Just a short blog to introduce the puppy singles. Both Ellie and Willow are great mamas and are doing a wonderful job caring for their new babies. The puppies in both litters are gaining weight daily. They are doing what newborn puppies do best – eat, sleep, repeat!
Ellie’s Litter
Ellie’s puppies have variety of colours in the red spectrum ranging from cream, apricot and reds and one brown male. Many of the puppies look similar so we put different colour collars on them to help keep track of who’s who at weigh-in.
Green Collar MaleDark Blue Collar MaleLight Blue Collar Male
Willows Litter
Willow’s litter has a variety of colours, some with lovely white markings and three merle puppies with their own unique chocolate spots and lovely white patches. I haven’t given them collar colours (except green collar girl) because I can visibly differentiate between them at weigh-in. Their collars are pending.
The Girls
Blonde Female Green CollarChocolate Merle FemaleBlonde Female (no collar)Chocolate Merle Female
Black Female
The Boys
Blonde MaleChocolate MaleChocolate Merle MaleWhite Male
The emotions of Whelping Day is always nervous excitement! You plan the breedings and then wait nine weeks for the puppies to arrive.
Breeding Plans
When female dogs live together, their heat cycles sync-up. This was the case with Ellie and Willow. To avoid raising two litters together, the plan was to breed Willow and Brinkley for a Christmas Litter, then six months later, breed Ellie on her next heat cycle for a spring litter. Raise ONE litter of puppies at a time. So, when the girls went into heat, we sent Brinkley away to stay with one of my son’s in Brooklin. After about 10 days, Brinkley changed locations and went to stay at another of my son’s house; this time in Claremont – half a kilometre away from our house.
What happened next?
I am reminded of those words written over 200 years ago by the Scottish poet Robert Burns“the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry”.
My plans for one litter went awry – Brinkley made his escape from my son’s house, crossed our main road and came back home to be with his sweet Ellie. The result – Two litters of puppies.
Preparing
With two litters due together we needed two spaces for our whelping boxes. We set Willow’s whelping box in my bedroom and Ellie’s Whelping Box in another bedroom we use as our walk-in closet. I prepared my whelping cart with all our supplies and made sure everything would be ready. My “Whelping Cart” is on wheels making it is easy to move between the two rooms.
Whelping cart ready and waiting
Whelping Day
Whelping Day is always so exciting and this was no exception. We had double the excitement and whelped two litter in under 17 hours.
Ellie’s Whelp
When due dates are getting close, we keep our expectant mamas in our room with the door closed. We have learnt over the year that sometimes mama’s want to go off on their own LOL! Thursday night, Willow slept in her whelping box in our bedroom and Ellie had a little bed beside my bed that she likes to sleep on. Ellie was restless throughout the night and in the morning, it was obvious she was in labour.
Mid-morning, I took Ellie up to her whelping room and Tom took over caring for our two grandchildren and the rest of our dogs. I didn’t have my daughter’s help as I usually do because she was at her teaching practicum placement – I would have to go solo. At 11:42 am, Ellie’s first puppy arrived – a girl weighing 391 grams. When Tom came to see the newborn puppy, he told me that he thought Willow was also in early labour. Oh well, nothing we could do but press on. Over the next few hours while I continued helping Ellie deliver her litter and in-between puppy births, I popped in my bedroom to check on Willow who was staying in her whelping box. Yes, she was in labour, and I think she was missing me – she dragged my jeans into the whelping box with her to lay her head on. Tom kept Willow company while Ellie whelped.
Ellie’s newborns nursing
Ellie’s puppies in the warming box while she delivers another puppy
Below is a video of Ellie giving birth. NOTE: May not be suitable for children to watch or if you are a little squeamish (Like one of my son’s LOL)
Ellie gives birth
Ellie cleans her newborn baby – notice her tail is wrapped with compression tape to help keep it clean
At 2:48 pm, Ellie delivered her last puppy – a girl weighing 441 grams. Ellie is such a calm dog, even when she is whelping. Her whelp went very smoothly and she delivered eight puppies in just over three hours. Ellie did amazing!
Pics of Ellie’s Whelp
Ellie and Brinkley’s Newborn Litter Huddle
Willow’s Whelp
Willow started labour when Ellie started delivering her puppies. I went back and forth in-between the two rooms checking on Willow and Tom kept Willow company when I wasn’t there. (Our grandchildren are now down for their naps) Willow dragged my jeans into her whelping box – I guess my “scent” was a comfort for her.
In-between the births of Ellie’s puppies, I went to check on Willow.
Willow continued to labour throughout the afternoon and evening, staying in her whelping box in our bedroom. Finally, just after midnight at 12:30 am, Willow’s first puppy arrived – a chocolate male weighing in at 393 grams.
I know I say it after every whelp, but it still holds true! I am so in awe at the instinct God has given animals. They just know what to do! The miracle of birth is so amazing, and I am moved each time I experience it.
Willow is protective of her newborn
Willow cleans her baby
After a puppy is born it is important to get them nursing. New puppies receive important antibodies in colostrum – their mother’s milk during the first few days of nursing. Just like humans, mama dogs produce a milky-textured substance called colostrum which contain the mother dogs antibodies that give puppies’ bodies the ability to fight off infections in the first weeks of their lives.
As the puppy nurses, you can observe Willow’s contractions
Willow is very protective of her babies and didn’t want me to handle them right away. Each mother is different, and we interact with the newborn puppies as our mama’s allow. After Willow’s second baby arrived and she was occupied with his care, I was able to look after the first puppy. We first make sure their nose and mouth are cleared of fluid then, dry them with a towel. This process makes them cry which is good to help get them exercising their lungs by taking deep breaths. Next is weigh in and observation.
Whelping can be messy business. Willow is white and gets very dirty throughout the whelping process. I opted to give her face a clean shave, making it easier to cleanup. Below are a couple videos of the birth of one of Willow’s puppies NOTE: May not be suitable for children to watch or if you are a little squeamish
Willow gives birth
Willow cleans her newborn puppy
At 4:15 am, Willow delivered her last puppy – A chocolate merle weighing 378 grams.
Willow feeding all her newborns
Willow’s whelp lasted just under four hours. She had nine puppies in total – five girls and four boys. Willow did an amazing job and deserves a good rest!
Today we made an attempt to take singles of Ruska’s puppies. My daughter in law is a great photographer and in the past she usually does this for me but, with our lock down in place, it wasn’t possible. So my husband Tom and my daughter Kendra helped me undertake the task. It was hard work trying to keep these little puppies still. I think they thought the fluffy rug we placed them on felt like Ruska. They wouldn’t stay still and kept moving to find her. LOL! After over an hour, we were finally successful and captured the singles of their adorable faces!
The anticipation and excitement of the arrival of puppies mounts as the days pass by during the Whelping Week. Everything is prepared in advance. The whelping box is cleaned and set up in our bedroom and all the tools needed are ready and waiting for the pending arrival of the puppies. Each night of the week before going to bed I wonder, “will this be the night”, only to wake in the morning with the realization we will still have to wait another day.
On Sunday we were certain that Ruska was finally going into labor. She becomes very clingy and follows us everywhere we go. That afternoon she had made a comfy spot on our corner sectional with blankets and pillows. She even brought one of her stuffed animals with her. I decided to keep her calm and let her labor there. When she started to whelp at 5:30 pm, we moved her to her whelping box in my bedroom to bring her babies into the world.
The miracle of a new life is so precious and I am always amazed at the instincts God has given animals; they just know what to do! I am so thankful to be able to help these puppies into the world!
VIDEO – Ruska cleans a newborn puppy after removing it from the sac. The mother dog severs the umbilical cord and begins the cleaning process. This is when the puppy begins taking their first breath. The pups stay with their mom for awhile after birth to keep warm. We then examine them, towel dry them, weigh them, and record their birth weight. Finally we put collars on – a different coloured for each puppy – to keep track of their progress in the coming days and weeks.After getting cleaned a newborn puppy cuddles with Ruska to keep warm.Newborn puppy getting towel dried
Puppies are cuddling in the “warming box” while Ruska delivers another puppy. It is important to keep newborn puppies warm as they cannot regulate their own body temperature and must be warm before they can nurse.
We get newborn puppies nursing as soon as possible to get all the important first milk – colostrum. It helps build immunity, as they are born with none. This protein-rich special milk provides passive immunity in dogs. It can last several weeks and protect them from various infections and diseases.Our last puppy #10, was born at 10:59 pm After the last puppy was born, we cleaned the whelping box and put clean bedding in. Ruska looks tired after whelping her ten puppies. She had a long night ahead of her feeding and caring for her precious tiny babies. Well done Ruska!!!
I called on my daughter in law again, to take singles of Ellie and Brinkley’s puppies. It is not easy to keep these little ones still. She did an amazing job, thanks again Eryn!
Ellies puppies were born much bigger than Ruska’s puppies. One reason is because she had only 5 puppies in the litter compared to Ruska’s 11. Ellie is such an amazing mama. She is so attentive and doesn’t want to leave their box. I had to drag her out so that she could have a bathroom break and get some exercise in the yard. The puppies are packing on the weight too. I’m thinking they will have doubled their birth weight before day 10. Good job Ellie!
