We have had quite a day!

Maggie started early labour signs last night which stayed relatively low key, until this morning.  The panting really got going, along with some episodes of being sick (which is common in labour).  Although there was a lot of panting there was a lack of proper contractions, I examined Maggie twice throughout the morning and with no evidence of a puppy being stuck I made the decision to consult the vet for advice.  This resulted in us going in at midday.  By the time i arrived at the vets Maggie had a greenish discharge which is a danger signal in a whelping.  She was given an injection of oxytocin and calcium, with the plan being to return Maggie at 2.30 for a c-section if nothing happened in the meantime.

This is entirely the time I question myself as a breeder, why oh why did I put my beautiful girl at risk, so even with the experience I have (six litters of my own and managing somebody else whelp so a total of 7 whelps) I still have a wobble.  Breeding is definitely not for the fainthearted.

I drove home, via jennycliffe car park – which is my car park of choice to do a bumpy circuits to help jiggle things along.  By 12.45 we had the arrival of the first puppy – a black boy born in the back of the car! (how many pups have been born at Jennycliffe now I wonder?!!)  I felt so relieved he was alive as I had totally convinced myself that we would be experiencing something we haven’t had to deal with before at Marchstone.  I burst into tears with great relief.

I got home just before 1pm, within five minutes we had the next puppy!  a dark yellow girl.

The third puppy was born at 1.20pm a black bitch.

Then at 1.58pm Maggie had another yellow girl – a dark yellow.  I feel she is likely to remain a dark yellow – but could darken and *might* be a fox red.  At this stage I do believe she is a beautiful dark yellow.  The darkest we have had at Marchstone.

Then came the boys! at 2.17pm a yellow boy (the biggest in the litter), then another yellow boy at 3pm.

The final tally: 6 healthy puppies

1 Black Dog  14.9oz

2 Yellow Dog’s  1lb 2oz & 13.9 oz

1 Black Bitch 12.6oz

2 Yellow Bitches 11.5oz & 12.6oz

Here are a few photos :-

This is our first whelping that has required veterinary assistance and I know just how lucky we have been.  We have six healthy puppies and a healthy mum too.  All my fears dissolved as soon as the first born arrived! (Black boy!).

The puppies are feeding well so nothing obvious to worry about.

They pups are captivating time wasters and are gorgeous! Im signing off to have a little nap so I can keep an eye on Maggie and her puppies during the night.

(I have taken a couple of little videos – will upload tomorrow).

Maggie started first stage labour last night.

The maternity suite is all ready for the imminent arrivals of our much awaited puppies.

I will keep the website updated as and when I can for news of puppies.

This is Maggie last night…

Maggie is getting so big now and her tummy feels so hot.  So we are doing what we can to keep her comfortable.

Today we put up the whelping box, Maggie seems to be quite pleased about this and has been sitting in there quite happily.  I have put down a cool mat for her to lay on.  However….. I have just had heart failure as I could hear what appeared to be nesting going on in the whelping box.  Turns out Archie likes the whelping box too!  phew!

I have had to buy a new steriliser, making my purchase at a well known baby shop…they asked if I wanted to go on their email list.  I said I would only be interested if they sold puppy toys!!!  The look on the shop assistants face was comical!

The development of the unborn puppies at 8 weeks will mean they have reached approximately 15cm long and will have hair and little pads on his or her paws!

I have had a listen to the puppies heartbeats and they are very strong!  The pups are wiggling around like crazy.  It must feel so strange for Maggie to have all that squirming in her tummy!

Everything is ready for the new arrivals – getting very excited now!  Its the final countdown!!!!!

I have had a busy few days – putting together my whelping kit for Maggie.  Getting everything sterilised and placing last minute orders for supplies we might need.  Labour notes at the ready.  The whelping box is going to be put up tomorrow.

All the puppy toys have been washed, with two new toys to add to the collection.

Maggie is now on puppy food (doing a slow changeover to get her used to it).  The reason for putting her on puppy food now is to give her feed of higher nutritional value as the demands of pregnancy are increasing.

Here is Maggie – looking swell!

and saving the best bit of news till last…..

Click here video This is a video of little puppies moving in Maggies tummy.

Maggie will be 7 weeks pregnant on the 17th July.  We have increased her meal rations to cope with the growing demands of pregnancy.  As yet she hasn’t slowed down at all, but her tummy feels so warm in this heat!

Maggie prior to her scan!  (last ultrasound I will be doing this pregnancy – I hope).  Sitting in the ultrasound bag.  I think she prefers this method of scanning!

I am learning as I go with the machine – it is extremely hard to do an ultrasound without formal training.  In the top half on the right hand side is a puppy.

The puppies can be felt moving around in Maggie’s tummy – which is the most magical feeling.  This is the start of all the wonderful things in watching the pregnancy develop prior to the puppies arrival.

If we had a magic camera to see inside Maggie’s tummy we would be able to see the colour of the coat and hair also developing.  The embryo will be approximately 10cm long.

Preparations have been taking place for our impending arrivals – washing of vets bed and towels, ordering all my vital emergency equipment.  (my just in case supplies!).

Maggie is now 6 weeks pregnant (plus one day!)  It is hard to imagine that in just three weeks time we will be having puppies again at Marchstone!

If we were able to see the puppies right now, we would be able to see what sex they are! They will have developed their toes on their paws!

At this stage they will be approximately 6cm long.

Maggie is doing really well.  We have just increased her food so she is now on three meals a day.  Here is a picture of Maggie taken today.

Just to give you a little bit of a window into Maggie’s tummy!

Over the past five weeks a lot of changes will have been taking place.

The fertilised eggs do not attach to the uterus until approximately 19 days.  By the third week of pregnancy the embryos will be 5mm long, they progress in the following week to have developed little buds which will develop into their legs!  In the space of that one week they will have grown rapidly, growing four times in size!  They are now 20mm!

The stage Maggie is at now – her puppies will have developed eyelids and ear flaps (though they are not flaps they are very small buds).  The growth is still rapid as they will have reached approximately 35mm.

Maggie is fine in herself, enjoying plenty of cuddles.  We haven’t increased her food yet as this will only slow her fitness levels down at this stage, which is not desirable when we need her to continue being fit, not fat!

We do give her the folic acid supplement – which she has had since day one of her season.

Here is Maggie’s scan picture – taken at four and a half weeks.

Very excited to be updating the website with this news.  Maggie is five weeks pregnant.  The pups are due on the 31st July. Puppy Information

We are making plans to have another litter of puppies with Maggie.  All going to plan the puppies will be due towards the end of July.

We had her BVA Eye test updated yesterday and she now has a new “unaffected” certificate.

We will be doing blood tests to confirm when she is ready for mating.

We are hoping to use Ralph whose details can be found here :- Puppies 2015

I am actively campaigning with the Firework Abatement Campaign group.

We do now have enough signatures for our campaign to be debated in parliament which is fantastic news.  We are looking for reducing and regulating the frequency of domestic firework use.

I have done a couple of radio interviews – one of which being with heartradio.

Heart Interview – scroll to the end for the full interview.  There is also a video clip of me on twitter somewhere! (heaven help me!)

Firework Petition – the petition is open until 2nd April – so the more signatures the better!

Please write to your MP to alert them of the problems you experience with domestic firework use.