Heidi, Day 57 (pre-parturition)

Heidi out for a brief stroll in this hot weather

This is the final countdown before Heidi has her pups! She has decided to search the yard for the perfect place to have her babies. We cannot let her outside alone because she attempts to excavate the perfect den and ends up with dirt up to her elbows.

Heidi’s abdominal area now measures 91 cm or 36 inches. She is now eating three meals daily and I am sure if we increased it to four or five meals a day, she would be delighted!

Remarkably, Heidi still can jump on the bed at night for belly rubs but we’re not sure if she prefers the bed or sleeping on the cool floor. She seems to be testing them both out!

We are checking Heidi’s temperature twice daily. Any significant drop will indicate the puppies are soon to be on their way. She is officially due on June 2nd but it could be 24 hours before or after this date.
 

A Golden Retriever puppy fetus almost fully developed.

It’s easy to feel the puppies moving around in Heidi’s tummy now. At this stage, the puppies have a full coat of hair and can be felt moving around in her tummy. We will definitely make Heidi as comfortable as possible in the home stretch. She has always loved cuddling and having her belly rubbed but she is certainly more demanding these days. Of course, we are more than happy to oblige her.

Stay tuned….