Our Litter of Miniature Schnoodle Puppies Has Arrived!

2 boys and 2 girls...the lightest puppy is a boy.

 

Misty's litter is born!   2 boys and 2 girls!   The babies were born between 11:15 pm and 1:30 am. last night ...Oct 1, 2015.   The delivery was very smooth.  Yah!   The puppies are little skinny things...but they are very vigorous and strong.  They know how to find their mamma, their food, and keep warm.  And thankfully, they are nursing very well.   I am so grateful for a smooth delivery!

 

This puppy wants to find his mamma.  He will climb over any puppy that gets in his way!

 

 

Misty took her time getting up this morning.  I hand fed her and watered her, since she didn't seem to want to leave the puppies to eat.  After breakfast, when she had revived her energy, she jumped up and ran to the door.  I let her run outside to relieve herself.  As soon as she came in, I hurried to bath and dry her.  I knew she would not want to be away from her puppies too long.  But bathing her is also important, as it keeps the puppies environment clean....and as you can imagine....a white dog after delivery, is not a pretty sight!

 

 

 While Misty was taking a potty break this morning I put the puppies in a box with a heating pad.  Then I quickly cleaned out the whelping pool, and replaced the damp newspaper with a fresh Sherpa liner.   Ahh!  It makes me feel so much better knowing everything is fresh and clean again.  

The first 24 hours of life is the most crucial time for a puppy, as that is when the mortality rate is at its highest.  Nature equips the mother with the natural instinct to fuss over her puppies most especially at this time.  She is super protective, and rarely leaves their side.

 

For my part, I will keep the puppy room warm and free from drafts.  I also watch to see that the puppies are eating, and sleeping quietly.  Making sure the mamma is eating and drinking normally is also very important.   I do everything I can to pamper are mamma and babies.  Thankfully we have never lost a  puppy yet! 

Counting down the last week of pregnancy!

We are counting down the last days of Misty's pregnancy as her due date is from Saturday, Oct 3 to Wednesday Oct 7.    I have a range for her delivery date, since you can calculate the date from the first breeding or the last breeding.  We do not know exactly when she conceived her litter.

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Look look how much rounder Misty has grown compared to a month ago when I groomed her! (see last post)

So far this pregnancy has been going very well for Misty.   She has been eating well and looking great.  Even as her stomach has grown into a 'pot belly', she still does not look to be too uncomfortable, only much less energetic.  Which is perfectly normal as she is carrying a lot of puppy weight.

We are all ready for the delivery now.  I shaved Misty's fur off her belly, so she would stay cleaner with the nursing puppies.  We set up the baby pool with plenty of absorbent towels and newspaper handy..

A blanket adds to the privacy.

Misty likes her new cave.

Over the last few weeks Misty has been disappearing under beds to take her daytime naps.  It makes her feel more secure being in an enclosed space.  But I prefer to see and hear her.  So today I made her a cave by draping blankets over an extra large crate.  Hopefully I access her progress well enough that she does not deliver any puppies in there. I prefer for her to whelp in the baby pool where I can reach in and clean up.  But we will see what happens.











I expect Misty still has a few more days before delivery, as she hasn't been sighing, whining or avoiding food, which often happens when a dog is in early labor.   So please be patient.  We may have several more days to wait.

Last Grooming before the Whelping.

Here is a photo of Misty taken on Aug 30 at her last grooming before she had a puppy bump.   I knew she would be getting rounder quickly in September and not so comfortable standing on the grooming table.   So I did one last full groom before her whelping.

Because I like to stretch grooming as long as possible, I cut Misty's fur on her back very short.  You you can see her skin through the fur.  She looks a little grey because of this.  But her fur grows quickly.  Within a week or two the fur will fill in and she looks white again.   (see photos taken  a few weeks later in the post that follows)

Misty stands 14 inches tall and weighs 20 lbs.   She is a calm loving Schnauzer who is happiest on a walk or curled up on our lap watching TV.    She is eager to please and quick to learn.    Her puppies will be just as sweet and lovable.  Most likely they will even be smarter the the Schnauzer since their Papa is a Poodle (the second smartest breed of dog )  I am excited to see the adorable Schnoodle puppies that Misty and Ricky the Poodle will produce.

Miniature Schnoodle litter Due Oct 3

I just took a look at the calendar and was a little shocked to realize we have only about 2 weeks to Misty's Due date of October 3.    I have been noticing Misty looking very pregnant, but it seemed like October was still a ways off.   With the start of school and all the activity around that, September is flying by!   I need to put my mind back in puppy mode fast.   That means getting out the whelping box and whelping supplies.  It pays to have everything ready a few weeks early because puppies can arrive as much as  1 week early.   And so two weeks can easily turn into 1 week.  

Please note that I always announce litters on the blog as soon as I can humanly do so.   Sometimes it can be pretty exhausting waiting for the last puppy, especially if I have been up all night with a laboring dog.  But I am always very excited to share the news, so check the blog periodically beginning Sept 26, in case the litter is born early.

For those people who are near the top of the Miniature Schnoodle Waiting list, I will call you if there is a puppy available for you.  I want to wait until the litter is born, so we will know how many boys and girls we have.   I start at the top of the list, and work my way down.   I will email the first 7 people now and make sure I have their current phone numbers ready.   If anyone is not ready for a puppy in December (at 8 weeks old), then I will find that out as well.  We are very excited for our upcoming litter!   I am sure you are excited too!

These photos taken last week.  Misty grows rounder every day!

Update on Bear at 3 months old

Hi Mary,
I thought I would send you an update.  Bear has started puppy classes.  He is very smart, but a little head-strong.  Potty training is going well.  Still some accidents but not too often.  He is the sweetest and cutest pup ever.   We can't take him anywhere without people young and old wanting to pet him.  He is already 6 lbs. just to give you an idea of how the litter is gaining.  Hope you enjoy seeing what a beautiful boy you raised.  You recognize the other puppy....He loves that stuffed dog!
Thanks,
Hilda

Thank you for the update and photos, Hilda!   I do love to see the puppies growing bigger and fluffier!  Bear is absolutely adorable.  Thank you for providing Bear with such a loving home!   ---Mary

Bear 2 1/2 months.

I received an update from Bears family at the beginning of August and at the time I was having trouble getting the pictures up.  Happily, I was able to load them today.   Yah!   They are so adorable.  I know you  will enjoy them!

Bear (taken Aug 1)

Hi Mary!  Thought you would like to see a picture.  We went to the groomer on Friday and the groomer said he was great.    I told them it was because of you.   Thanks for a great puppy!   -- Hilda

 

Update on Cheerio ( 3 months old)

Cheerio at 3 months old

Cheerio is doing fine.  Can't wait for those baby teeth to fall out.  He is a wonderful boy.  The cat might not agree, he really likes to use Nigel (the cat) as a chew toy.  He is doing pretty well with potty training, or maybe we are.  Doesn't quite get it yet.  We have just gotten bells for the back door and he does seem to like ringing them to go out.  Everyone at work loves seeing him  He sleeps a good portion of the day.  Here are two pictures of him looking over this 'wall' at work. 

Heather.

Cheerio goes to work with his Mom!  How lucky!

From Mary:
I am so thrilled to see these pictures.  I want to scoop Cheerio up and give him a kiss!  What a cutey pie!   So glad you two are enjoying your time together!

Schnoozin with Schnauzers

I want to share something funny about our dogs.  These dogs are bundles of love!  Whenever I lie down on the couch ...at any time of the day....the dogs are on me in seconds.    They love to snuggle up close and get cozy.   So be forewarned when you buy a puppy.  One puppy is a bundle of love.  Two puppies is a dog pile.  And three puppies...well, you might just get suffocated!   

Just taking a moment to kick back!

Crate Training Your Dog

When my puppies go to their new homes, they have already been introduced to the crate. When their new owners put their bed in their crate, they come to prefer sleeping in their 'special' place. Here are some reminders about Crate Training for puppy owners....

A comprehensive guide to choosing the right crate and the steps you should take to start crate training your dog - An infographic by the team at That Fish Place - That Pet Place.

Our Stud Ricky

I wanted to share some recent photos of Ricky our Stud dog.  He is not fully groomed in these photos.   But I thought they were pretty cute anyway.

Ricky is a super friendly poodle with an even temperament.  I feel blessed that we have such a wonderful father for our litters.