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| Mr. Moonbeam - just another day at the spa. |
“The Catapult”
It was a day like any other, just a few days prior to her scheduled due date. Sierra was happy and upbeat with her emphatic wiggle and her happy howl. She polished off all of her meals…… and then to our surprise, her water broke. Despite the impending early arrival of her pups, the timing was still well within the window in which the little ones could be whelped safely. Later that day as Sierra was enjoying a cuddle on our bed, the first puppy, Miss Blizzard was deposited there. Around thirty minutes later, this time in the whelping box, Mr. Frostbite joined his sister. Apparently that was hard work and Sierra was in no hurry, so after a break of over an hour and a half, Miss Sunshine made her appearance followed by Mr. Moonbeam some forty-five minutes later. Since most girls whelp their puppies in the middle of the night, this was one of those rare, but cherished deliveries in the waking hours.
We always knew Sierra was cut out for motherhood as over the years she’d spend hours enamoured with the puppies from each litter. She wasted no time in warming up to her own little brood. In fact, she was licking them so enthusiastically, she would cause the little ones to catapult off her nipples. Before long, mom got the hang of it and the little ones got to eat uninterrupted. And eat they did. Since there are only four puppies and a generous amount of room at the milk bar, the puppies are able to gorge themselves on this nectar of life. Sierra’s milk contains antibodies vital for the first several weeks of their lives. Thanks to mom’s dedication, the milk bar is open twenty-four hours so the puppies’ weights have more than doubled since birth. Of course they don’t spend their entire time eating; they spend a great deal of time sleeping and a bit of time in the gym as well. We’ve introduced a couple of stuffed animals into the whelping box that the plump little minions need to climb over as they scurry about in search of a snack.
Puppies are born without sight or hearing and it will be a while before their eyes open, so for now their senses of smell and touch are what guide them to their mom. They use their tiny forelimbs, coupled with a great deal of determination, to propel themselves around. Since this is a very strong, active, well-developed bunch, it won’t be long before they’re walking. We expect Miss Blizzard to be among the first as she always seems to be in a hurry. But for the moment, we’re all just enjoying the ride.
That’s it for now, but be sure to join us next week for another beguiling installment of “Puppy Tales”.
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