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The Excitement of Whelping Day – January 31st

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!!!

2 Replies to “The Excitement of Whelping Day – January 31st”

    1. My pleasure….I love to record and share the progress of the puppies as they grow. I feel it helps their future families begin the important bonding process from the start

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