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Bailey - Day 55 (pre-parturition)

 
Bailey still looking stunning!
Bailey sure is showing signs of slowing down and there is definitely a waddle in her walk these days. She prefers to be inside with us lying on her cozy dog bed or on the cool tile floor. Bailey is a very calm and quiet girl and seems even more so with her pregnancy.

She continues to have a tremendous appetite, which we are thankful for as some expectant moms can be extremely fussy – others have voracious appetites. Bailey is currently eating three meals a day but this weekend, we will transition her to four smaller meals daily.  She still gobbles down her food and we can’t seem to put the bowl down fast enough.

This Monday evening, we will take a trip to the vet to see how everything is going and then prepare for the big event on the following weekend. Bailey has begun to seek out what she feels is the perfect spot to have her pups. So far she appears to be undecided as to where she would like to give birth since she has already excavated several large holes around the foundation of our house and one underneath a spruce tree. It’s certainly a help at this time of year as we can use her efforts to plant our garden shrubs! Bailey will soon learn that we have no intention of letting her have pups in the yard! We have prepared our spotlessly clean, whelping box and clean towels for the occasion.

Calcium is often given during whelping to help with the contractions. It can be in the form of injections, Tums or ice cream. Our girls prefer vanilla ice cream or plain yogurt. We join her for a much needed energy boost as labour usually happens during the night and depending on the litter size can go on for many hours. 

Golden Retriever puppy fetus - National Geographic

At this stage, the puppies have a full coat of hair and can be felt moving around in her tummy. Since Bailey loves her belly rubbed, it is easy to detect movement of the little ones. It seems like they are anxious to get out into the world and meet their forever families!

Stay tuned …..

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