We didn’t have to wait terribly long . . .

9 January 2017

Last night, the night began as expected, but did not end as we had thought it would.

The lovely Ziva went from general discomfort and confusion to all out labor in about half an hour.  Of course, it was minutes after our most wonderful midwife extraordinaire left for her home – and I realized that we were going to have puppies very soon and just before midnight.

Fortunately, the house was prepared with two whelping areas and everything had been washed, sterilized and set up for exactly what was about to take place – but you can’t ever take anything for granted, in times like these.  So, I texted my thoughts and soon thereafter, placed the phone call asking for help.

Things happened so fast that I barely remember Jen’s arrival, as Ziva was pushing on the first puppy and #1 and #2 popped into the world within minutes of one another and before the strike of midnight!

As things happen, we had an hour gap to collect our thoughts and then, six more puppies came, faster and faster, with less and less time between one and the next.  Shortly after 2am, we had the eight puppies who’d been seen and counted on the ultrasound in December and Jen gratefully returned to her bed, while I stayed up, setting newborns up in rotation to nurse and guide their new mother through the ropes.

Well, after an hour or so of nursing puppies on her teets, Ziva began a new round of full on contractions at 3:30am and the next thing I knew, we had a ninth puppy!  A beautiful black male: healthy, with an easily recognized shoulder collar of white and four little white paws.  At that point?  I was devoid of clever ideas and named him Number Nine, thinking of the Beatles song, for inspiration.

Last time I remember pulling an all nighter?  It was similar circumstances.  In fact, it was June 2016, when Billie whelped her second litter.  Why is it that the girls so often ‘go’ in the middle of the night?  It is such a privilege, when they go during daylight.

We would like to introduce:

The three boys and four girls of Kensington’s 1st litter of 2017; also, Ziva’s first litter with Yogi James.  At left is the lovely Zsa Zsa, with a favorite toy.

Welcome Zsa Zsa, Prince, Rio, Pinky, Phelps, Harper and Number Nine, with forever homes in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Colorado.  Tonight, we hope to sleep.  Tomorrow, the party resumes.  All puppies will stay with us for the next nine or ten weeks.  Whoo hoo!  Let the show begin.  ;>)