So while ordering all my supplies for whelping, I visited a lot of sites and ended up making several orders. Then last week I discovered that I hadn't ordered colored collars for the newbies. On October 2, I found some and ordered them, thinking that they would arrive in a few days. Well yesterday when they hadn't arrived yet, I went back to see where they were being shipped from. When I looked at the site, I saw that they are coming from Ontario, Canada. Okay, now that explains the delay. Anyway, I made some makeshift ones out of ribbon and velcro to get us by until they get here. Which I really hope is today for we are making our first trip to the vet and I want to make sure they are well identified. So far we haven't supplemented milk or anything for them and seem to be growing good and are content. In fact they are growing so fast that this weekend we are going to fix up a bigger warming box for them. They pretty much fill up the one they are in. They make the cutest little sounds and sometimes they sound like a kitten. That sure grabs my attention....Belle Starr is sleeping more and her system is returning back to normal. When we give her some pups, she cleans them, and once they are hooked up, she goes to sleep and soon all you hear is her snoring. She has lost weight and is looking really good. I'll take her and a couple of her pups to the International Dog Show and see how they do. She was up for best of breed a couple of times when we went this spring. One thing about having a big litter that needs a lot of attention, us humans have learned to power nap and make toast a meal. I did make a crock pot full of chicken yesterday, which was yummy....
Sleep?
About now I could use a good straight 8 hours of sleep. I did get 6 before my night shift and I'm waiting for this one to end so I can go get a couple of more hours. Some people can go with a small amount of sleep. But not this one. Fred does better with that than I do. But I have to admit that I can hear him snoring some big ones different times throughout the day. I couldn't imagine trying to do this on my own. Puppies are growing as I type this. It's amazing how much they change in a day. It is day 3 and they are starting to change a bunch. The cream and yellow one's feet, ears, and muzzles are starting to turn black. Some of the ears are flopping down. At birth the ears were plastered against their heads. You can start to distinguish the differences between some of them. Especially the cream and yellow ones. There are going to be some of both. The little black ones all look alike. Some are just a little bigger. Hope that the colored bands arrive today for we really need them. The only one we have marked is a little black girl (last one to arrive) for she was a little sluggish the first day and so we put pink yarn around her neck so that we could make sure she got lots to eat. Her nickname is Ribbon and she is turning into a little feisty one. Love those puppies.. Vet day tomorrow....
Day 3
Growing
Those little guys and gals are growing like crazy. I had bought a digital scale to weigh them on and it doesn't work for they are too wiggly and the numbers bounce all around. I've been looking for the past month for an old fashioned food scale, and haven't seemed to locate any. Looking in all the wrong places, I guess. My learning curve? Steep... All is quiet here in Montana at 4:00 in the morning. Belle Starr is snoring in the nursery, pups sleeping, and Fred snoring in the bedroom. Once in a while I hear an elk bugle. All good sounds. Belle Starr is really getting attached to those pups. We have to really talk to her to get her to go outside to do her duty. Then she wants right back in. She did go for a short walk with Fred and Abie yesterday, so that was good. The pups have their first vet appointment Friday to get their dew claws removed. They may have to put me in a straight jacket. But, I know it needs to be done. Then we can have them checked and Belle Starr as well. Day 2 is here for the first born...
Day 2
We Have Puppies
Wow! What an experience.... First time for momma Belle Starr and first for Fred and I. Belle's temp dropped yesterday morn October 4th. So I rushed around and got the warming box plugged in and the puppy nursery ready. We stayed up with her taking turns. Fred took over at 1:30 this morning and at 4:00 came and got me out of bed. The first puppy was born at 4:30. We did end up calling the vet, for we didn't know how soon they needed to eat after birth and Belle wasn't sure what she needed to do. But because Fred and I did a lot of reading and talking to the vet, we were able to help her with the birth of these 11 puppies. She was quite equal in her delivery. First a white, then black, then white, then black, etc. then toward the end a couple of blacks together and finished with a white. And then she was equal in that she had 5 boys and 5 girls. Thinking we were done, we started cleaning up the lovely mess, putting things away and making sure all the pups were eating. Then at 12:30 when I was ready to go take a shower, she stood up and out came one more. A little black female, to upset the equality of it all. The books did not warn me of what a mess there would be, and that I needed to buy a lot of detergent to keep the linens washed. So over 12 hours we traded after birth, fluids, and other disgusting stuff for poopoo and urine. But we are all fine with that. Love the warming box. With this many puppies, it works to have just a few with mom at a time. So we need to keep track of who eats and when. Which means we are taking turns in the nursery. So, bring on the hot chocolate. And that is what we use to do when my older kids were in 4-H when there ewe's gave birth. Also, they didn't say anything about preparing meals for a few days and put in the freezer. Soup for lunch, and cold cereal for dinner. But we are finding we are so busy that we don't have time to eat. These puppies are so cute, and quite a comical bunch. First Birthing and Very Excited and Exhausted.
1st baby, a big girl
Anxious
As the time grows closer, the tension builds. It's like the other dogs know that something big is going to happen, and they have grown needy. Belle Starr's puppies are growing more everyday and she is quite big,. Tomorrow is day 60 and we would like for her to hold on for another couple of days. She is doing well on the quality puppy food that we are giving her in small portions throughout the day. She is very clingy and is beside us all the time. But, that cute little lab tail is always wagging, even in discomfort. Love the Belle Starr, she is a great inspiration. And the Shadow, he is one calm dude. He lays with her a lot and their friendship goes way beyond play time. But, he seems as if he isn't taking the baby business to serious. The warming box is ready and on, the whelping box is ready, and the equipment sterilized and in place. Now if I had confidence in myself, Life would be Good. We will hope that mother nature is on the ball and things go well for the Belle Starr. My happy sound is her snoring, for I know all is well at the moment.