Show us your puppies!

Four weeks ago, our Daisy girl gave birth. It was so beautiful! But then again, I'm a birth junkie (doula) so maybe it's just me. 

We were told that if we wanted to know an approximate time as to when to expect puppies, we should take Daisy's temperature consistently in the week leading up to her due date so that we would have a baseline temp. That way, when her temp dropped to below a certain number and stayed there, we could expect pups within 24 hours. 

Wouldn't it be nice if we as humans could predict that? Only I know for sure I wouldn't want someone using a rectal thermometer on me. Oh, Daisy. I'm so sorry for putting you through that. 

Anyways, we took her temperature on Sunday morning, as usual and it was low - 98 degrees -  and it stayed there through the whole day. So logically, you would think we would be having pups Monday morn, right? Nope. Not so. But just in case, I had my friend stay the night so that if Daisy Girl went into labor after bedtime and before the alarm went off for work/school the next day, I wouldn't be alone because hey, Michael needs to sleep so's he can bring home the bacon, see what I'm sayin'?

Poor Daisy had been panting and pacing and licking and whining all day Sunday. Finally on Monday morning, she started "nesting" in the girls' room. She pulled Laynee's blankets off her bed and made herself a   cozy little nest. I knew I didn't want puppies born in there so I moved the blanket to the plastic swimming pool we had set up for her a couple of weeks before hand in our living room. Then she began gathering her favorite things; her baseball, a few rocks, etc. All day Monday, the pacing, panting, whining, licking continued and she even had a few puddles of amniotic fluid on the floor, but no pushing or pups. 

Fast forward to Tuesday morning at 8 am. The big kids were at school, Michael stayed home from work for a few hours and it was just him, Laynee, Daisy and I. We have a very good friend who is a vet and we called her to ask for advice. She said that given all of the above circumstances, Daisy should have had her babies already. If no progress had been made by 10 am, we were to take her in to see if she had a stuck pup. (A dog's uterus is shaped like Y. If a pup is stuck, it would be lying cradle-like, on its back in the Y, therefore "stuck" and unable to move either head or bottom first down the uterus and out the birth canal.)

I went to shower, Miguel and Layna stayed with the birthing mother, and no sooner had I stepped out of the shower then I heard Laynee come running in to say we had two puppies! I ran out to the front room in only my towel, and sure enough, two baby girls were there. TWO. As in twins. As in their heads came out AT THE SAME TIME. As in ouchee-wah-wah. No wonder she labored for so long! Poor girl was trying to work down two babies in a one baby space. After that it was puppy, puppy, puppy. 

The first two girls we call the Princesses Sunny and Ginger. They are pretty light in color and looked like they had stripes down their backs. 

The next pup born was a boy who had a little white patch on his head, is light in color and was pretty big. We call him Big Mac. 

Next up were two more boys, darker in color than the first three, named Ian and Itezz. (The kids helped name them.) 

After that, the runt of our litter arrived. He was almost white and so tiny that I could see his little ribs! He didn't move at first and I thought for sure he was a goner. But once his mama licked him off a bit and got him going, he started sputtering and breathing and moving. Good thing too, cuz I was all prepared to go 101 Dalmatians on him. We call him Bob. 

Then came our third girl. She was pretty big and practically begging for us to name her Large Marge. How could we resist? 

After Marge was born, puppy #8 (George) made his debut. 

He was pretty small too, though not as small as Bob. 

After #8, Daisy pushed and pushed and pushed.

*Note: if your doggie is in labor and she pushes for more than an hour, something is wrong. 

We called our friend, she said to bring her and the babies in, we loaded them up, Daisy got x-rayed and it showed two babies still inside, but one was stuck preventing the other one from moving down. They had to do a c-section to get them out. Sadly, the sticker didn't make it, but luckily the pup behind did. We call him Red because he is dark and big and loud. Like a hound dog.

Baby belly

One of her favorite things.

The first half of the litter. That pink faced one is Bob. 

Our laboring mama and her babies.

A close up of the babes and mama.

If that look doesn't convey the emotion of the moment, I don't know what does.

The first 8.

A mother's love.

Laynee was right there through the whole thing. She was so into it and so quiet. She instinctively knew the reverence of the moment. We all spoke in whispers and soft, soothing tones. It was magical.

The runtster, Bob.

I can't think of a better way to explain the miracle of life than to actually watch it happen. Daisy is such a good mommy and is aware of where each and every one of her 3 girls and 6 boys are at all times. I don't know how it's possible, but she does it. She is so patient and loving and good at taking care of them. I tell you what, animal instincts are strong! She knew what to do at each stage of the process. And she still knows, 4 weeks later what to do next. 

I wish you all could have a Daisy like ours.