Five days ago, I measured Phoebe’s girth at 24.5″. This morning she is at 27.5″. She hates being maneuvered into photo-taking position, so I hooked a leash in the dishwasher door. We didn’t get her pretty face, but then, I didn’t measure any part of her pretty face. She hadn’t gained a lot of weight — on Tuesday she was at 34.5 pounds. It’s probably a good sign that although she is bigger around, she’s not ten pounds heavier. Since her previous puppies were one-pounders (ouch!), smaller puppies would be a blessing to all. They could save us a C-Section.
The last of the whelping and emergency puppy supplies arrived yesterday and everything is ensconced in a rolling plastic 3-drawer chest. The puppy warming box is ready. We’ll set up the whelping pool this weekend so Phoebe can make it her own, and I’ll sew up her privacy curtain. Since we did four AIs over five days, Phoebe herself and temperature-taking will have to tell us when it’s time for the babies to make an appearance.
I’m so excited! . . . easy whelp . . . healthy (Mom — Dawn’s right, we need to add that in — and) puppies . . . girls, please . . . okay, and one boy just like Chase!
How exciting!! I can’t wait to see how this litter turns out after seeing all the lovely puppies that Lizzie and Pilot produced. I think my Puppy Fever has now blown the top off of the thermometer. Is this Chase’s first litter?
It is his first litter. We shipped pupsicles in March for implanting, but the girl didn’t get pregnant. So this is our first opportunity to see what Chase puppies will look like. Phoebe is such a pretty girl that I think we’ll be hard-pressed to attribute qualities between these parents. The wild licking trait will be Chase — without a doubt — but that’s about all I can predict.
Oh good luck! It is such great fun. I have officially sent my girl request into the universe for you. Hope it works as well long distance as it did for us!
My goodness……things have sure changed in the “preparation department” since I watched my English Setter whelp 8 pups waaaay back, uhm, some 22 years ago? We wanted boys….boys HUNT!
How exciting Penni! Easy whelp . . . healthy puppies . . . girls, please . . .
The chant has begun-easy whelp, healthy mom and pups (I always add mom since Grace got so sick after hers) and girls, girls, girls and one boy just like Chase. cuz everyone LOVES Chase.