Rose, Roxie has gained a little over half a pound (8 ounces). I was expecting her to gain more, but the way she eats, I'm surprised she gained anything at all! I bought some jarred chicken baby food today and I mixed about a teaspoon in with her dry food a few minutes ago to make it taste better and she LOVED it. She ate the entire bowl of food! Now she's sitting at my feet, fat and happy :D

I went shopping for whelping supplies (just got back). I couldn't find the exact items I wanted though. So a question for the experienced breeders- to tie off the cord, does it have to be unwaxed floss, and if so, why? (I assume unwaxed has better grip?) I couldn't find unwaxed anywhere! I was surprised at the seemingly hundreds of floss choices, all of them being waxed. So I just grabbed a waxed one that was unflavored. Also, I bought some iodine to dip the cord in after I cut it. However, there was no white iodine, only brown. It says povodone/iodine solution, 10%, antiseptic. Is this going to be ok?

I hope I don't sound silly, I just want everything to go as smoothly as possible.

Ooo I also got a heating pad, a nasal aspirator (fondly known by my husband as the Snot Ball) and some super girly doggy fabric (flannel!) to make another blanket for her whelping box. Sadly, I couldn't find a heating pad without that pesky auto-shutoff feature. Lame. So I guess I'll be waking up every couple hours at night to turn it back on, lol. Anything else you guys can think of that I'll be needing?

Aww, look at her little dollface <3 She looks similar to Roxie, even the little faint gray stripe in her bangs. I love her! She's due the same time as Rox (a day earlier) and she's so much bigger with triple the pups. You lucky grandma you ;)

Luckylady: she was bred July 1st (day 10), July 3rd (Day 12) & then July 7th (day 16) <- the last tie was 6 days after the 1st tie, so that why I am really thinking she got preggy at that time, i figured she was REALLY ready, a day before i was catching her "hump" everything around her so I figured she was ready to breed & that is when I took her back to see the b/f, the owner asked if I wanted to try again the next day, but I thought that was enough already, I didnt want to over do it!

I have noticed her tummy getting a lil harder these days & they do look a lil bigger & when i notice this its the end of the day, hours after she had her 1st meal. Her nips are starting to point out a little more too. I reallly really hope she is a week behind.
Hubby built her whelping box yesterday & lol she hates it... she wont go inside, but my 3 others & my cat are loving it! So lets see... thanks

By those breeding dates, she would likely be due the first week of September going by the pregnancy calendar, so she would just be 5 weeks along. I'd say that's what her belly looks more like in the pics. Have you used this pregnancy calculation calendar (there's also one on the debbie jensen site) Canine Pregnancy Calendar? Just fill in the breeding date & it will calculate the whelp date along with great information. It's great to be able to print it out and watch step by step what is (or should be) happening. Although with Halle just carrying one pup, I don't think I saw what it says in the same timeline.

BTW, please stick around with us even if she is due in September :)

I think i see two spines in that xray... YAY for puppies!

I do believe I am about to post a Puppy watch thread... My roxy's temp is 98.1, she's panting, nesting, and can't get comfy... This may be a long night

I copied & pasted a timeline I found online, & have been going along with that. I will def stay around... but I guess I gotta start that September litter.. Lol, I will keep ya ladies updated!! thanks

Ooooo.........a puppy watch thread!!! My notes tell me Roxy's due date was the 10th, so she's a couple of days early. OR, she's going to drive you crazy with worry & sleepless nights for a day or to.:rolleyes: Is this the first temp drop? Has she eaten anything today?

How exciting, and it's the weekend! Perfect timing :) keep us posted, I'll be gone all day but I'll keep checking YT from my cell phone. I hope Roxy has an easy time of it.

Oh and I also thought that I saw two spines (right next to each other) but the vet claimed that the second "spine" is just the ribs from the first spine. So, who really knows! I can still only make out one puppy when I'm feeling her belly. It's really easy to feel the pup now; it constantly has body parts sticking out! Usually a head, sometimes a bum. haha.

Oh and I have a question about taking temperature- It's impossible to do, with Roxie. She screams, yelps, cries, and squirms like crazy. I feel like if I try to just do it quick, I'll puncture an organ because of how violently she thrashes around. Even the vet and the vet tech yesterday weren't able to get a temperature from her! So what should I do? Is it really necessary to take her temp often when she's due? Can I just feel her belly with my hand? Because I know that her belly is always flaming hot, and I'd assume when it drops she'd just feel "normal" (like a person) or even cool.

I would never NOT take the temperature. In the case of my Kalina, I started taking her temp on 8/1 thinking I had about 5 days to get a baseline and then would notice immediately when it dropped. The first time I took her temp on 8/1 it was 98. The next morning she whelped 3 preemies. One died, but two are alive and doing quite well. They will be one week tomorrow and they weigh 4 1/2 and 5 oz. They were 2 oz and 3 oz at birth; the littlest girl that died was 1 oz. I am sooooo glad I took her temperature and was ready for the puppies or I don't know what would have happened.

My Bella had her babies on Aug 6 .
Sorry I have been too busy to come on and post. # males 1 female They were 3-4 oz. Everyone is doing great so far!

Some more pics!

Congratulations on your new litter. Momma and babies look very content.

If it's that difficult to take her temp, I wouldn't force it. Why stress mom out more than need be at a time like this. Also we've all read about how crazy the up and down temps can make us. I read on one of the MANY whelping sites I've been to, exactly what you are saying. When whelping time is near you will definitely feel a difference ON her belly. I believe it read "it will be darn right cool to the touch" compared to what it's been. Use your best judgement on what's best for you and Roxie.

Congratulations on your beautiful healthy puppies!!! Looks like everyone arrived safe and sound. Thanks for sharing the pictures.

Thanks for the advice. I really would prefer to take her temperature, but the way she is acting, I don't think it would be wise to. Even coming close to her with the thermometer get her heart rate up pretty high. She's very calm and laid back, so its strange that she is so fearful of it!

In other news, I made a quilt for the puppy last night. I'm hoping it's a girl, obviously, LOL. We will be keeping the pup if it is female. I am making another quilt tonight in boy colors too, just in case.

I set up Roxie's whelping crate last night and she seems to like it. I got a couple of food/water bowls that mount off the ground so the puppy won't drown in the water bowl (happened to a close friend of mine, with a pomeranian pup), and the heating pad is on the right side, under the pink blanket. It warms up pretty quick and Roxie loves it! She napped on it last night. I'll swap out the quilt for some puppy pads and blankets when the time comes.

Wow; nice quilt & whelping area! Is that a very large crate or an xpen? I have a crate/cage and though it probably really is large enough for Halle & her pup(s), I don't think it's big enough. Her whelping box will be a large under the bed storage bin and it (along with Halle & her baby(s) will go an x-pen after she delivers. Do you have plans to line your crate with something to prevent the baby from getting stuck in between the bars? I am using a infant baby crib bumper pad for my pen.

BTW, tell Roxie to turn around so we can see her pretty face! :)

Thanks! It is an XXL crate that my hubby ordered online. I was so excited to set it up last night, haha. I do have a couple of crib bumpers stored away, good thinking.. I'll go 'install' one now.

Roxie is camera shy! Or rather, she won't sit still long enough for me to capture a photograph. I snuck up on her from behind last night as she was eating from the crate bowl. I'll try to get a good face shot though. She really has the sweetest mug :D

So your whelping box, is it one of those low-to-the-ground ones? I assume Halle will just be able to get in and out of it when she pleases, but she'll still be in the x pen? That is a good idea. My husband has an x pen in our garage but the thing is massively huge. It looks like something you'd use in the backyard to hold a big litter of english mastiffs, lol.

Roxie is laying on me (I'm in a reclining chair lol) and I am getting kicked by tiny puppy feet on my stomach! Wow, this little pup sure is a fiesty one. It's such a neat feeling.

I was on vacation so I didn't see the puppies. Maybe tomorow I will go to visit them and take new pictures. Good luck to all the new and future moms.
God bless you!!!
kisses!!

Yep, except this is a bit larger than the norm, so the sides are a little to tall for Halle to step in and out of. I cut a small section off one side about half way down so she can get in and out. When the pup(s) start getting mobile, I'll have to think of something to contain them....or give them run of the x-pen??? Aren't all x-pens the same size except for different heights? Unless you have extra panels for yours. Mine has 8 panels, I think they're each 24" wide & I got the 3 foot tall one. Halle's quite the jumper when she wants to be.
Attachment 287625 As you can see, Halle was NOT in the mood to be photographed. I think she's starting to feel pregnant.:D

I love that setup. Great idea!

Hmm I think our x pen is also 8 panels but it's 5 feet tall. I don't really have a place for it. My bedroom is plenty large enough but it's just so bulky! I'll probably end up using it when the puppy starts needing more room to romp around in. (It's so weird to say "puppy" instead of puppies, LOL)

Halle sure is cute! I love how long her topknot is. Roxie is still recovering from a bad grooming. Her coat is long-ish now, but thin.

I love your set up guys. I am still working on mine. I have about 3 weeks before Sammie is due. I am getting nervous about it. Last time she had a c-section. I have been told that they can have a normal litter even though they have had a section before. I can only pray that everything will go as planned. I have learned so much from this forum. Anyway, I follow this thread daily and hope that everyone has safe whelps. Keep your fingers crossed for Sammie.

The set up I have is in our spare bedroom. I'll probably be moving myself (sorry hubby:rolleyes:) and Halle in there next week. Right now she & her box are in our room with us...along with Toby & Lucky. Beginning next week it'll be the girls in one room.......boys in the other.:p
Yes, Halle IS cute.......much cuter than in that picture.:rolleyes:

Rose, I love that set-up! I like the under the bed box on wheels . . .we have one of those we use for our Christmas ornaments and I think that is a wonderful idea! I also like the bumper pads! :D

Good luck to Sammie! I have fears about Roxie whelping this puppy.. she's a small girl, and the puppy is all alone in there, taking all the nutrients, AND it's breech. Ack! If it gets stuck halfway out, it's a goner. I'm wondering if I should just go ahead and schedule a c-section. Advice?

awww look at little Halle all ready to be a momma- great set up Rose- that's the way I have mine set up:D except I have the plastic sided x-pen. Now I am having to come up with an idea to block off half of my x-pen because the puppies are climbing out of the plastic box and roaming. One of them- a girl is becoming quite vocal and bossy too! It is so much fun to see their personalities emerge.

Good Luck Halle on the rest of your confinment time:love:

Thanks. I would talk to your vet and see how they feel about a singleton and if one should be scheduled. I know that there is always a risk of doing it too early and the puppy not making it. I waited until Sammie was in labor and then she didn't have any contractions. I guess that's where I made my mistake. I gave her too much calcium and she didn't have contractions like she was suppose to have. The doctor tried 2 oxy shots and that still didn't work. That's why she had to have a c-section. I have said that if she has to have one this time, we will get her spayed during the procedure. I just hope this one is much different than the first.

I was going to ask the same thing, & I had the same idea about the baby bumper. I also have a "cage", crate... I made her box & she hates it!!! I put her in it & she flies out of it, dont know why? Maybe too small!?

I did ask the vet what he thought about Roxie being able to deliver the puppy, and he was very vague and acted like he didn't really care. He kinda held up his fingers to the puppy's skull, on the xray, and then did the same to Roxie's pelvic xray, and told me it appears that the puppy will fit. But he didn't take into account that the pup's skull had 10+ days of growing to do before it has to come out! I want to get a second xray on day 60 or so, but I'm not sure if I have the extra 150 dollars for it, if she does indeed need a c section later.