Bella x Hudson Puppies - Day 59 Pre-parturition!

What and exciting and adventuresome week we have had!

We were greeted with several visitors – all turtles. Below is a picture of our most recent guest – Momma Turtle about 20 inches in length.

Momma Turtle laying her eggs

Bella, our sweet gentle girl has typically been the watchdog of the family. She would always stride around the perimeter of our property letting all would-be intruders know to stay away. She doesn’t even like animals on TV!

However, this week she took on the role of protector. She planted herself in front of Momma Turtle and kept all the other dogs away by barking at them. Wow, what maternal instincts she has.

Bella enjoying nap time in the sun after protecting Momma Turtle!

Bella continues to blossom as her tummy has expanded to 36.25 inches or 92 cms. Heading into her final week of pregnancy, Bella is just as sweet and loving as ever, however there is definitely a waddle in her walk. Not sure how she managed it, but last night she climbed up on the bed at 3:00 a.m. just to request some belly rubs, so I obliged her.

Bella more of a pear shape now

The whelping area is all ready - just waiting for Bella’s big event. It won’t be long now and I will continue to monitor her daily and provide further updates as soon as there is any news. The puppies could be born safely now but it is best that they stay warm and cozy for now and wait till the big day arrives!

Sit tight …..

Comments

Ruly and Tulip Litter - Week 1

Ruly and Tulip Litter - 1 Week Old What a week it's been! The Tulip puppies continue to thrive, gaining weight steadily and remaining fairly quiet. Tulip dotes on her family, rarely straying far from the whelping box. As you can see on the 24/7 camera, she is starting to spend a bit more time outside the box, but she consistently checks on her babies. Tulip currently eats around 4 pounds of food per day, along with calcium and pre-probiotics supplements. As her pups grow, her daily food intake will be gradually increased, reaching 5 - 6 pounds per day by the time the pups are about 7 weeks old. This increased caloric intake is necessary to meet the energy demands of milk production and to maintain Tulip's own body condition. Tulip still believes an outdoor den would be best for her pups, so we are monitoring her closely when she ventures out. The whelping box is lined with padded bedding and clean, white bleached towels on the bottom. The white towels allow us to quickly spot a...

Ruly & Tulip Litter - Week 2

Many viewers of the 24/7 puppy camera have raised questions, such as what are the pipes running alongside the whelping box. These are called "pig rails" and they are designed to protect the puppies from their mother accidentally lying on them, ensuring the puppies' safety. Since the puppies are unable to regulate their own body temperature, we use a heat lamp over the whelping box to keep them warm when Tulip is outside the box. However, we turn the heat lamp off when she is nursing the puppies. By 3 to 4 weeks of age, the puppies can regulate their temperature, which should then be in the normal range of 100.5°F to 102.5°F (38°C to 39.3°C). The most significant event this week is that the puppies' eyes have opened. Mr. Devil's eyes (the one with the red collar) were the first to open. Each puppy followed and within 48 hours they had all opened. The puppies are now weighing almost 3 lbs, and Tulip provides them nourishment at least every 2 hours, often throughou...

Ruly and Tulip Litter - 7 Weeks Old

Tulip’s Puppies Celebrate Their 7-Week Milestone! Another week has flown by, and it's hard to believe these puppies are already 7 weeks old. For the most part, they've been a very quiet litter. Don't get me wrong, they have their moments of boundless energy, running around in circles like little tornadoes. But compared to some of my more "vocal" litters at this age, these pups have been relatively calm. They love attention and cuddles, which is a delight for us humans. The big adventure this week was the trip to the vet for their health checkups. I'm happy to report they received a clean bill of health and were a big hit at the clinic. However, I'm always on guard at the veterinary hospital, as that's where sick dogs go. So we quickly wheeled the crates into the exam room on a trolley, making sure to keep all other dogs and people clear of my pups. This time of year, the threats of kennel cough and parvo are ever-present. The puppies weren't sure a...

Regalgoldens Golden Retrievers

Search This Blog