Pa and Ma

Lilly has been very agitated all day. The first pup, a big dark male showed up about 3:45 PM. She remained very upset, to the point I was getting worried. About an hour later pup number two made it's entrance, a well marked female. Thankfully Lilly has settled down now and is acting like the great mother she was for the first two litters. Ended up with 4 males and 3 females.

5/21/20 We got as surprise last night. She had her last pup a little after 7:00 PM, so we loaded up and headed home, her box was ready and waiting in the house. She settled in real good with the pups, got a good drink and much needed bathroom breaks. All was quiet until about 10:30, it was time to take her outside then call it a night. But, there was a wet green pup in the box and afterbirth on the pad. She had pup #8, three hours after the last pup! That pup the final tally to 5 males and 3 females. They are all doing great this AM and out in the puppy box for the day. Lilly is free to go in and out as needed, puppies are safe and secure.

5/23/20 It's becoming a little not fun! Lilly is basically dry on one side, and the other side is not producing that well. The stronger pups get the good stuff and the weaker ones get pushed out, so they get weak and chilled. I started out with 2 on a heating  pad in a box yesterday first thing, ended up with a third one in the box by noon. Once I got their core temp up I could get them to bottle feed, but nothing like they'd get from Lilly. After their early morning feeding I put them back with the rest of the crew about 3:30 AM, they were staying warm except for one, but still not getting enough food just before 6:00 AM. Another round of warm up and bottle feed and now we're going to the vet for a shot that will hopefully make Lilly lactate much more, cross your fingers.

5/23/20 Evening  

Ended up being a mixed emotion day. I got a little food in the female  that was the last one born about 5 PM, but it was even less than the  previous feedings, they kept getting worse. I went out about 7:30 to try  and feed again and the little girl had given up.

I don't now why  I get so emotional about a puppy that was only 3 days old, but I do.  Maybe it's because she didn't get a chance to live and be a happy dog  that brought years of joy to someone. Maybe because she fought so  hard, and wanted to live. Maybe because I failed to keep her alive, I  really don't know, but it makes it even harder to try and understand how  a person can choose to abort a baby and live with themselves afterward.

On the bright side, the shot to make Lilly produce more milk must have  worked. I did supplement one pup a little at 7:30, then back in with  Lilly and the rest he went. Apparently the whole crew is getting plenty  to eat now, they have all been quiet and content this evening, and in  turn Lilly is much more calm.

I picked up a new heat mat at TSC today, it covers about half the inside pup box, hopefully it helps, I'll know tonight!

5/24/20 Long day. There are still two pups that are struggling, one especially. I am taking them on and off a heating pad as needed, and bottle feeding, at times to supplement, at times full feeding, or as close to it as I can get. With the other pups gaining size and strength faster it makes it even more difficult, I've been trying to get the little guys hooked on Lilly while the others have full belly's and are sleeping. I'm pretty worried about one, and the "runt" worries me a little. He digs in the pile to try and feed but gets pushed around a lot. Not going to give up, within a few more days it should be a done deal, one way or the other.

5/26/20 For some reason I can not edit from home, so to get up to speed. At the 2-3 AM feeding I supplemented three pups, after warming them up first. They all took formula pretty well. At 5:30 all three had got a little chilled again so in the warming box they go. By the time I get to the last one, the little guy, he had given up, even though he fed best the feeding before. Everybody came to the shop with me today so I could keep a good eye on them. Unfortunately one more pup gave up early this afternoon. They go after the nipple, and were even hooked up on Lilly, but I just can't get enough in them to keep up with what they need for this rapid growth period, they just don't have the strength to hang on to Lilly and the swallow reflex is just pretty weak. I just got the last week one in a nipple, hope he will feed enough to rally.

5/28/20 Unfortunately the last weak pup did not gain strength to hang on. I could not get him to take formula at all yesterday, but he would attach to Lilly with help and also on his own, he just could not nurse hard enough to get what he needed, the little guy is resting with the others now. The two each, male and female left are all strong and growing like a weed, I'll add a one week picture to the slide show.

5/31/20 Well, more like 9 day old photo's. Male and Female #1 are bigger pups than the #2 of each, they did not want to pose for the camera!

6/01/20 The two bigger pups eyes are open now, the smaller ones are just starting, things will start getting fun now!

6/05/20 Look for their two week old pictures on the slide show. They are starting to get up and walk a little on their wobbly little legs, but they were not real excited about the paver blocks I put them on for the pictures!

6/11/20 Look for the latest video with each one marked once for ID. M1 is getting pretty bold, with F1 not far behind, but just from last evening to this AM they have really advanced. At 4:30 this morning when Lilly needed to go out I had four little sets of eyes watching me from the box. I took them out in the grass a little after six before continuing to the kennel, they all decided to "do their business" and get a little rowdy. You can feel the teeth just about to break through the gums.

6/14/20  F1 ended up outside in the kennel run today, so the "puppy guards" went up today. I had a small pup get its head stuck in the chain link once, not sure if it was a Brit or Munster litter, most likely it was Albert! The 2x4 wire takes care of the problem. By the time they can get above it (see picture) they are big enough their head won't get through anymore. 

6/15/20 After getting gnawed on by some needle sharp little teeth this evening, I decided it was time to try some kibble. It's mostly canines, so some warm water was added. I put it in their box, wondering if would take any encouragement to get them to try it, there was no need to worry!

6/17/20 The little guys are now litter registered with AKC. Since this is a newly recognized breed, they are under Foundation Stock Service (FSS), so registration was handled a little different, could not do it online. My understanding from talking with AKC is, once the number of Small Munsterlander's reaches a certain level, then they will go from FSS to a full recognized breed. There is no difference between an FSS and full registration as far as the dogs and recognition are concerned. We are doing more outside time now, I think it's about time for the second box to be taken down, they have all mastered going through the dog door and finding the food bowl!

6/19/20 It's the puppies first night staying out in the kennel with Lilly. Last night two of them kept escaping from the whelping box, so getting in and out of the box in the kennel is pretty simple and safe now. By the looks of the concrete they're getting pretty good at going out to do their business, next step will be going clear out into the grass! It's also Albert's first night in the house in just over four weeks now, he seems to be happy about the change.

6/22/20 The pups are starting to carry sticks and pine cones around the yard, and they're getting some supervised time aggravating Albert! I planned on some still shots, but the camera battery had different idea's. I did get a little video done though, see below.

6/25/20 Five weeks old and they are really getting rowdy! They want to play with Albert, and he wants to play too, but he's still just too big to be unsupervised. They are going off the concrete and into the grass to potty for the most part, and Lilly is starting to get grouchy about nursing, soo tonight's video below. F1 is now Delta and will be going home to Michigan, F2 is Janie and will be an Ohio resident.

7/04/20 Happy independence day everyone, I hope you all have a great holiday, and are not dealing with the miserable heat we are here! I have not posted a video for a while so everyone could see a bigger contrast as the pups grow.

Of course there had to be a bump in the road. When I got home from the shop Friday I noticed Janie squatting to pee way too frequently. At first I though maybe she was a little constipated, but shortly got visual proof that wasn't the case.

To make a long story short at 10:22 PM we were finally on our way home from the emergency vet with antibiotic for her UTI. Due to the holiday, my regular vet was closed until Monday and that wait was not acceptable. After just two doses she has regained her ornery, and not trying to pee as much, see video below!

7/16/20 The C Litter is all with their new families now, well, my big guy is in route to Vancouver. It seems like a long time, 8 weeks, but it goes too fast! It's really quiet in the yard tonight.