Visits and Payment Information

For all of you who have sent deposits I have sent emails to you regarding payment and visits, but here is the basic information:

May 18 send a puppy down payment check by that date
June 15-16 best weekend for picking pups....individual appointments made...other days also possible
June 23 last day to send the balance on puppy.  After that bring CASH ONLY at pick up.
July 7-8 weekend to pick up pups....individual appointments made.

Contact me for questions and scheduling appointments.

3 Days old!

Dixie is absolutely thrilled with her puppies!

Yesterday the pups were 2 days old, but since they were born the evening before, they were still very young.  I left them in the quiet bathroom most of the day, and just checked periodically to see how Dixie was doing.  Occasionally she would jump up and run out of the room.   She seemed so excited she would bound around the house, throw her paws up on my lap and look at me grinning from ear to ear.  It was as if she was trying to say, "Isn't it wonderful!  Isn't it wonderful!"   Without a doubt Dixie is thrilled with having another litter!

3 day old apricot Schnoodle

This evening we moved the puppies out of the basement and into the Office room.  It will be warmer for them in the office when I turn the air conditioning back on.  I have had it turned off since Dixie first went into labor.  It was important that the puppies do not get a chill.  So I kept the house around 78 degrees over the last several days.    

After setting up the play yard, the kids are thilled that they can see the puppies more.

The good thing about the puppies being on the main floor is that I can check on them more often and let Dixie out without running down a flight of stairs.

We use a very sturdy plastic fenced square that keeps the puppies in and the little kids out.  I still have to tell them to give Dixie some quiet time.  They are so excited about the puppies they could watch them for hours.

2 day old Schnoodles

Our litter is doing really awesome this morning.  Dixie is also doing exceptionally well.  So I am absolutely thrilled.  I watch the litter especially carefully for the first week, to make sure the puppies are continuing to thrive and eating will.  Dixie too must be watched to make sure she shows no sign of infection. 

Snuggling up with Mama

Another cozy spot!

Seven Puppies!

Seven beautiful healthy puppies...all in a heap!

Dixie has seven beautiful puppies!   Phew I have to say, I feel like I just went through a birth myself.  It was quite an ordeal, and I was praying pretty hard, more than once.

So #6 came along and that was fine.

But somehow I had an intuition that #7 was going to be trouble.  Dixie was so exhausted she just lay there and pushed.  But she was still doing a good job taking care of her puppies, so I felt encouragement by that.  So when she started to push on #7 for the third time, and that little puppy started presenting himself, I was NOT wanting him to pop back in.  I was there and ready to assist as needed.  As he started to come through, I could see his tail and feet through the sack.  He was BREACH!

Oh darn it.  I know all about breach birth.  My daughter Christina was a breach baby.  I remember all the things the doctor told me during her birth.  How important it was that her arms are down and she come out one shoulder at a time, so she doesn't get stuck.  Luckily, I had also read just the other day, what to do for a breach puppy.  That you have to push them towards the Mama's belly button to help them come out right.   So I pushed a little and pulled after that...and out he came!   Whoo hoo!  All healthy and well.  Just like my little Christina.  And Dixie seemed no worse off for it.

I have to tell you all.  I have never had to intervene in any of Dixie's past births. They always went well enough.  With her first birth, she did have a still born.  It was the eighth puppy to be born, and it took a long time to come.  (that litter took 7 hours to be born.)  Still born pups are harder to deliver...so I felt blessed that I did not need to intervene on her behalf.

But now I feel like I am truly a mid-Woof.  I was able to help out when it was needed, and the pups all look healthy and strong!  Dixie, exhausted as she may be, is still caring for her pups and looking good after her long labor.   Thank you, Jesus!

How sweet they are as they cuddle up for warmth.

So here is the list of our litter:  Please note that when the puppies are first born it is tricky to tell the color of their wet fur.   But here you can get a good idea from these last photos. 

1.  Light apricot BOY  -- 2:17pm

2.  Med.apricot BOY  --- 4:00pm 
3.  Med apricot GIRL   --- 4:10 pm
4.  Light apricot BOY --- 4:25 pm
5.  Dark Red GIRL    --- 4:55 pm
6.  Medium apricot GIRL--  5:45 pm
7.  Dark Red BOY      ---6:05 pm

We have taken Dixie outside and she used the potty.  Then she ate a bowl of kibble and drank her water.  This is a very good sign that she is doing well.

The whelping box all cleaned up and fuzzy blankie will keep them warm.

I left Dixie nursing her puppies quietly in a dark room.   I will check on her before bed, but I don't wish to disturb her further.  We will wait to rinse her in the morning.  She's still quite a mess, but I feel like she needs to rest right now.

Happy Mother's Day Dixie!!!

Happy Mother's Day to Dixie who is presently the mother of 5 beautiful puppies (perhaps more...)  She just finished delivering # 5 and is cleaning him up now.

First boy born at 1:17 pm

The first pup, a light apricot male, was born at 1:17 pm.  She had a LOT of trouble delivering puppy #2.   She pushed and pushed and he kept popping back in.  Then she would rest for a long time and try again.  After a while I realized, that he must be stuck and the other pups in the litter were at risk.   So I started lubricating him with KY Jelly when he was partially out.  Then I got a good grip on him when I was able to grab the feet and I wiggle him out.  It was pretty stressful.  It was 4 pm when he was finally born.  I  thought he was dead, he was so still.  But his color was good, so I kept my hope alive.  I cannot tell you how relieved I was when Dixie licked him up and he started to cry.

Dixie gives her first pup his first bath!

After that #3 (girl) and #4 (boy) came quickly.  Dixie rested some more and at 5:00 she had #5.   She's still cleaning him up.  He is the darkest of all...we called him Hershey.  (But I still don't know if he's a boy or girl)  It looks like her belly is still round.  So she could have more pups in there... I will go back to her now, and see how things look.

My 17 yr old daughter is with Dixie now.  She has helped me with all the litters.  So we are now talking about a career as a mid-Woof.   Sounds like she could be good at it!  LOL!

First puppies gets all the attention!

While Mama rests, first puppy looks for the dairy queen.

 

Happy Mothers Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms who are watching the blog!

Here at my house we started our Mothers Day by all going to church together.  (At least all of us at home....My hubby is out of town at his brother's wedding)  When we got home the kids gave me roses and chocolate.  Then they set about to make me breakfast with waffles, strawberries, and whip cream.   Just as you might expect, they put too much butter in the waffles, and didn't mix the eggs properly...so the waffles were kind of like rubber.  My daughter was so crushed that they didn't turn out perfectly.  I thought it might ruin her day....but I hugged her and told her how much it meant to me that she would go through all this trouble and that we were all together celebrating this day.   That lifted her spirits quite a bit, and we sat down together and ate the waffles despite their interesting texture.  Everyone agreed that with lots of strawberries and cream, it wasn't so noticeable after all!

After breakfast, I sat with Dixie for a while.  Her belly is not a smooth ball but has hills and valleys that wiggle about.  It makes me feel bad for her.   One of my kids was so active in utero that I had trouble sleeping at night.  I imagine that Dixie must feel the same...but probably worse as she has several little ones kicking and squirming at once. 

After that I followed Dixie outside where she meandered around the yard.  For me, the anticipation of puppies on Mother's Day brings out all the joyful memories of anticipating the birth of my own children.  This morning I notice that Dixie has a bit of diarrhea.  No worries, as this is a typical Stage 1 Labor thing.   She kept trying to relieve herself, but nothing happened.  It is quite possible she is beginning to feel pressure and contractions.

When we came in, I sat down at the computer to write this update post.  Dixie climbed into her crate, sleeping quietly for several minutes, then breathing heavily and panting at times.  She definitely is showing more labor signs then yesterday.  My kids wanted to take a walk through the trees, down to the lake behind our house...but I don't think Dixie can do that kind of a walk today...and I don't think we should leave her either.  I think they will be OK with that.

I think I will start charting her activity so I will notice the pattern of her contractions.   It will give me a better idea of when she is in Stage 2 labor.

Dixie panting heavily in labor

...oooo Dixie's panting some more....wants to go outside.  Well I better follow her out there.

.....Ok  now she's back in her crate moaing and tearing her linens aapart....I have to take care of her now... I'm taking her to our largest bathroom where we will put her whelping box...and have everything ready...I think she's going to have puppies soon!!!!

In between contractions she rests.

The stages of Labor

Here are the signs I am looking for as Dixie progresses through her labor.  I suspect she is currently in Stage 1 labor....but this can last for several days.

Stage 1

• Temperature will drop to 98 degrees or so...
• Eyes will dilate
• She will stare at you and want you near
• Refusal to eat
• Hide under your bed or a dark place
• Laying on her side but can't seem to get comfortable
• Mucus Discharge

Stage 2 - Pre-Labor
• Digging
• Shivering
• Panting
• Staring at her rear end
• Licking vulva excessively
• Mild Uterine Contractions

Stage 3 - Labor
• Hard Uterine Contractions
• Extreme Shivering
• Water Breaking
• Grunting and pushing
• Visible sign of the First pup and delivery (Whelp)

Still nesting!

When I walk into the office Dixie immediately climbs into her crate.

This last week of waiting for puppies it is so hard to have patience.   Just knowing the puppies could come at any time keeps me on my toes.  Over the last few days I got most everything that I needed for the whelping.....but I forgot one thing.... the thermometer.   If I was taking Dixie's temperature, I would not be caught off guard with the birth of the puppies.  24 hours before the litter is born, the dogs temperature drops several degrees down to 98 degrees.  It would give me a good amount of warning for the whelping of the litter.   But since I do not have a thermometer, I just have to observe Dixie.

Tonight she is going around from one corner to another digging around.   If I sit in the office she will go into her crate right away.  Hopefully, if she happens to begin whelping without my noticing...she will choose her crate to do so.

Last year, it was quite noticeable when Dixie went into heavy labor.  I was able to sit with her through this time and observe the birth of the first puppy.  So hopefully, I can do the same this year.  Beginning tonight, I will have Dixie sleeping in the master bathroom.  So she will never be alone.

Our Friday roundness Report!

Since another week has gone by since we last checked Dixie's belly, I did my job and got the camera out to see how she has grown.   Here she is!    All photos were taken today.

All is normal today

Dixie has a good run first thing this morning!

Well after that middle of the night disturbance, we had a relatively calm day.  When I got up this morning Dixie looked perfectly relaxed.  The dogs ran out into the woods as on any other day, and Dixie had a good run, since there was a hiker just beyond our back fence. 

I ran out to the stores, just as I had planned.  Happily I got all the supplies that I needed.  Dixie was still the same when I returned home.

I will say though that she continues in her nesting ways.  I put our XL Dog crate in the Office room and through some blankets in there.  Dixie ran in immediately to dig around in the blankets and give the crate a try.  She seemed to really like the secure feeling of being inside the hard shell surroundings.  I think she will do much better nesting in there (and my rugs will appreciate it too!)