From conception to birth
04 Dec 2011
Martha's seasons have been as regular as clockwork up to now, so why am I tapping my fingers and twiddling my thumbs, impatiently waiting for a season that should have started 10 days ago? Sod's Law is, I think, the answer!
The stud dog lives in North Wales so not only am I checking Martha daily, I'm also keeping a close eye on the weather forecast. Snow is the very last thing I need.
16 Dec 2011
If I tap my fingers and twiddle my thumbs for much longer I'll be in danger of getting repetitive strain injury! Still no sign of Martha's season. I suspect she's being influenced by Poppy's hormones and if so, it could be the end of the month before she starts. Oh well, on the plus side at least I don't have to worry about a dash to the stud dog on Christmas Day.
19 Dec 2011
Martha's season has finally started! I would normally have progesterone tested her on day 8, but with it being Christmas neither the vet not the laboratory where they do the test will be open until 28 Dec which will be day 10. Tomorrow she'll be going to stay with my friend, well away from Will, I'm not taking any chances! Pray for no more snow until after she's been mated.
28 Dec 2011
I decided to progesterone test Martha last Saturday, knowing that the result would most probably be low. It was. Today I've had her tested again and although the level has risen, a further test this Saturday is going to be necessary. I suspect that New Year's Day will see us heading for North Wales - and Wizard!
01 Jan 2012
The results of yesterday's progesterone test had us heading for North Wales and Wizard. The deed has been done! We're going back tomorrow for a second mating then it will be fingers crossed for lots of healthy puppies round about 3 March. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE.
02 Jan 2012
Back for a second mating today. The weather was bright and dry so we let Martha and Wizard loose in the garden. Martha (AKA Flirty Gertie) made her availability quite clear to Wizard and he didn't need asking twice. I'll leave the rest to your imagination. Now we just have to sit back and wait until around 4-5 weeks when Martha can be scanned, although there may be signs before then.
19 Jan 2012
Once again I'm tapping my fingers and twiddling my thumbs, impatiently watching for signs that Martha's pregnant. Unlike Poppy who very quickly went off her food, Martha can eat for England. Another couple of weeks and I'll be getting her scanned.
30 Jan 2012
Martha's scan is booked for Friday. Watch this space for news of the results.
03 Feb 2012
Martha had her scan this morning and . . . . . . . . . . . . .big drum roll . . . . . . . . . . . . .we have puppies on the way!
I'm sitting here with a big smile on my face, although I was pretty sure she was pregnant, it's nice to have it officially confirmed. The puppies should be due around 3 March though if she takes after her mum, they could be a day or two early.
11 Feb 2012
Three weeks to D day (or should that be 'B' day?) and Martha's waistline is expanding considerably. She's become a bit of a food thief and nothing is safe. It doesn't matter how inaccessible a sandwich might appear, take your eyes off it for a second and it'll be gone! I'm going to gradually change her over to the food I'll be feeding the puppies, as well as increasing the amount I feed her and spreading it over 3 rather than 2 meals a day.
15 Feb 2012
A sunny, breezy day, perfect for drying washing and the sort of day I've been waiting for. I've got 6 very big pieces of new vetbed to wash, in readiness for the litter, so the washing machine will be on the go all day. Martha, meanwhile, is sprawled out on the lounge floor, in a lovely warm patch of sun.
23 Feb 2012
Today I felt the puppies move! Poor Martha's enormous and must be wondering what on earth is happening to her body. She's quite happy to go out for her usual walk with the others but has a most definite 'pregnancy waddle'.
25 Feb 2012
I've finally seen the puppies moving (bounces up and down with excitement - that's me, not the puppies) There could be quite a substantial football team in there and the movements will become more and more obvious in the run up to their birth.
Martha's seasons have been as regular as clockwork up to now, so why am I tapping my fingers and twiddling my thumbs, impatiently waiting for a season that should have started 10 days ago? Sod's Law is, I think, the answer!
The stud dog lives in North Wales so not only am I checking Martha daily, I'm also keeping a close eye on the weather forecast. Snow is the very last thing I need.
16 Dec 2011
If I tap my fingers and twiddle my thumbs for much longer I'll be in danger of getting repetitive strain injury! Still no sign of Martha's season. I suspect she's being influenced by Poppy's hormones and if so, it could be the end of the month before she starts. Oh well, on the plus side at least I don't have to worry about a dash to the stud dog on Christmas Day.
19 Dec 2011
Martha's season has finally started! I would normally have progesterone tested her on day 8, but with it being Christmas neither the vet not the laboratory where they do the test will be open until 28 Dec which will be day 10. Tomorrow she'll be going to stay with my friend, well away from Will, I'm not taking any chances! Pray for no more snow until after she's been mated.
28 Dec 2011
I decided to progesterone test Martha last Saturday, knowing that the result would most probably be low. It was. Today I've had her tested again and although the level has risen, a further test this Saturday is going to be necessary. I suspect that New Year's Day will see us heading for North Wales - and Wizard!
01 Jan 2012
The results of yesterday's progesterone test had us heading for North Wales and Wizard. The deed has been done! We're going back tomorrow for a second mating then it will be fingers crossed for lots of healthy puppies round about 3 March. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE.
02 Jan 2012
Back for a second mating today. The weather was bright and dry so we let Martha and Wizard loose in the garden. Martha (AKA Flirty Gertie) made her availability quite clear to Wizard and he didn't need asking twice. I'll leave the rest to your imagination. Now we just have to sit back and wait until around 4-5 weeks when Martha can be scanned, although there may be signs before then.
19 Jan 2012
Once again I'm tapping my fingers and twiddling my thumbs, impatiently watching for signs that Martha's pregnant. Unlike Poppy who very quickly went off her food, Martha can eat for England. Another couple of weeks and I'll be getting her scanned.
30 Jan 2012
Martha's scan is booked for Friday. Watch this space for news of the results.
03 Feb 2012
Martha had her scan this morning and . . . . . . . . . . . . .big drum roll . . . . . . . . . . . . .we have puppies on the way!
I'm sitting here with a big smile on my face, although I was pretty sure she was pregnant, it's nice to have it officially confirmed. The puppies should be due around 3 March though if she takes after her mum, they could be a day or two early.
11 Feb 2012
Three weeks to D day (or should that be 'B' day?) and Martha's waistline is expanding considerably. She's become a bit of a food thief and nothing is safe. It doesn't matter how inaccessible a sandwich might appear, take your eyes off it for a second and it'll be gone! I'm going to gradually change her over to the food I'll be feeding the puppies, as well as increasing the amount I feed her and spreading it over 3 rather than 2 meals a day.
15 Feb 2012
A sunny, breezy day, perfect for drying washing and the sort of day I've been waiting for. I've got 6 very big pieces of new vetbed to wash, in readiness for the litter, so the washing machine will be on the go all day. Martha, meanwhile, is sprawled out on the lounge floor, in a lovely warm patch of sun.
23 Feb 2012
Today I felt the puppies move! Poor Martha's enormous and must be wondering what on earth is happening to her body. She's quite happy to go out for her usual walk with the others but has a most definite 'pregnancy waddle'.
25 Feb 2012
I've finally seen the puppies moving (bounces up and down with excitement - that's me, not the puppies) There could be quite a substantial football team in there and the movements will become more and more obvious in the run up to their birth.
28 Feb 2012
This is Martha, taken earlier today, doing her impression of a beached whale. (In the background is Phoebe who's recovering from an operation to remove a mammary tumour).
Since the photo was taken there's been a big move round in my lounge, the crate Phoebe was in has been taken into the dining room and the whelping box has been set up instead. My torch is on charge and the whelping kit is on hand. I just need to give the whelping box a final clean before putting the bedding in. My old faithful baby monitor finally gave up the ghost last night so a new one has been ordered and should be with me tomorrow - just hope the puppies hang on until then.
Since the photo was taken there's been a big move round in my lounge, the crate Phoebe was in has been taken into the dining room and the whelping box has been set up instead. My torch is on charge and the whelping kit is on hand. I just need to give the whelping box a final clean before putting the bedding in. My old faithful baby monitor finally gave up the ghost last night so a new one has been ordered and should be with me tomorrow - just hope the puppies hang on until then.
01 March 2012
A long, tiring and very emotional day. Yesterday Martha had refused to eat, she was doing a lot of panting and I suspected the puppies wouldn't be long before they made their journey into the world. After a sleepness night, Martha's first puppy was born at 9am this morning. She refused to use the carefully prepared welping box, instead preferring the sofa, one of the dog beds, the floor and - in the case of one of the pups - back of the car on the way to the vets. The first 7 puppies were born live and healthy, unfortunately the 8th puppy, a little girl, was stillborn.
Puppy No. 9 was born in the car on the way to the vets and No. 10 (hurried on his way by a shot of oxytocin) arrived just after we got back home. So the final total is 6 boys and 3 girls. Tomorrow the little girl will be buried in the garden next to the little boy we lost from Poppy's last litter. I'll be starting up a new page for Martha and her new litter, just give me a little time to catch my breath first.
A long, tiring and very emotional day. Yesterday Martha had refused to eat, she was doing a lot of panting and I suspected the puppies wouldn't be long before they made their journey into the world. After a sleepness night, Martha's first puppy was born at 9am this morning. She refused to use the carefully prepared welping box, instead preferring the sofa, one of the dog beds, the floor and - in the case of one of the pups - back of the car on the way to the vets. The first 7 puppies were born live and healthy, unfortunately the 8th puppy, a little girl, was stillborn.
Puppy No. 9 was born in the car on the way to the vets and No. 10 (hurried on his way by a shot of oxytocin) arrived just after we got back home. So the final total is 6 boys and 3 girls. Tomorrow the little girl will be buried in the garden next to the little boy we lost from Poppy's last litter. I'll be starting up a new page for Martha and her new litter, just give me a little time to catch my breath first.