A Chorus Of Eight Puppies!!

The brand new, first two.

Vega's and Remy's puppies arrived on the scene early this morning, beginning about 2 AM, with the last arrival about six hours later. All eight puppies are healthy, nursing and boisterous!

In fact, squeaking is what woke me up at 2:11 this morning. I let Vega sleep next to the bed as usual, having been told she would start digging at the carpet, circling the room and generally letting me know she was about to deliver. But that's not what happened.

Vega was her usual chill self, even during labor and delivery. She was very calm and quiet about the whole thing. It was the first puppy that let me know the birthing had begun.

The plan was for Vega to have the puppies in the plastic pool or the elevator or the whelping box, but definitely not the bedroom floor. Oh well. I figured out "plan B" on the fly. I got the plastic pool from the garage, carried it upstairs and put it next to the bed. Fortunately, when I stepped in the pool with the puppy, Vega got in, too. And that's where the other seven were born.

Turns out it didn't matter that "I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' puppies," because Vega knew just what to do. Instinct is a wonderful, powerful thing.

All eight are great!

I didn't have instinct going for me, but I did figure out when a puppy was about to be born because Vega would start panting hard, make a few quiet "burping" noises and tighten up her belly with each sound. I guess she was pushing. Then a sac with a puppy would slip out. Vega tore it open, chewed the cord, licked the puppy and cleaned it all up. She was quick, efficient and effective. In fact, she made the whole experience look like a walk in the park.

Each puppy found its way to a nipple and began nursing soon after it was born. Since Vega and the puppies were next to my bed I tried to at least doze off between births, but it was hard to do. Not because Vega was agitated or loud, it was the puppies that kept me awake. They are small, but amazingly noisy. And of course, the volume of the squeaking, squealing, yelping, whining and whimpering increased with the birth of each one. Instead of a litter of puppies, I have a chorus!

The Puppy Watch Continues

The whelping box

There's been a lot of action at the house this evening. And it hasn't been Vega delivering her puppies. It's been my friend Kyle delivering and assembling the whelping box. My friend Emily who stopped by to see my big mama. Evan who was here to check out the whelping box. Charlie who came to cut the grass but joined the fun in the garage when he was finished. Reacher who naturally tried to be the life of the party. And Vega who spent the whole time pacing and panting and really didn't care what the excitement was all about. Even though it was all about her.

Judging from her behavior, Vega's got to be very close to having her puppies. She has refused food and water all day long. She's been panting a lot and giving me the sad face. And right now she is on the family room couch just trying to get comfortable, I guess.

This is the first time she has ever jumped up on a piece of furniture. And of course, I'm feeling too sorry for her to put her back on the floor. I've also been worried that she might get dehydrated so I've even been trying to feed her ice cubes from the palm of my hand. 

It may be a very long night. I'm not sure how much sleep either of us are going to get. Especially if the puppies start arriving.

I'm afraid between Vega and I it's pretty much like the blind leading the blind. Yes, I've had babies. But I was in a hospital with a doctor, nurses and an entire medical staff at my disposal. In this situation, I feel more like Prissy in Gone With The Wind who uttered those famous words: "I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' babies!"

In my case, "I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' puppies!" But I know I'm about to learn.

Park It!

Q. What do you do when you have a VERY pregnant German Shepherd who doesn't want to be bothered AT ALL and a VERY exuberant, high-energy Boxer who might be a year old but is still a puppy through and through?

A. You take the crazy Boxer boy to the dog park in the hopes that it will wear him out for the evening.

Before Vega, Reacher and I would visit the dog park regularly. For the same reason. To wear the boy out. He would run, chase, be chased, jump, run, chase, be chased -- over and over again until he dropped. Which, of course, was the whole idea.

This evening, I decided if it worked before, it could work again.

Vega stayed home and enjoyed the peace and quiet while Reacher and I were away. And just in case Evan is reading this post, I want you to know that before I let him run wild, Reacher and I worked obedience. We practiced heeling -- changing pace, stopping, turning, etc. Reacher did quite well, I might add. On the leash, he is usually a model student. In the house and the yard, it's another story.

After our homework, I let Reacher cut loose at the dog park. He romped with a Terrier mix, two Lab puppies, a Goldendoodle, a couple of Huskies, a Basset Hound, a feisty Yorkshire Terrier and a Lab mix. At last, his tongue was hanging near the ground and he laid down to survey the scene. It was time to go.

Home again, he spent quite awhile splayed out on the kitchen floor. I had dinner. Both the dogs ate. I took them out. Vega relaxed. Reacher spent some time amusing himself with a tennis ball. But finally, he is spent. Hallelujah!

Right now, Vega is on the floor next to the bed. I am in the bed about to resume reading the newly released Lee Child novel featuring Reacher's namesake, Jack Reacher. As for the canine Reacher ... as you can see, he is in the bed, too. I know it's not a good idea. But at least Vega and I are happy.

Any Day Now

Saturday, September 29 is the day I have "PUPPIES!" written in red ink on the calendar hanging on my refrigerator.

But really, they could arrive any day. Nine weeks is about the gestation period for dogs. But depending on which "expert" you believe and which day you start counting, it could be anywhere from 58-68 days. Taking all that into consideration, I can definitely tell you the date is who knows?

I can tell you Vega looks very pregnant. I have actually seen a wave of puppy movement across her belly a few times and have felt a paw or head or butt moving around in there as well. 

She's acting very pregnant, too. Vega has almost quit sailing over the gates when they're up in the kitchen. And she's not interested in following me each time I go up and down the stairs either.

She is also favoring corners. Last evening, I couldn't find her. When I finally called her name she emerged from the corner of the living room where she was lying under the floor lamp. Before that she was behind a couple of chairs curled up between the wall and some cabinets.

Every time I take her outside, she wants to crawl way under the deck as close to the foundation as she can get. I'm keeping her on a leash to prevent that because I don't plan on crawling in after her with a flashlight to retrieve puppies.

I've been doing my best to keep Reacher away because he is driving Vega crazy. She is growling and nipping at him more and more frequently. To that I say, "You go girl!" He is driving me crazy, too.

So for now, the watching and waiting continues. You'll be the first to know the puppies have arrived because they will be making their debut right here.

Puppy Preview Pictures

 

The three round shapes are sacs holding a puppy each.

Vega had her second ultrasound yesterday, thanks once again to Kathy, my fellow dog-owner-in-training and now Vega's personal ultrasound technologist. Kathy confirmed seven puppies and is fairly certain she saw number eight. Eight is the figure I've chosen to go with anyway.

These ultrasound images were quite clear even to me, who had quite a bit of trouble the first time around determining what was what in a sea of black, grey and white. I admit, the details are much harder to see here, so you'll just have to trust me when I tell you that I was able to clearly make out spines and rib cages myself. Kathy also pointed out legs, tails and bladders. And we could see those little hearts -- all four chambers -- beating!



The sideways "u" in the middle is a puppy butt & 2 legs.

Once again Vega was the model patient. She spread herself out on the floor of the exam room as if she was right at home. She didn't complain once about the cold, slippery gel, the poking and prodding or all the time we took oohing and aahing over all those puppies. And after Kathy got the views she wanted on one side, Vega allowed us to roll her over so Kathy could see what else she might find. That's when she confirmed puppy number seven and quite possibly the eighth.



 

The round spots: heart to the right, bladder to the left.

In about another 10 days, the entire litter -- all seven or eight of them -- will be making an up-close-and-personal appearance. Those pictures will be clearer than ever. And of course, you''ll be able to find them right here. 


1. 

A Hole Is A Hole Is A Nest?

Reacher's continuing excavation project.

Lately, Vega has taken an uncommon interest in Reacher's holes that dot our yard. She is sniffing each one and sticking her nose down the deeper cavities as far as it will go.

I hope she's not considering dropping her puppies in one of them. Reacher may be thinking the same thing. Perhaps that's why he has been enlarging the crater to the left (the photo really doesn't do it justice) to make plenty of room for one very pregnant German Sheperd and her soon-to-be litter of puppies. Since Vega has been ignoring Reacher lately, he may just be trying to win back her heart.

Whatever the two of them have in mind, going back to nature is definitely not going to work for me. I already have plans in the works for a custom-designed whelping box where Vega is supposed to have her puppies in style.

It will be 4'x8' with rails around the inside walls that will prevent mama from accidentally lying on top of her babies. The sides will be about 3' high and have a Dutch door that opens top and bottom. When the puppies are tiny, we'll leave the top open so Vega can easily step out. As the little guys grow, we can close the top to prevent them from escaping. The floor of the box will be tile for easy cleaning and there will be a space underneath so we can slide heating pads in. Think of it as radiant heating just like in the coolest bathrooms on HGTV. There's nothing too good for my girl and her babies.

A nest of dirt? Not when there's a designer labor and delivery suite being built just for Vega.

Little Mama Is Getting Bigger

Vega's middle is spreading.

Ten days ago, the ultrasound confirmed Vega is pregnant. But now her condition is obvious, even to the untrained eye. She's showing! Her belly is growing a little bit every day.

She's not as lively as she used to be and isn't so interested in taking a walk unless it's cool and we're not going far. Vega is definitely less and less interested in Reacher.

Of course, he doesn't get it. Being a dog, a boy and just a year old, he is clueless. He wants her to play with him and chase him around the bushes like she used to. He wants her to wrestle with him and even twist his collar until he hits the dirt. He wants her to play keep away with a ball or a bone. But she's having none of it.

He barks. He lunges. He paws at her. He barks some more. But Vega has put him on ignore. Occasionally she just loses patience and will give him a no-nonsense growl and a serious snap. Then he backs off. At least for a few minutes.

I think he is taking all his frustration out on things around the house. In typical Reacher fashion, he has destroyed a plant, removed even more pillows and cushions from chairs and beds, tries to chew up my shoes any chance he gets and is getting into anything else that's not nailed down.

There's about three weeks to go before we have puppies. Until then, Vega's belly will continue to grow. And Reacher, I'm afraid, will continue to get himself into bigger and bigger trouble.

Credit Where Credit Is Due

Reacher has a new respect for pillows.

Even though I just chased Reacher up the stairs and caught him pulling a framed photograph off my dresser, I feel I should give my crazy boy credit where credit is due. For one thing, he hasn't attempted to chew up any pillows today. He did tote an outdoor chair cushion from the deck into the living room, but he just used it to rest his chin. No chewing involved.

More to the point, he has performed like a champion during training practice the past few days. We are working on off-leash obedience so I've been walking him with the six-foot leash draped scarf-like around my neck -- no hands!

And he's been heeling like a pro, even though bike riders zip by, joggers run past and other dogs walk (not nearly as well as Reacher, of course) nearby.

He sits when I stop and keeps pace each time I speed up or slow down. Of course, I've given a few corrections. But there has been no bolting, no refusing and no typical knucklehead Reacher behavior.

Maybe he appreciates my undivided attention. We've been leaving our little mama at home. Vega is not as fleet of foot as she was pre-pregnancy. And she's not coping as well with the heat. So,I've been walking her solo too, at her own pace.

Obviously, Reacher can behave when he wants to. If I can just figure out what makes this little guy tick he'd be almost perfect.

Dogs Seeking Attention

Vega's condition is becoming more and more apparent each day. And along with her growing belly has come her growing desire for attention. In fact, she has just thrown herself across my lap and is wagging her tail and whining. I do not finding this behavior as comforting as she does.

Lately, it seems all she wants is me. She is definitely not finding Reacher entertaining. In fact, she is avoiding most all of his playful advances. Since Reacher can't get her attention, he is seeking mine. In all the wrong ways.

 Pillows are now atop the bookshelf, safe from Reacher. 

For one thing, he's develped a taste for pillows. At every opportunity he is removing them from couches, chairs, beds -- anywhere he can find them -- shaking them furiously, then laying down and chewing the corners. So far, I've been able to retrieve each one and stash it on top of the book shelf before any real damage has been done. 

I can't say the same for Trinity by Leon Uris or Book of the Dead by Patricia Cornwell. They have both been personally dog-eared by Reacher.

Tonight he has also removed the comforter from his crate and began to pull out the stuffing. I tossed it over the gate and out of reach. Then he turned his attention and his mouth to the kitchen rug. I tossed it over the gate. Next, it was the mat under his water bowl. I tossed it over the gate. He began gnawing the gate.

When I put a stop to that, he put himself in his crate and is currently trying to claw his way through the bottom even though the door is wide open.

He's certainly got my attention. But not for long. I'm about to close his crate, turn off the lights and head upstairs for the night. I'll attend to Reacher in the morning.  

Name That Pup, Chapter 2

The name game continues. It seems I'm not the only one who is interested in this subject.

At the suggestion of a few friends from Esther Jackson Elementary School, I am exploring additional themes for naming this litter and offer the following for your consideration. 

The first proposal -- favorite characters from children's literature. For the females, read these: Amelia Bedelia, Clemetine, Charlotte, Fancy Nancy, Judy Moody, Junie B. Jones, Lilly, Madeline, Olivia and Ramona Quimby. For the males, Arthur, Beazus, Clifford (the only character who is actually a dog), Curious George, Flat Stanley, Fly Guy, Fudge, Harry, Melonhead, Mogli and Waldo.

Names of drinks could be fun. Especially considering that I may need one or two to help me through the whelping (that's dog lingo for labor and delivery). First, I raise my glass to these possibilities for the girls: Amber Moon, Bellini, Flirtini, Margarita, MaiTai, Mimosa, Paloma, Piña Colada and Sangria. Next, a toast to the boys: Bacardi, Buck's Fizz, Cosmo, Daiquiri, Harvey Wallbanger, Kamikaze, Kir, Martini, Mojito and Rob Roy.  

As I mentioned the first time around, I know these names will change once the puppies leave for their new homes. But until then fun is the name of the game.

Dog In The Hole



Going down.

This afternoon Reacher was up to his old tricks. Which means he was digging, digging, digging. He rediscovered a hole he had started weeks ago and abandoned. But today it suddenly seemed to have new allure.

Turns out Reacher wasn't interested in making the hole bigger. It was depth he was after. Once he got what seemed like buckets of dirt out of the way, he had unearthed a crumbling root at the base of this loblolly pine. It appeared to be a lot of work for a rotten piece of wood, but then I'm not a dog.

I was on hand to watch the entire project. I admit I neither attempted to stop or discourage Reacher's digging. His project was so entertaining I was there recording his progress every step of the way.

Vega, who has been disinterested in Reacher lately, even came over to check out the commotion. Reacher was so proud of himself apparently, he allowed her to take a look. I think she was impressed. I know I was.

Not done yet.

The only concern I have is the root. Which tree does it belong to? Has that root been dead for a long time or did the previous digging lead to its demise? Do old roots die and new ones take over? Can a 53 pound Boxer take down a 90' loblolly pine? Let's hope not. 

Part of the prize -- a piece of rotten root. 

 

Reacher's Sunday project.

Puppies Are On The Way!

Two sacs, each with a puppy. 

It's official. Remington's and Vega's puppies are definitely on the way!

Kathy, a fellow dog-owner-in-training like myself, graciously volunteered to perform an ultrasound on Vega to confirm the pregnancy. Kathy was able to find six puppies, possibly seven. And she said there could be more. Because Vega was lying on her side and because her hairy belly caused some interference, Kathy is only certain of six. But who knows? A surprise pup or two is possible.

One of Vega's puppies. 

Vega was the perfect patient during the ultrasound. She walked into the medical building, rode in the elevator and entered the office like she does this kind of thing every day. Then she made herself comfortable on the floor and let Kathy probe for puppies. Vega didn't complain about the gel being cold. And was patient as Kathy took her time locating all six sacs with moving puppies inside.

True to her name, Vega was a star today.