Skip to main content

Bella x Hudson Puppies - Day 46 (Pre-Parturition)

Bella at 46 days to go!

It was difficult to tell Bella was even pregnant as she didn’t really show much until day 37, when all of a sudden her waist line bulged to a whopping 33.5 inches (85 cm).

Bella continues to have an amazing appetite and is now eating three small meals a day. We are feeding her a very nutritious diet of premium kibble, ground beef or roast chicken, boiled rice, digestive enzymes and probiotics.

Bella seems very active at the moment but as we head into the homestretch, we expect she will slow down. She is ever so affectionate and she is demanding frequent belly rubs, which we are very happy to oblige.

Pre-natal period: It is an interesting fact that a dog's tactile perception develops before birth, therefore unborn puppies can detect touch when the mother is petted from the outside of the abdomen. This establishes the basis for puppies to tolerate being touched, when compared to puppies born to mothers that were not petted.


Pregnant dogs that are exposed to stressful events tend to release hormones that can be detected by the fetuses, which can negatively influence their future development. This underscores the importance of providing pregnant dogs a stress-free and tranquil environment.


Above is an amazing photo by National Geographic of an embryo at 25 days old.
Bella's ultrasound at approximately day 30. Can you see the resemblance?
 
At this stage, the puppies’ eyes and spinal cords have begun to develop and the face is also forming. Fetuses are approximately 1.3 cm. This may seem small, but they will triple in size in just one week. Between days 29 and 35, their toes, whiskers and claws start to develop. They are now beginning to look like dogs! Interestingly, their eyes are initially open but their eyelids fuse at around day 35 to protect them from contamination during development and remain closed until approximately 10 days after birth. 

Stay tuned .....

Popular posts from this blog

Tulip & Bronson Pups Arrived!

Tulip very pleased with her new family! Welcome to the world!   A total of nine puppies were born in a 10 hour period.   Three handsome boys and six adorable girls. Born Thursday June 15th (our anniversary). Miss Dahlia (Orange ribbon), Mr. Hosta (Green ribbon), Mr. Bulrush (Brown ribbon), Miss Baby's Breath (Beige  ribbon), Mr. Sunflower (yellow ribbon), Miss Lilac (Purple ribbon), Miss Bluebell (Blue ribbon), Miss Hibiscus (Red ribbon) and Miss Hydrangea (Light Blue ribbon). In the early hours of Thursday morning, Tulip entered stage one labor.   Approximately 10:30 am yesterday morning, she began having contractions, and the first puppy arrived around 12 pm, and the last pup around 8:16 pm.   She took her sweet time delivering these puppies!   The two of us are exhausted from being awake for 37 hours!   Puppies weigh around 1 lb each.   Tulip is a wonderful mother.   She immediately embraces each puppy and won't leave them even for a bathroom break.   During the next week, T

Bronson and Tulip Litter – 7 weeks

We're 7 weeks old today! It has been an adventure-filled week! It was the puppies' first-time riding in a car! Introducing them to new experiences begins at this age. Rides in cars, sounds, meeting new people, etc. Our puppies are often taken to Home Depot, Winners, Homesense, Petsmart, and other pet-friendly stores after they receive their next set of vaccinations. While they still ride in the shopping cart, their horizons are broadening. We’ve expanded the puppies play area which is either in our kitchen, outside in the yard or on our porch depending on the weather. They enjoy playing together and are becoming more and more confident. Their play area includes toys an activity center, a crate, and tunnel.  Jolly Pets' Jolly Ball was a huge hit today. The puppies seemed to take turns carrying it! All of them weigh between 13 and 15 pounds. Their appetites are good, and momma Tulip occasionally stops by with a vanilla milkshake. Beef, turkey and chicken are among the protein

Bronson & Tulip Litter– Week 6

A very happy 6 week birthday to this eye-catching litter! We are loving every minute we have with this litter and the weeks are flying by. The milk bar continues to be provided by Tulip who is an excellent mom. We had a wonderful time outside in between the rain showers this past week. The pups are confident and didn't seem nervous at all. Immediately they were at ease in their new surroundings, sniffing and exploring this new exciting adventure. Each time they go out, they explore further into the backyard but are always under the watchful eye of Tulip. This litter continues to be very quiet, which means they are very happy and content. They are all approaching 10 pounds in weight and it amazes me from one day to the next how quickly they grow up.  Mom begins weaning the pups and teaching them discipline. Through puppy play-biting, the pup learns bite inhibition and socialization with its siblings. Normal behaviour at this age. Six-week-old puppies still have a lot to learn from t