and the fourth a few minutes ago, about 12:20.
They're a noisy crowd!
Deca Countdown
It's quiet here as we await Deca's litter.
As expected, her appetite has significantly diminished and her pace has slowed considerably. I've switched her diet to Science Diet puppy food, which has more calories for her, as recommended by the local vet.
She often seems anxious as she moves from place to place, looking for a cool place to be more comfortable.
The nesting behavior is very evident. When she goes outside, she almost immediately goes under nearby bushes and begins to paw at the ground. Inside, she paws at any surfaces that will move, like the blankets and comforters on the beds in the house.
She instinctively is looking for a den, and wants to spend much of her time in one of the crates in the house.
Fortunately, she returns time and time again to the whelping box in the basement which now includes a pad, some newspaper, an old sheet and towel.
This is where I want her to have her puppies.
The puppies are "due" on July 30th, but last year she delivered her pups two days early.
So the puppy watch is on. Watch this space...
As expected, her appetite has significantly diminished and her pace has slowed considerably. I've switched her diet to Science Diet puppy food, which has more calories for her, as recommended by the local vet.
She often seems anxious as she moves from place to place, looking for a cool place to be more comfortable.
The nesting behavior is very evident. When she goes outside, she almost immediately goes under nearby bushes and begins to paw at the ground. Inside, she paws at any surfaces that will move, like the blankets and comforters on the beds in the house.
She instinctively is looking for a den, and wants to spend much of her time in one of the crates in the house.
Fortunately, she returns time and time again to the whelping box in the basement which now includes a pad, some newspaper, an old sheet and towel.
This is where I want her to have her puppies.
The puppies are "due" on July 30th, but last year she delivered her pups two days early.
So the puppy watch is on. Watch this space...
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Week 9: Tue 22 Jul 2008 - Tue 29 Jul 2008
• 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
Wed 30 Jul 2008 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.
• 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
Wed 30 Jul 2008 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.
Monday, July 21, 2008
VA1 Teejay von Wilhendorf - The 2008 USA Sieger!
Congratulations to John Henkel and VA1 Teejay von Wilhendorf.
Teejay is 3x VA after winning the Working Dog/Male category at the 2008 USA Sieger Show, in San Jose, California--a remarkable accomplishment!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Week 8 - Tue 15 Jul 2008 - Mon 21 Jul 2008
• 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
• 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
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Saturday, July 12, 2008
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