Paige and Hugo Puppies
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| Paige enjoying some vitamin D as she heads into her final pregnancy week. |
As we head into the final week of her pregnancy, Paige isn’t really slowing down much. She has always had a high prey drive and when she spots a squirrel or turkey through the window, she is determined to get to it. But on her downtime, she likes to lounge in the comfort of a cozy bed or sofa.
Paige’s waistline measures 32 inches (81.3 cm). This week we have increased her meals to three daily and that seems to suit her just fine. She is eating a nutritious raw diet with pre and probiotics, folic acid, fish oil, bovine colostrum and extra vitamins.
Paige has just begun to seek out a “den” in the backyard in which to birth her puppies. This is normal behaviour for a mom-to-be however, we have a spotlessly clean, warm environment for Paige and her pups called a whelping box. This is where she will sleep and care for her pups once they are born. During the first week, Paige will eat in the whelping box and only leave it for bathroom breaks or stretch her legs. Moms do not like to be separated from their babies and the only way we can get them to take a much-needed break is to entice them with a treat or two. After two or three minutes outside, they are whining at the door to return to their babies.
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| National Geographic image of a Golden Retriever puppy fetus. |
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.
At this stage, the puppies have a full coat of hair and can be felt moving around in Paige’s tummy now. She has always loved cuddling and having her belly rubbed but she is certainly more demanding these days and she tend to moan when we do it. Of course, we’re more than happy to oblige her.
Stay tuned…..
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