Lottie's pregnancy diary 2013.
09 Sept 2013
Soon the clock will start ticking. Lottie's last season was almost 6 months ago so I've been watching her closely for sign of her next one. Watch this space for news!
Update - Lottie's season has started. I'll be progesterone testing her towards the end of next week and expect to mate her soon after.
Soon the clock will start ticking. Lottie's last season was almost 6 months ago so I've been watching her closely for sign of her next one. Watch this space for news!
Update - Lottie's season has started. I'll be progesterone testing her towards the end of next week and expect to mate her soon after.
19 Sept 2013
I've just had the results back from Lottie's first progesterone test and the levels are still low, so I'll be repeating the test on Saturday.
I've just had the results back from Lottie's first progesterone test and the levels are still low, so I'll be repeating the test on Saturday.
21 Sept 2013
Lottie's progesterone levels have risen and tomorrow we'll be travelling over to North Wales to visit Whiskey for the first mating, with a second mating planned for Tuesday.
Lottie's progesterone levels have risen and tomorrow we'll be travelling over to North Wales to visit Whiskey for the first mating, with a second mating planned for Tuesday.
22 Sept 2013
A pleasant trip over to sunny North Wales this afternoon. Whiskey is such a gentleman, whispering sweet nothings in Lottie's ear before getting down to the task in hand. An easy mating with a
20 minute tie. We'll be returning for the second mating on Tuesday.
A pleasant trip over to sunny North Wales this afternoon. Whiskey is such a gentleman, whispering sweet nothings in Lottie's ear before getting down to the task in hand. An easy mating with a
20 minute tie. We'll be returning for the second mating on Tuesday.
24 Sept 2013
A sunny drive over to visit Whiskey for the second mating. Another easy mating and 20 minute tie. Now the real waiting begins. I'll be getting Lottie scanned at around 35 days although there may be signs she's pregnant before then.
A sunny drive over to visit Whiskey for the second mating. Another easy mating and 20 minute tie. Now the real waiting begins. I'll be getting Lottie scanned at around 35 days although there may be signs she's pregnant before then.
14 Oct 2013
Twice in the past few days Lottie has tried to steal food from Gertie's midday meal. Just another greedy Labrador? Maybe, but it could be a sign that there are puppies on the way.
Twice in the past few days Lottie has tried to steal food from Gertie's midday meal. Just another greedy Labrador? Maybe, but it could be a sign that there are puppies on the way.
20 Oct 2013
Lottie's scan is booked for late on in the afternoon of Sunday 27 Oct. I'll update this page once we get back home and those of you on my waiting list will also get an email.
Lottie's scan is booked for late on in the afternoon of Sunday 27 Oct. I'll update this page once we get back home and those of you on my waiting list will also get an email.
27 Oct 2013
Lottie's scan showed puppies! Here is one of the scan photos which shows at least 5 of them.
Lottie's scan showed puppies! Here is one of the scan photos which shows at least 5 of them.
04 Nov 2013
It might not be as obvious to other people but I can see that Lottie's increased in size in the week since her scan. I'll take a photo of her when she gets to around 7 weeks so I can compare her with Poppy and Martha at the same stage.
We've had a busy few days, with phone calls and visits from prospective new owners. One subject that often crops up in those conversations is the one of Labrador colour, particularly with Lottie's litter. In general, to produce a particular colour (and by that I mean chocolate or yellow as black is a sort of 'default' colour) each parent has to be or carry that colour (though there are odd exceptions such as yellow to yellow matings which will only ever produce yellow irrespective of whether both parents carry chocolate) There's a very good site that gives examples of all the mating colour combinations HERE. I was told by her breeder that Lottie doesn't carry yellow so therefore the mating to Whiskey, who is black but carries chocolate and yellow, should produce a litter of chocolate and black puppies. I'd previously had a look through Lottie's pedigree and apart from one yellow 4 generations ago the remainder are black or chocolate. However, last night I decided to delve deeper and using a facility on the Kennel Club website that's available to we breeders, I looked at not only the dogs (and by this I mean dogs and bitches) in Lottie's pedigree but also all the offspring they'd produced. That's when it became more interesting, there were quite a lot of dogs that had produced yellow offspring, particularly on her mother's side of her pedigree. Lottie's parents have only ever produced chocolate or black puppies so this means one of two things, either they just don't carry yellow OR they've never been mated to a dog that carries yellow. Only time will tell which is the case!
11 Nov 2013
Lottie's getting bigger as each day goes by. I've been gradually changing her over to the Arden Grange puppy food her litter will eventually be fed on. I've also started to increase the amount I'm feeding her and from now onwards will be spreading her food out between 3 or even 4 meals a day, making it easier for her to digest it as the puppies take up more and more room.
The photo below was taken today. Her hairless tummy is due to it being shaved when she had the scan. As you can see, she's lost her slim, trim waistline.
Lottie's getting bigger as each day goes by. I've been gradually changing her over to the Arden Grange puppy food her litter will eventually be fed on. I've also started to increase the amount I'm feeding her and from now onwards will be spreading her food out between 3 or even 4 meals a day, making it easier for her to digest it as the puppies take up more and more room.
The photo below was taken today. Her hairless tummy is due to it being shaved when she had the scan. As you can see, she's lost her slim, trim waistline.
12 Nov 2013
I took Lottie for her second herpes vaccination today and the vet who checked her over was pleased with her progress. The herpes vaccination is not something I’ve ever given as a matter of course, but as Lottie re-absorbed her last litter at some time after the 5 week scan, I decided to use it this time as a precaution. Things are very different this time, Lottie is very noticeably pregnant and I hope that in the next few days I'll be able to see or feel the puppies moving.
I took Lottie for her second herpes vaccination today and the vet who checked her over was pleased with her progress. The herpes vaccination is not something I’ve ever given as a matter of course, but as Lottie re-absorbed her last litter at some time after the 5 week scan, I decided to use it this time as a precaution. Things are very different this time, Lottie is very noticeably pregnant and I hope that in the next few days I'll be able to see or feel the puppies moving.
18 Nov 2013
Today I've been able to see and feel the puppies moving. Lottie's tummy is taut as a drum and she looks about to burst! In the next couple of days I'll move things around in my lounge so that I can set up the whelping box, something that always generates a lot of interest from the other dogs.
Today I've been able to see and feel the puppies moving. Lottie's tummy is taut as a drum and she looks about to burst! In the next couple of days I'll move things around in my lounge so that I can set up the whelping box, something that always generates a lot of interest from the other dogs.
20 Nov 2013
Late last night I moved the furniture round in the lounge and the whelping box is now in place, ready for Lottie. I've put puppy pen panels around the outside to stop the nosy-parkers jumping in. Yes, that means you, Ned, Annie, Gertie and Isis!
Lottie's appetite has changed today, she struggled to eat her breakfast and has eaten her other meals much more slowly. She's been doing a lot of panting and is obviously quite uncomfortable. I'll be surprised if those puppies hang on until Sunday.
Late last night I moved the furniture round in the lounge and the whelping box is now in place, ready for Lottie. I've put puppy pen panels around the outside to stop the nosy-parkers jumping in. Yes, that means you, Ned, Annie, Gertie and Isis!
Lottie's appetite has changed today, she struggled to eat her breakfast and has eaten her other meals much more slowly. She's been doing a lot of panting and is obviously quite uncomfortable. I'll be surprised if those puppies hang on until Sunday.
21 Nov 2013
Lottie had a very restless night, lots of panting and digging/nesting. The poor girl must be tired this morning, I know I am. She ate very little breakfast and everything's pointing towards the puppies arriving well before Sunday.
We have puppies!!!!! The first one was born just after midday and the last one at 8.20 pm. Follow their progress HERE
Lottie had a very restless night, lots of panting and digging/nesting. The poor girl must be tired this morning, I know I am. She ate very little breakfast and everything's pointing towards the puppies arriving well before Sunday.
We have puppies!!!!! The first one was born just after midday and the last one at 8.20 pm. Follow their progress HERE