Pooodle Pants Clover and Finn
Trial and Error with Two Standard Poodles and Three Kids
Wednesday 14 November 2012
Mine Eyes Have Been Opened
The puppies eyes are slowly opening. About half of our litter has their eyes completly open and the others are half way open. Each day their eyelids separate a little bit more revealing their blue tinted brown eyes. Puppies eyes will eventually be all brown.
Thursday 8 November 2012
First Steps
Some of our puppies have started to walk. They have evolved from "crawling" on their tummies or maybe a better description would be swimming on land, stomach on the ground with all four limbs paddling for mom. A few of the puppies are now stumbling around on all fours. It reminds me a bit of Bambi. Although this is pretty amusing because their eyes are still closed. The puppies use their nose to smell mom and work their way to her. They are so sweet.
Monday 5 November 2012
Week Old Standard Poodle Litter
Whleping Day - Clover's Birth Story
24 hours old. |
Puppy number two was covered in meconium, still attached to her placenta and Clover again walked away not at all interested in her second born. As I was cleaning off puppy number two, her lips started to turn blue and I resorted to CPR. Bubbles of amniotic fluid came out of her nose and she started to whine and behave like her older brother. As I was trying to tie off the umbilical cord, I saw puppy number three had been born and abandoned. He too was laying on the floor still in his sac.
I rushed in and performed the third rescue of the morning. Clover was rejecting her puppies! I fought back the tears and called the vet for the third time that morning. Earlier, I left 2 panicked voicemails during the birth, but I have no idea when I found time to call because those three puppies were born in a fifteen minute period.
When my vet, Dr Kristi, called me back she said that Clover was likely still in active labour probably too occupied with that to clean off her puppies or allow them to nurse. We talked of formula feeding and some of the responsibilities I would now have as a surrogate mother to the puppies. I was secretly glad for the respectively small litter of 5 expected puppies. Then Dr Kristi encouraged us to get Clover to nurse.
My husband helped Clover lay down and I latched each puppy on a nipple. Clover began to gingerly lick a puppy and then she thoroughly licked all the puppies. She calmed down and allowed them to nurse. She became protective of her puppies and relaxed into her new role as mom.
About an hour later, her labour started back up and I am happy to say she whelped the rest of the puppies perfectly. She was severing the cords, eating placentas and cleaning puppies off, and finally nursing each one. We were very surprised to meet puppy number six. Clover's scan had showed only five puppies. Clover had EIGHT puppies! Three boys and five girls ranging in colour from apricot to cream.
Clover with her first liter. Puppies are only hours old. |
Assisting Clover in the birth process was a life goal met for me, but also somehow a sacred experience. I cried and laughed. It was incredibly scary but I loved it.
Wednesday 10 October 2012
BIG news!
Finn cuddling Clover's pregnant belly. |
Tuesday 11 September 2012
A Summer Vacation Souvenir
After a vacation in Victoria BC with some long walks on the beach, my dogs came home with a souvenir -FLEAS!!! I thought they seemed a bit more itchy, but didn't think much of it because my vet said that fleas don't live in our climate. But I just found a live flea on one of my dogs! EEW!
After a quick google of flea treatments I discovered this webpage. http://www.richsoil.com/flea-control.jsp It coveres pretty much everything that I already knew and got it right. I like the idea of using food grade Diatomaceous Earth, because it is natural and a safe product for humans and pets.
PLAN TO ERADICATE FLEAS
1. Bathe dogs in soapy water
2. Groom them with flea comb and remove and kill any live fleas
3. Launder anything the dogs have touched
4. Vacuum the entire house
5. Dust the carpet with Diatomaceous Earth
Monday 27 August 2012
Wishing for Puppies
When I was 11, my best friend's cat had kittens. I loved it. But I didn't like that they were going to grow up to be cats. (I am a dog person.) I wanted the same experience with dogs. After we adopted Clover I hoped we would be able to breed her, once she was old enough. Standard poodles aren't fully mature till they are 2 years old.
After a ton of reading and research, I had her vet, Dr. Kristi, check her hips for defects and her eyes as well as anything else that would preclude her from being a mom. My vet not only endorsed Clover's health but her excellent disposition. Clover is smart and sweet. I swear she understands English.
At least I was able to snap this picture while we tried to breed her. |
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