March, 2013

  1. Dory’s Night and How We Arrived At This Point

    March 22, 2013 by myeye

    Dory is so wide that these days getting through the dog door is a challenge.  Her sides rub the edges.  She ate (and ate, and ate) last night.  Doctor Donnie said she could have all the food she wanted.  You’ve never seen a bigger grin on a dog’s face than on hers when she heard those magic words.  Last night, for the first time ever, she told Chase he could not come into the whelping room.  He was very hurt — partly because he is the king and his subjects do not speak to him in that manner, and partly because she had extra food in the whelping pen and he was sure he could score a bite or two.

    The Giant Dorito has finally messed up the pads in the whelping box — not a frantic nesting — just a little housekeeping.  I suspect we will have puppies Sunday night.  When you calculate ovulation by the progesterone results, you pinpoint a 5.0 reading as the time of ovulation.  We did not draw blood at the moment she hit 5.0.  Rather, we tested her on a Tuesday morning and she was 7.3 which tells us she ovulated within the preceding 24 hours.  That means ovulation could have occurred from Sunday afternoon through Monday afternoon.  At ovulation the little eggs that could become puppies are released.  They take 24-48 hours to ripen.  If eggs are fertilized, puppies will be born 63 days from the date of ovulation.  That would be this Sunday into Monday.  I’ll begin taking Dory’s temperature tonight.  Within 24 hours of whelping, her temperature should drop significantly.  So we check the temperature twice a day when we are nearing the projected date of whelping.

    The Name Game:  Breeders often choose a way to identify all the puppies from a litter.  Some folks name their litters alphabetically, some use a theme.  I am a theme person.  This is co-breeder Anne Kowalczyk’s first litter.  She would be using registered names that begin with the letter “A”.  So, a melding.  The registered names for the Dory/Chase puppies will be colleges beginning with the letter “A”.  “Auburn” and “Arizona” have already been claimed.  I think it would be fun if the puppy owners looked at the mascot for their “A” school to find a call name.  However, that is entirely up to them.

    I’ll post news as we have any.  Please think good thoughts for an easy whelping, healthy, strong puppies, and a quick recovery for mom.  I am looking forward to welcoming the College Kids into the world.


  2. If You Guessed Fewer Than 8, You Lose!

    March 21, 2013 by myeye

    Dory and I went to visit Dr. Donnie this morning because I just could not wait any longer to know how many CHIClets Dory was toting around.  She’s gained 9 pounds since January 22nd when we did the first breeding.  She lost the mucous plug this morning and Donnie does not think she will wait for Monday.  Whenever she is ready, I am ready.  Here is the x-ray.  As always, there could be a puppy hiding, but the skulls and spines are well formed and uniform.  Good girl Dory!


  3. Dory Update and Happy Birthday to Hunter

    March 21, 2013 by myeye

    Our Dory is in her last few days of dragging around a tummy full of babies. I hope to get a good photo of her when we go to the vet’s for her puppy count x-ray. I noticed last night that she is barely making it through the dog door. She’s still happy and always hungry. I’ve increased her food and, since I raw feed, have eliminated bone from her diet for the final two weeks of the pregnancy. The theme for this litter is Colleges that begin with the letter “A”. There is quite a list. (“Auburn” has already been claimed.) Of course, that’s just for the registered names — call names are up to the puppies’ families. Anne and I were thinking we might identify the mascots for each of the schools. Monday is the day, but we’ll have an update with the x-ray before then. You can all help us count heads/spines.

    Today Chase’s Dad Am/Can Ch Merrymoon Firestorm is celebrating his 17th birthday.  That makes me happy for two reasons: because Hunter is a grand dog and it’s lovely that he is still keeping Shelley company, and because it bodes well for Chase’s longevity.  I hope to have him around for many years to come.  Side note:  Chase’s mom, Alice, will celebrate her 13th birthday in June.

    Shelley posted some photos of Hunter on her blog.  For our puppy people in waiting, I hope you’ll take a look at the photos of your puppies’ paternal grandfather.

    Here are two photos I boosted from Shelley’s post.  Note that Hunter, sitting in the first photo closely resembles Chase who is the dog on the right in the second photo.  In the second photo, Chase was 18 months old.  He and his half-sister Dolly were the “progeny” for the Stud Dog Class in which Hunter was named #1 stud dog for 2009.  That same year Chase and his littermate Pilot were the “representative progeny” for their mother, Ch Mariel Reese’s Alice Springs.  “Alice” was selected as Best Brood Bitch.

    Happy birthday, Hunter.  We’re proud to have your son and many of your grandpuppies.


  4. The New Whelping Box

    March 18, 2013 by myeye

    All the pieces are together and once the thermostat and wires are hung out of reach, Dory may take up residence.  The box was made by John Welby (Grayfoot Agility LLC).  He used expanded PVC and (because this is for me) marked the places where A screws to B, etc.  In the photos, the panel on the right will become the back end of the puppy potty/play area when the baby baddogs are ready.  There are two 40″ long sides that attach to the box (right hand side in the first photo).  There is a drop-in door which I’ve removed for now.  There is a drop-in door on the opposite side as well so I can orient the box (with play area) differently.  The brackets that make up the sliders for insertion of the doors are covered with clear shipping tape to prevent possible scrapes.  The entire operation breaks down and fits in a 39″ flat screen television box (which I scored from one of my office mates).  Of course, if you need to go purchase one to obtain the box, I would understand.  The heat source is a Hydrofarm 20″ x 20″ seedling heat mat.  It lays flat on the floor of the whelping box and has an adjustable thermostat (sold separately).  The cotton pads are recycled hospital pads.  I have a dozen or so and wash every day when I have puppies.  The box can be disassembled and completely sprayed down and disinfected between litters.  When we add the play/potty area, I’ll post more photos.  All the whelping supplies (in a wide wheeled three drawer plastic drawer unit), extra pads, scale, puppy cam are behind where I was standing to take photos.

    Looking at the SW Corner of the Box.  The panel that is removed to become the back of the puppy play/potty area is on the right

    To the SE corner (tan at edge of door is shadow)

    The Hydrofarm thermostat

    The Hydrofarm Seedling Heat Mat

    Wrong dog, but he had to approve it before Dory could move in


  5. Dory Has One Week To Go

    March 18, 2013 by myeye

    Here is our fat Dory at eight weeks pregnant.  She is having trouble getting comfortable and thinks she is going to starve to death — both good signs.  I finished assembling the whelping box so she is moving into her own room today.  I’ll get the puppy cam mounted and ready to go next weekend — and on Saturday morning we’ll have the puppy-count-x-ray.  I’m so excited to have puppies after a two and one-half year drought.  You’ll note that her sides are wider than her haunches or her shoulders.  Her bottom clearance is only a couple of inches.

    Weekend Update:  On Sunday at Louisville, the beautiful Scout was Best of Opposite Sex and the Chase/Scout daughter Ginger was Select to her mom.  Pretty Ginger now has three Grand Champion Majors — all owner-handled by Kathy Metcalfe.