Welcome to The Puppy Papers 2009 - Penny

To see previous litters view "The Puppy Papers"

Here is where you will find the diary of events leading up to our latest litter and the progress of the resulting puppies.

Start at the bottom as the most recent entries are at the top. Go to the Start.

Summary

Sire: Dawnaquinn Dark Star (Niles).
Dam: Penny Lane Of QuinnCarlin (Penny). More photos of Penny

Friday, 6 February 2009 (OVULATION)
Friday, 10 April 2009 (DUE DATE)
Thursday, 9 April 2009 (ACTUAL BIRTH DATE)

Puppy Weights - Sacred Druid Tree Theme Litter

Journal

4 July 2009 (Saturday, Pups are 12 weeks 2 days old)

Holly (now called Abby) and Reed left for their new home yesterday. They were both exactly 3 kg on Thursday when they got their 12 week vaccinations. Brother Ash (now called Charlie) met them at the Vets for a family reunion, of sorts, before all getting a clean bill of health and their shots.

Charlie came for a visit today. It helps to wean us off these little guys. Thanks Nadine and Thomas for coming out today. Little Charlie is full of energy and they are considering taking him to agility classes ... perhaps the same place that Donna will be taking Alder for lessons in Spruce Grove.

Gosh Cavalier Puppies are adorable. I've updated lots of photos going back into June. Have fun and we will now be signing off this edition of "The QuinnCarlin Cavalier Puppy Papers."

25 June 2009 (Thursday, Pups are 11 weeks old)

Holly and Reed weigh exactly the same amount today. They are so funny. Reed is not afraid of much in the way of obstacles around the house; stairs rugs, book shelves ... he'll climb over or through them. Holly tries but gets stuck. However, once she triumphs over a challenge there is no slowing her down. They are very evenly matched and have bonded quite closely this past week. It is a very good thing that they will now be going to the same home. Oh, they love chasing the cats. We are trying to teach them that their walks are cut short if they chase the cats.

We only have one more week of puppies!

We've had updates from Ivy and she is doing fabulously ... having made herself quite at home. She is not afraid of anything and has become quite good friends with Joan's other pup who is a little older. Rowan has also settled in well at Chris' and is learning the ropes from one of Chris' older pups. We haven't heard a report from Ash's new parents yet ... hint hint hint. Aldar has become a vital member of his new household and was cheering his Momma Penny on at Agility classes this week. Word has it that Aldar would have preferred to be out on the equipment with Momma Penny rather than waiting in the crate. Aldar is also collecting socks ... at least I know what to get Donna for Christmas ... LOL.

21 June 2009 (Sunday, Pups are 10 weeks 3 days old)

We just learned today that the home meant for Reed has decided that they are not ready for a new pup at this time. So we are once again looking for the perfect home for a perfect little black and tan boy.

Sorry to all those folks who contacted us about a pup and were told that none were available ... these things happen and it is best that decisions like these are made before the pup goes to the new home. It is a big decision and sometimes we rush along caught up in the idea of a sweet cuddly bundle of love and forget that this is a lifetime committment to a living creature who trusts and depends totally upon us for everything.

20 June 2009 (Saturday, Pups are 10 weeks 2 days old)

Rowan, Ivy and Ash all went to their new homes today. Boy is it ever quiet with only Reed and Holly here now. Although, Reed and Holly are enjoying the extra attention.

18 June 2009 (Thursday, Pups are 10 weeks old)

We have been experiencing a slight over crowding problem ;) As a result, Aldar will be going to his new home today. He will be living with his Momma Penny and Donna. Aldar will be training in Agility, you'll see him in the Agility Trials around Edmonton ... once he grows up a tad. Until then, he'll be joining his Momma Penny at the Trials ... as her cheering section. Rowan and Ivy will be leaving for their new homes on Saturday. Rowan will be living with Chris Gingell of Caruaidd Cavaliers and Ivy will be living with Joan Branscombe of Tamarindo Cavaliers. Look for these two in the show ring sometime over the next year.

Aldar had his first bath this morning. He wasn't quite sure what to think about it all and literally tried to climb the walls. He settled into it and really had fun running around and shaking to get dry.

17 June 2009 (Wednesday, Pups are 9 weeks 6 days old)

We had all the pups for walks on the acreage today. We've been taking them out one-on-one to get the experience of the great outdoors. Boy do they ever sleep well after our walks! They run non-stop and attack the dandelions; They love to make them explode. The pups also love running through tall grass. Holly, Reed and Ivy discovered the joys of running with a stick. They were very choosy as to just the right stick but once they found the perfect one they went everywhere with their stick. Darn me ... no camera!

One of our cats, Smokey is very intrigued by these little furballs. They move a little too fast for him to be totally comfortable with them, but he does lay down and bat at them softly with his paws. Smokey amazes me as he was the most timid and tramautized of the three kittens we found trapped in our wood pile a couple of years ago. He would hide in the walls of the shed when we came in the feed them and pat the kittens. Once we let them loose into the yard he has been the one who wants most to be an inside cat.

The pups were also introduced to veggies as snacks today. The carrots where a hit. They shred them better than any grater I've seen. They also loved the frozen green beans.

11 June 2009 (Thursday, Pups are 9 weeks old)

Only three weeks left before the pups go to their new homes! Their new families are getting very excited!

The pups have all had turns playing on the grass outside over the past two days; now that it is above freezing and has stopped snowing and hailing. Yes, it is June in Alberta. Little Holly didn't want to move from where she was placed the first time her little furry feet hit the grass. Holly was much better today and explored the yard chasing monsters (dragonflies). Today, Ivy and Ash were running and playing together attacking the dandelions with gusto; Ivy tires easily ... her legs are pretty short. Rowan was by far the most active outside. He literally runs circles around us and attacks the cats and anything else that might be close. Aldar is a very close second to being the most comfortable outside. He tends to keep us in his sights better than Rowan and runs back and forth between Allan and I the whole time he is outside. Ash and Reed both enjoyed their time outside and were excited about playing on the grass and chasing dandelions. The dandelions are in the seed stage and explode dramatically when the pups attack them; very tempting indeed.

7 June 2009 (Sunday, Pups are 8 weeks 3 days old)

The pups had their play platform upgraded and are having a great old time exploring the new nooks and crannies. Allan even installed a small ramp for Aldar to get used to ... for agility. Now ... we need a tunnel for the deck! The pups are really loving their new orange ball. They can even get it in their mouth and bring it up the ramp into their loft.

6 June 2009 (Saturday, Pups are 8 weeks 2 days old)

The pups are doing great but we are all a little sad as the pup's Grandfather Tannus left us for a new home in Calgary today. He was so excited to go with them it was rather funny. We had gathered Tannus' things together by the door in the morning. All morning Tannus lay by his things ... they were not going anywhere without him. He knew something was up. He had seen the same sequence of events for Tara and then for Mini.

When his new people arrived he greeted them like the Lord of the Manor. He didn't play favourites, but spread his attention to his new Mom Kelly her Mother in-law (who graciously brought photos of all her past Cavaliers) and the youngest daughter Lizzy as well as Tannus' 'new boy' Nathan. Tannus followed Nathan about the house and would look back at me with a Cavalier grin, as if to say "Is this my new boy, Mom? Do I finally have a boy of my very own?"

After visiting for a while Tannus placed himself in the entrance to the kitchen and plopped down looking at us like he wanted to say "OK, enough visiting let's get this show on the road." He was very happy to go with them ... eager in fact.

It has been very quiet around here without Tannus ... Kelly has reported that Tannus' new nickname is Sir Snore-a-lot; he does snore VERY loudly. Tannus has already accomplished his first stuffy raid; pinching one of Lizzy's stuffies during a break on the trip back to Calgary. He has already located the kid's stuffie stashes and now has reason to run up and down the stairs of his new home. We are hoping this new exercise routine will help trim him down. He has certainly settled into his new home quickly ... even keeping a watchful eye on some home renovations from a comfortable spot on the sunny lawn this past Sunday.

4 June 2009 (Thursday, Pups are 8 weeks old)

The pups were into see Dr. Grady at the Rimbey Veterinary clinic today. They had CKC microchips installed and their first shots (ProGuard Puppy). They all passed their physical exam and are doing very well. They are real little dogs now ... doing real dogs things but in miniature.

3 June 2009 (Wednesday, Pups are 7 weeks 6 days old)

Joan Branscombe from Tamarindo Cavaliers and Chris Gingell from Caruaidd Cavaliers were down to visit and evaluate the litter. They really liked little Ash and Holly. In the end little Ivy will be going home with Joan and The warrior Rowan will be going home with Chris. It feels very good to know that my 'lines' (such as they are) will be in good hands and may carry on through these lovely little dogs.

In a surprise turn of events Donna has decided that she needs a new agility pup to train as she has recently had to retire Mizzy from the ring. Mizzy will still be a valued member of Donna's Doggy household but will no longer be competing due to injuries. So ... the old man of the crew - Aldar - will be following his Momma Penny home with Donna when he turns 12 weeks. He will be an agility competitor to watch, if his puppy antics are anything to go by. Aldar is one fearless and smart little dude.

29 May 2009 (Friday, Pups are 7 weeks 1 day old)

We had Ash and Aldar out on the kitchen hardwood floor today. They were very unsure of themselves at first. It is a big slippery world outside the X-pen. It didn't take very long and they were chasing Tannus around the kitchen. Tannus even did a play bow and the noisy mouth game with Ash. It was so darn cute!

Allan observed that the 2009 vintage of the rare commodity of "Puppy Breath" is a particularly fine batch. We really do need to find a way to bottle this. We would make a fortune!

Here are some videos of the pups over the past few weeks:
and

28 May 2009 (Thursday, Pups are 7 weeks old)

They are real little dogs now. I give them puppy kibble in the afternoon for a snack. Holly does not think the kibble should stay in the bowl. The first bowls we tried she would flip them over with quite a flourish scattering kibble everywhere. The next bowl we tried has tapered edges and she can't flip it over. So, she stands with her hind feet against the side of the bowl and scoops all the kibble out as fast as she can with her front feet. kibble scatters everywhere and all the puppies join in the kibble scavenger hunt. It is totally hilarious. What a little monkey she is.

21 May 2009 (Thursday, Pups are 6 weeks old)

The pups were moved into an expanded X-pen arrangement today. A four foot by four foot X-pen works well for litters of up to four but for six pups we were finding it a little crowded. This is an exceptionally active litter; they spend most of their day running and jumping on each other. We added a wire crate as a sleeping area and removed the plastic 200 series crate giving them the extra area for play and a much larger area to sleep.

The pups are eating the following two times a day (early morning & evening):

• Ground lamb, tripe, veggies & fruit mixture
• Tripette (canned ground green tripe)
• Yogurt
• Powdered Goat's Milk
• Vitamins (Puppy Drops)
• Kelp, Alfalfa
• Salmon Oil
• Boiling water ... only enough to warm the mixture

They have fresh water available all day as we give them small chicken necks to gnaw on in the afternoon. When I cleaned the pen today I picked up lots of small individual vertebrae as they had eaten all the flesh off of them. WARNING: Piranha Puppies - don't get your fingers too close or they'll eat the flesh off of those too!

The pups wake up about 5:30 am and start playing ... very loudly. They are now at the base of the stairs leading to our bedroom. Our bedroom is like a loft and does not have a door. They sound like they are killing each other!

We have potential homes for five pups. We need one more home for a black and tan boy. We are also looking for a home for the pup's Grandfather Tannus. Tannus will be Seven years old in August, he is neutered and is pretty much deaf now. He does not have any trouble letting you know what he wants. Otherwise he is very healthy and would love a home with kids to play tug and fetch with. Although ... you may be the ones doing the fetching ... Tannus is very good at training his humans.

17 May 2009 (Sunday, Pups are 5 weeks 3 days old)

Penny went home with Donna today. We will miss our dark beauty but she was most happy to go with Donna ... not even looking back at her pups as she went. Donna had a good visit and made sure that she cuddles each of her Grand Puppies in turn. Donna assured me that they would be back for a visit before the pups are ready to go to their new homes.

We have had to raise the puppy pen door as Aldar and Rowan were on the verge of escaping. That should hold them for another week or two. The pup's personalities are starting to emerge now. Reed is a sh*t disturber, always getting something going. Aldar is a wise old soul who is always first at everything, the consumate "Big Brother." Rowan is fearless but loves to cuddle around Allan's neck in the evenings. Ivy is a perfect little lady ... except when someone pisses her off then her fighting colours come out. Holly is gentle and loves to cuddle. Ash is also gentle and loves to cuddle. He can be a little timid until he builds his confidence.

16 May 2009 (Saturday, Pups are 5 weeks 2 days old)

Allan vacuumed today and the pups all headed for the hills. They hid behind the kennel and eventually decided that the noise was not going to come after them. We try to expose them to a variety of sounds and experiences in order to prepare them for their new homes. They all eventually came out and ate their lunch.

The pups get fed a mixture of ground lamb, tripe, veggies, fruit, kelp, goats' milk powder, and vitamin drops three times a day. These little guys have the firmest poops of any litter I've ever bred. Penny does not have loose stools either. Loose stools are very common in bitches, after whelping, especially as they are cleaning up after their pups.

The pups all had their nails clipped last night. I cuddle them on their backs and give them belly rubs to settle them down. They have to learn that I am boss and if I place them on their backs and want to clip their nails then they have to lay still. If we start them early and do it often enough then they are very easy to groom and clip nails even as they get older.

Today is Penny's last day with her pups as she will be returning home to Donna tomorrow afternoon. We will miss her and she may miss her pups but will enjoy being back home with Donna, Mizzy and Molly.

14 May 2009 (Thursday, Pups are 5 weeks old)

We moved the pup's X-pen into the living room today. They get lots more natural light and exposure to more household sounds. We also get puppy cuddle time each evening. Penny spends the night with the pups but they are no longer nursing from her. She cuddles them and cleans up after them. I'll miss her housekeeping when she returns to Donna. Penny really is a special lady. She is an exceptionally good mother; she is very smart and a very real pleasure to have in our home. She has taken to cuddling with me in my Lazy Boy chair each night and will twine her neck around mine.

11 May 2009 (Monday, Pups are 4 weeks 4 days old)

The pups are on two meals of formula and tripe a day now and have been since last Friday. Penny tops them up through the night and is in with them a couple of times through the day. They are becoming less and less interested in Penny as a Milk bar. They nibbled on a chicken neck yesterday and today; they are still not quite sure what to do with them. Penny regurgitated food for them last night. That is a sure sign that she is ready to wean them.

I missed weighing them this weekend but they always had good full round bellies. I'm happy with their weights ... even little Ivy. I've been taking photos but it will take a little while to get them posted.

The pups were all sleeping in their crate when I went to clean their pen today so I lifted them all out in the crate and set it on the floor with the open door up against the laundry basket. I thought that would keep the sleepy guys in. Not so Ash and Aldar; they both came out to investigate and Aldar went nose to nose with his Grandfather Tannus ... just to say hello.

3 May 2009 (Sunday, Pups are 3 weeks 3 days old)

The pups are licking at Penny's hard kibble now. They are starting to show an interest in her food. It is a little early to start them on gruel yet. I'd like to wait until they are four weeks old. Penny is on a RAW diet but I supplement with a good quality kibble so that she can eat on demand while she is nursing. Penny still gets two big meals a day in addition to all the kibble she can eat. Penny has lost a lot of weight, which is to be expected nursing six hungry pups.

When we got home from my Mother's birthday party last night we had two escapees. Allan made a modification on the door of the whelping box to keep them in. By the end of today they will be in the x-pen and out of the whelping box.

I took a video of the pups playing this morning; you can view it here:

I put a comfy bed in the whelping box today to give them a different texture to experience. I didn't expect all six of them to try to sleep on it at once. I think we're gonna need a bigger bed!

2 May 2009 (Saturday, Pups are 3 weeks 2 days old)

The pups are starting to attack Penny the minute she enters the whelping box. The bigger ones latch on to feed before she even lays down. I had to help her lay down in order to let the little ones feed last night. Poor Penny she tries but doesn't want to lay on one of the pups that latch on right away.

All the pups are playing more and longer now. They are so much fun at this stage.

1 May 2009 (Friday, Pups are 3 weeks 1 day old)

We started the pups on their herbal deworming routine. They each get two drops twice a day (one drop for each pound) for four days. Then we take a break for three days and repeat the dosage. Penny and Tannus started their routine on Monday and started on their rest days today.

Allan helped by taking puppy photos today. We have head shots of each of the little ones as well as a new group shot. Aunty Joan requested photos with eyes open ... so here they are... (HINT Hover your mouse over the photos for a description)

30 April 2009 (Thursday, Pups are 3 weeks)

Little Ivy was supplemented again today with 1 oz in the morning and another in the evening. She is doing well with the supplementation so I will continue it for a while.

The pups are all starting to play with each other; tugging on each other's ears and feet. Little Rowan the tri boy is the best escape artist. He has escaped the whelping box twice now. I thought that he was hitching a ride on Momma Penny when she escaped the little fiends. Allan saw Rowan's little escape routine and caught him 'in the act.'

29 April 2009 (Wednesday, Pups are 2 weeks 6 days old)

Pups are doing well today. A few moments ago I heard a terrible squeaking from the whelping room. I rushed in and little black & tan boy Reed was standing on the carpet at the base of the step into the whelping box. Reed was not impressed! He must have remained latched on to Penny when she made her escape after feeding the pups. He is much happier back in the warm whelping box with his sibs.

28 April 2009 (Tuesday, Pups are 2 weeks 5 days old)

I am still supplementing Ivy with extra time on Penny and then topping her up with formula. She seems to be doing better. Everyone weighed less this morning because I weighed them before they had their breakfast ;)

All the pups are starting to play. I've seen play bows and heard them "grruff" at each other. They are tottering around on their legs and tugging on each other's ears. They are absolutely voracious at Penny's 'milk bar'. Poor Penny must feel like she is being attacked by six little piranhas.

They do not take long to fill up now ... except Ivy. She is a special case ... just takes her time and does eventually get her fill if her siblings do not knock her off her preferred nipples; that requires supervision ... LOL.

25 April 2009 (Saturday, Pups are 2 weeks 2 days old)

Ivy is doing better today. She is up almost a whole ounce from yesterday morning. Ivy took another 20 mls of formula, by bottle, this morning. I'll keep supplementing, morning and night for a few days and then cut back to once a day and see how she does from there.

24 April 2009 (Friday, Pups are 2 weeks 1 day old)

I've been quite worried about the little black & tan girl, Ivy. She is not gaining weight like I would like to see. She hasn't lost any yet but her rate of weight gain is slowing down even more.

Yesterday I sat with Penny for a private feeding for Ivy. She had trouble latching onto any of Penny's larger nipples. Penny only has about three small ones and they do not produce very much milk. Ivy is obviously hungry and tries to latch on but 'sucks air' when latching onto the larger nipples. She doesn't have a cleft palate and there is no sign of milk bubbles when she does latch on. The poor little thing is using more energy nursing than she is taking in. I tried a private feeding again today with the same results.

Penny has lots of milk as the other pups weight gain attests to. I can easily express milk from all her nipples. I've weighed Ivy a couple of times today after the group fed from Penny and she weighs less than she did this morning.

So ... we mixed up a batch of Myra Savant-Harris' Canine Reproduction and Puppy Care (Yahoo Group) puppy formula. Little miss Ivy chugged down a whole ounce (30 ml) ... once she figured out that this large plastic thing I was trying to shove into her mouth provided food.

Before bedtime, Ivy took another 15 mL.

The photos below are of her first bottle feeding. I am using a vented bottle (Dr. Browns 2oz Bottle) to prevent colic and gas in her tummy. I also have her positioned upright like she would be when nursing from her Mom. Ivy kneads her little paws against my fingers like she does against penny's side when she nurses.

23 April 2009 (Thursday, Pups are 2 weeks old)

All the pups have their eyes open today. I was in Edmonton with my Mom yesterday and did not get a chance to weigh them. I am a little worried about the smallest girl as she is not gaining weight very well. I'll be keeping a very close eye on her to make sure she gets her turn at the milk bar. I think she may be getting brushed out of the way by her larger siblings.

Donna and Erin came to visit Penny and the pups today. Penny was very happy to see her Mom Donna and her Aunty Erin. Mini came for a visit too. She is a great Aunty and really knows what to do with the pups. Penny is not at all protective of the pups from Mini. Penny let Mini go right into the whelping box and clean the pups. I think that Mini would have gotten quite a shock had any of the pups latched on while she was in there.

21 April 2009 (Tuesday, Pups are 1 week 5 days old)

The bigger pups are starting to open their eyes today. Just tiny slits but they are starting. Of course, they cannot see anything yet. The biggest B/T male (Aldar) was walking up on all fours and Allan and I are both sure that we heard a puppy bark.

19 April 2009 (Sunday, Pups are 1 week 3 days old)

The puppies had visitors today. Joan and Alfred Branscombe of (Tamarindo Cavaliers) came for a visit this afternoon. We always have lovely long talks and I really enjoy their company. Joan and Alfred are absolutely fabulous friends.

Joan will likely take both girls to run on. She will keep the best show prospect of the two.

18 April 2009 (Saturday, Pups are 1 week 2 days old)

The little tri girl, Holly, really likes to sleep laying on her back. She is so relaxed and easy going already. It will be interesting to see if that trait remains as she matures. Rowan and Aldar are the first to weigh over one pound. All the pups continue to grow well.

We only have three people interested in pups so far. There are still pups available from this litter.

16 April 2009 (Thursday, Pups are 1 week old)

Penny is such a good Mom. She is quite comfortable leaving the pups for a while after they are fed and cleaned. She even tries to cover them up before she leaves the whelping box. She doesn't mind Tannus looking in on the pups as long as he does not cross the threshhold of the whelping box. You can be sure that she keeps a very close eye on him. Once Penny has had a little human time then she happily goes back to care for her puppies. She is a natural instinctive mom.

I've decided on names for the pups:

15 April 2009 (Wednesday, Pups are six days old)

Penny and Pups continue to do well ... no new news except that I added some photos from the 11 April and added the pups photo; a new one taken today.

14 April 2009 (Tuesday, Pups are five days old)

We had a little excitement today as the power was out for almost an hour. We were starting contingency plans to keep pups warm. Thankfully the power came back on before we had to put those plans into place. We are in the middle of a nasty April snow storm 15-20 cm. We need the moisture but could have done without it being in the form of snow.

13 April 2009 (Monday, Pups are four days old)

Penny has settled in very well in her new role of Momma. She is now comfortable enough to leave the whelping box and come and cuddle with us for a while. Penny has also discovered/remembered that Allan is the 'Treat Guy'. She is quite vocal and lets Allan know how many treats she thinks that she needs. Penny has discovered that Allan is very easy to train.

We made an appointment for the pups to get their shots at eight weeks; June 4th @ 1:30 pm. I'll order their microchips from the Canadian Kennel Club tomorrow.

12 April 2009 (Sunday, Pups are three days old)

HAPPY EASTER everyone! The pups continue to do well and gain weight. All have at least gained one ounce except for our smallest black & tan girl who gained less than half an ounce. We'll keep an eye on her and make sure she gets enough nipple time. Is there ever a difference between the largest black & tan boy and the small black & tan girl! I tried to take a side-by-side photo but they did not co-operate. I'll have to try just after their tummies are full and they want to sleep.

These pups are extremely active especially for being only three days old. Apparently Penny produces high energy agility pups. That is certainly what they felt like even before they were born. Definitely the most active litter we have had.

Interestingly ... the tri-colors have the pink noses as expected ... with the little black dots that will eventually merge into solid black. It looks like someone sneaks into the whelping box and adds a black dot with a felt tip marker each morning. The noses of the black & tans are already mostly black not pink at all. It must be the lack of the white gene in the black & tan that manifests this way. I hadn't noticed this on Penny as a pup.

11 April 2009 (Saturday, Pups are two days old)

The pups all gained weight from yesterday. I feel better now. I know that they often will lose a little of their birth weight in the first day. I like to see a gain every day.

Penny has her appetite back ... no more having to hand feed her. She'll eat anything I put in front of her. She gets two big meals a day and a few snacks.

Donna and Erin came for a visit. Penny was very glad to see her Mommy and her Aunty Erin. They were thrilled with Penny and the Pups. Erin is now a member of our family as Little Miss Mini Pearl went to live with Erin today. I know that Mini will have a wonderful home with Erin. Erin plans to start Mini learning agility ... under Donna's expert tutelage.

10 April 2009 (Friday, Pups are one day old)

Penny did very well last night. She managed to keep most of the pups close to her. I woke up a few times to the plaintive wail of a wee one who was separated from the herd. Poor Penny would just look at me forlornly then to her brood and then the missing pup as if to say Do I leave five for the one? She seemed content when I returned the wayward waif to her tender care.

Videos of Penny and her Pups

These are fairly large and may take some time to download. Please be patient.

9 April 2009 (Thursday, Day 62) 'P' Day!?! - UPDATE

The Puppies are Here!

The puppies have arrived. All six babies and Mom are doing well.

Here is the time line of this birth:
4:00 pm - The first sack presented. Not much in the way of nesting at all. A little panting but very low key. The panting is very distinctive ... almost high-pitched and rythmic. Allan fed Penny some Vanilla ice cream. Her favourite is Breyers Double churned natural vanilla.
4:30 pm - The sack is still presenting but I can't feel a pup in the birth canal. It could take as long as two hours as long as Penny is not in any distress I have to remain calm and reassuring for her. Penny is such a trooper!
5:00 pm - Penny started some pushing. You can tell because her back arches and her tail raises in an arc.
5:15 pm - I administered about 1 CC of CALSORB along with Nutri-Cal and walked Penny around the room for a few minutes. She is not wanting to go far.
5:30 pm - Penny delivered her first pup ... a black & tan male, nicely marked with only a few white hairs on his chest. He weighs 8.2 ounces. His placenta was retained and his was not the sack that initially presented. It is still there with no sign of the pup associated with it.
5:57 pm - I administered another 1 CC of CALSORB along with Nutri-Cal.
6:00 pm - Penny delivered her second pup ... a black & tan male, also nicely marked, but with slightly more white on his chest. He weighs 7.3 ounces. Both placentas were delivered and Penny ate one.
6:15 pm - Penny is napping & snoring as her two pups nurse contentedly.
6:27 pm - Penny ate more Vanilla ice cream.
6:28 pm - Penny delivered her third pup ... a black & tan girl, no white to be seen at all ... OK perhaps a couple of hairs on her chin. She weighs 5.8 ounces.
6:39 pm - Penny is napping and snoring ... good girl to conserve her energy as there is at least one more in there.
6:56 pm - The third placenta makes an appearance. Penny eats it and then promptly throws it back up. I administered oxygen to Allan to prevent his fainting. OK ... Allan insists I add that he didn't really almost faint. His face just went a few interesting shades of green.
6:59 pm - Penny delivers her fourth pup ... a tri-coloured girl (weighing 7.8 ounces) with a blanket back (not well broken up with white). This little one's colour was off so I administered oxygen and she pinked right up. This girl was quite vocal and Penny tried to take her from my hands by grasping her by the head ... very gently. I had to reassure her that the pup was fine.
7:10 pm - Penny is taking a much deserved nap ... and snoring of course ... she is a Cavalier after all.
7:14 pm - Penny woke up to throw up more placenta and some vanilla ice cream. Not a great combination .. Yuck! Good thing Allan missed this round. His stomach is very sympathetic.
7:29 pm - Penny delivered her fifth pup ... a Black & Tan boy with a white blaze like Penny had when she was born. He weighs 7.1 ounces.
7:39 pm - I didn't even have time to put the last pup on Penny to nurse when another pup slipped out. This one is a tri-coloured male weighing 7.1 ounces. He is nicely broken up colour wise. Penny didn't even grunt with this little one ... he just slipped right out.
8:11 pm - Penny slept while all six puppies (four boys, two girls, two tri-colours and four black & tans) nursed.
8:45 pm - Penny had her after whelping bath ... just her under-carriage to help her feel fresh. She is beat. I put her in the whelping box with all six of her pups. They are all resting well.

As each pup was born I used a straight locking mosquito hemostat to clamp the cord and cut it on Mom's side of the clamp. Then I'd suction the pup's mouth and nose with the DeLee. Then using a rough white face cloth I dried the pup and ruffed them up to make then sqeak ... getting their lungs clear and breathing strong. I'd then tidy up the cord if necessary by re-clamping and re-cutting; the hemostat/forceps works very well because it crushes the cord when it locks. No need to fuss with dental floss; I am just not that co-ordinated ... I've tried and failed miserably. The hemostats work much better. Then they get a drop of puppy vitamins and their first drink at the Mom Milk Bar.

Each pup, except the last, had to be separated from the placenta so that we could get it breathing as the placenta took a lot longer to deliver. Then each pup spent time in a heated Puppy Intensive Care box with Oxygen flowing at 2 litres per minute. When the pups were all nursing on Penny I would place the oxygen tubing near her nose so that she would get a little boost of oxygen while she slept recovering her strength for the next pup.

Between pups Penny was encouraged to rest. She was also given Nutri-Cal for an energy boost as well as Vanilla Ice-Cream and lots of fresh water.

We are very proud of Penny. She has done a fabulous job. We have never had more than four pups in a litter before now; we are thrilled! The pups are all doing very well and Penny is resting. Thanks Papa Niles ... you did a great job! You can be very proud of these babies.

I'll be sleeping in the dog room for the next few nights. Allan has kindly made a cot for me. I'll miss him ;)

9 April 2009 (Thursday, Day 62)

Penny was wandering aimlessly all through the house last night. She was checking all the dark corners scoping out possible locations to have her pups. She does go into her whelping box and nest quite often. She pants intermittently and cannot seem to get comfortable. I can't blame her as the pups are practicing gymnastics in her uterus.

This morning Penny is spending most of her time in her whelping box. I'm glad that she likes it but she dosn't need to be in there just yet.

We had a spa morning here yesterday. All the Cavaliers got their nails clipped and their feet trimmed. Penny got her rear feathers and tummy trimmed ready for the babies. Penny has milk already ... whelping will be soon. Will you look at the size of her belly?!?

8 April 2009 (Wednesday, Day 61)

Penny continues to do well. She can't seem to get comfortable poor baby. She is stretched out laying on her side shifting those babies into whelping position. No nesting or panting yet.

7 April 2009 (Tuesday, Day 60)

Penny's whelping box is ready to go and she approves as you can see from the photo below. I've also included a photo of the table of supplies I like to keep on hand during whelping.

• White wash clothes for wiping down pups
• DeLee Suction Catheter for suctioning airways
• Straight Mosquito forcep for clamping the cord
• Blunt surgical scissors for cutting cords
• Pad of paper and pen for recording details about the pups
• Calsorb, calcium supplement if Penny's contractions get weak
• Nutri-Cal gel vitamin supplement to mix with calsorb or to give Penny a boost of energy
• Gloves if I need to do an internal exam
• KY Jelly and a feeding tube and syringe if a pup is too large and needs some lube to grease its way out
• Icing for a bit of quick glucose for Mom or pups
• Off camera is Puppy Drops; vitamins given to pups at birth
• Off camera is an oxygen tank with medical regulator for blow by oxygen for pups and Mom
• Off Camera is a Puppy Intensive care box with heating pad ... just in case anyone needs special attention and to keep earlier pups warm while Penny is delivering the subsequent pups.
• Off camera are tubes of Fresh Frozen Plasma for pups who may not get collostrum or for Fading pups.
• Off camera is also a big tub of Breyer's Double Churned Natural Vanilla Ice Cream. We like to keep this handy for a boost for Penny during labour. It provides fluids, glucose and calcium wrapped up in a very neat and tasty package. I'm hoping that Penny will share with me.

6 April 2009 (Monday, Day 59)

Allan reported on facebook 5 days to go. She is very possessive of her chews and doesn't like to be crowded. Babies very active and seem to be moreso when she is growling at Tannus because he is too close!

Thank You Allan for keeping everyone updated while I got the Dog Show out of the way! We all appreciate your updates and comments and hope they continue on facebook.

The preparation has commenced ... now that the Dog Show is over. Penny's whelping box has been assembled complete with heated whelping nest. Her corner of the Dog room has been cleaned (Thanks Allan!) and the whelping assembly installed. I'll be bathing and trimming Penny today. Her nails will be clipped so that the puppies are not in jeopardy of being caught by a toenail. Her feathers will be trimmed so that they do not get too messy when she whelps. She will likely blow her coat after the pups are weaned so a little trim will not make much difference. Poor Donna, I'll be returning a naked skinny Cavalier to her once the pups are weaned and ready to be more on their own.

5 April 2009 (Sunday, Day 58)

Allan reported on facebook 6 days till P day. Penny sure likes her VERY big belly rubbed! A quick bath this morning and she has her happy camper ticket stamped again!

Penny is getting picky about her food ... although she will eat the very same food if I hand feed it to her ... LOL.

4 April 2009 (Saturday, Day 57)

Allan reported on facebook 7 days left and all's well in penny's world. Happy camper status continued.

FYI: The puppies will double in size in the last seven days.

3 April 2009 (Friday, Day 56)

Allan reported on facebook 8 days and counting. Babies are active this morning. Penny is still a happy camper!

2 April 2009 (Thursday, Day 55)

Allan reported on facebook Penny is doing great...I can feel babies in there! 9 days to go!

1 April 2009 (Wednesday, Day 54)

We picked up Penny from Donna today. Penny is definitely pregnant. She has quite the tummy on her and is very protective of it. She is a sweet girl and we will love having her with us. We would never have given her up except that the absolutely perfect home presented itself. Donna has done a wonderful job with Penny and she loves her very much.

12 March 2009 (Thursday, Day 34)

Donna reports Penny is getting quite the little tummy on her now and she is very sensitive to being touched there. Little monkey!

5 March 2009 (Thursday, Day 27)

Donna reports Update time and maybe a little more scientific!. Penny was off her food for a couple of days, her nipples are enlarged and pink and best of all I think I felt a golf ball today. She is very sensitive to being touched on the abdomen so I didn't feel around too much, but I am sure something is there!

28 February 2009 (Tuesday, Day 22)

Donna reported that Penny is more cuddly than normal and eating her out of house and home. Not a scientific method of determining pregnancy but we are keeping our fingers crossed.

10 February 2009 (Tuesday, Day 4)

Penny returned to a very happy Donna today. They missed each other very much. Donna will be visiting a lot while Penny and her pups are with us. Keep you fingers crossed for lots of lovely healthy puppies. Penny will return to have her pups at the beginning of April.

The photos below were all taken today. Tannus is Penny's Father. Mini is Penny's Niece. Then two photos of Penny after her bath drying herself on Allan's legs.

9 February 2009 (Monday, Day 3)

We picked Penny up from Wendy in Calgary this afternoon. She put Niles and Penny together today and apparently Penny does not smell as good as she did yesterday. Niles indicated that he was no longer interested in her. This is a good sign that she has conceived. Now we watch and wait. Check out our list of what to expect at each stage: Signs of Pregnancy.

7 February 2009 (Saturday and day 1 of Penny's heat, Day 1 after ovulation)

We received the following email from Wendy: "We had a good natural breeding this afternoon, will do another tomorrow and Monday. She should be ready to go home Monday afternoon if that would work for you. 63 days from ovulation (Feb 6) would make her due date April 10. Hope there are many lovely little whole colors!
-Wendy"

6 February 2009 (Friday - OVULATION)

We figure that Penny ovulated today; Pups will be born 63 days from ovulation making April 10th 2009, PUPPY DAY!.

5 February 2009 (Thursday and day 8 of Penny's heat)

Wendy took Penny in for Progesterone testing and sent an email with an update on Penny today:

"Her progesterone today was only 9.4 (which would account for why she snarls at him), she will probably ovulate tomorrow and hopefully we can get a breeding Sunday. Will keep you posted. She is a very easy girl to have here, gets along with everyone and does not bark at all. A welcome guest. Clark's girlfriend arrived this morning and we got a good breeding this afternoon (her progesterone was 13.4 early yesterday morning), she came in season the same day as Penny (Jan 28) which is why I love the prog tests - you really can't go by the calendar. The two girls quite like each other and play very well outside together. Will keep you posted.
-Wendy"

Wendy sent some wonderful photos of Niles his Father Clark and his Grandfather Winston. Visit Wendy's website ( www.dawnaquinn.com) to view more photos of her lovely dark beauties They are below:

You can see more photos of Penny on her page.

5 February 2009

The photos below were taken on Monday after we picked up Penny from Donna in Leduc.

3 February 2009

Down to Calgary with Penny today. Penny travels very well. I had to do the 'milk run' of errands on the way. Every time I returned to the truck Penny was watching my escapades from the driver's seat.

Niles and his father Clark were happy to see Penny but not interested in 'that way' just yet. Wendy and I both think that it will happen either this weekend or early next week.

2 February 2009

We met Donna in Leduc and picked up Penny. It sure was good to see her again. We had a good visit with Donna and we all agreed that if all goes well with this litter we will breed Penny back-to-back (as recommended by Dr. Hutchison) and then spay her.

30 January 2009

Donna has informed us that Penny is in heat. We will pick her up from Edmonton early next week and deliver her to Wendy in Calgary on Tuesday.

30 January 2009

First day of Penny's heat.