7 September 2020
This is Piccolo’s second litter and I had complete progesterone results to compare from her first litter, as I studied her numbers with the hope of targeting a potential whelping date. Incredible that I had matching numbers for two cycles with which to work – and I was able to identify the exact arrival date, but not the time!
Piccolo’s puppies in utero. It’s a bellyful! 2 Sept 2020.
Midwife Mattiace arrived on Friday, just before noon. Her participation is always highly appreciated, valued and anticipated, as she’s been with me for several litters and has seen me at my best and at my worst. As always, she arrived loaded with victuals including my favorite bocconcini, pasture raised meats, chipotle marinated chicken breast and hot dogs for Labor Day. NORMALLY, Lady Cheryl brings my absolute favorite scampi – but this time? There was no time to make it. Cheryl’s even more of an angel to have come to help THIS TIME, as she’d just returned from a 19 day trip out of town and had family obligations the day before driving to Stowe. But true to form! She arrived on Friday at noon and found me during the tail end of puppy preparation.
Andy, Julius and WB. 23 August 2020.
We ate well that evening, even better than expected, as Jen, Andy, Paige and Julius came over for a barbie in the courtyard and they brought even more culinary delights, not to mention a cooler full of micro brews.
Without the micro brews the night before and without a full stomach, the arrival of the puppies might have been a bit less chaotic, as I woke up stressed out, not having had a chance to get the puppy scale or the emergency supplies into position. The whelping room was a little too warm – as I’d not managed to finesse the ideal whelping room temp – and I was out cold, thanks to the soporific effect of the hops in whatever it was Andy served me at dinner which I willingly drank. ;>)
Scampi and puppies – what could possibly be more fun?
Friday evening was my first night on the blow up mattress in the kitchen hallway. Piccolo wanted to sleep upstairs with Cheryl, which is where Pic and I had been sleeping for the duration of her gestation – and I’m of the belief that within reason, you give the pregnant dog what she wants including her choice of bedroom. Lights went out (and I mean OUT) around 11pm? Pic woke me around 1am to potty but I couldn’t find her and she couldn’t open Cheryl’s bedroom door . . . so, Cheryl must have opened it for her, as she made her way down the stairs & right to my bed and I let her out to potty. Back upstairs she waddled and into Cheryl’s bedroom and I gratefully hit the pillow again.
Incubator and oxygen concentration units set up and ready to go, at the flick of a switch. 4am, 5 Sept 2020.
Next thing I knew, I thought I heard, ‘We have a puppy’. The call to arms came around 3:40am and I was still hop-influenced, knowing that I’d not finessed the whelping room – but Cheryl’s participated in enough whelpings to know that if she picked up the puppy? The mummy dog would follow her anywhere. So, down came Cheryl, puppy in hand and with lovely Piccolo eagerly following her human guide. The whelping room was waitin, although I was NOT – but I had my hands on the puppy scale by then, my clipboard had been ready for days as I’d been taking behavioral notes and then, Lady Cheryl and I took our positions to wait for the next puppy.
We named the first puppy Surprise! and took our positions in the whelping room to wait for the second puppy to arrive. Within 45 minutes, we had him. By 8am, we were through; exhausted, exhilarated and excited to have landed them all. That was ‘Day Zero’ and it was September 5, the day estimated by my progesterone analysis! (In my world, the birth day is considered to be ‘Day Zero’, with the first full day of life considered to be ‘Day One’.)
Today is Day Two. It is September 7 and 48+ hours from birth, everyone weighed in this morning having gained an average of 30% since birth. We have our working names – they’re not great but each has a story. Surprise! was the first to arrive and I love her working name.
Satisfied and exhausted, our dear Lady Piccolo and her puppies by Leo. Day Zero, 5 Sept 2020.
We’ve started to finesse who might be going where, based upon the wishes and wants of our peeps. We have wonderful peeps; folks who believe in us and who have the patience to give us the time to breed, raise and deliver their new family members.
Our work has begun. We remain in quarantine until Columbus Day weekend. If we have your application, whether for early or late 2021, know that we will next be accepting visitors by appointment during the last two weeks of October 2020.
Congratulations to Leo and Piccolo! We are so pleased to welcome their puppies into this world. Hey, Leo!! You’re a daddy, big boy!
Yours truly and with love to all!
WB.
