Greta and her week old puppies
- Greta and her pups
Greta‘s pups are getting so big. It’s been over a week since they were born and small enough to hold in the palm of my hands. Now they overflow, wriggling and squirming their way out. Just a day ago I noticed a lot of squeaking and practice barking. I wondered to myself what was up and realized that their ears were starting to open. To test this I gently but clearly tapped on the side of their whelping pen (the green wading pool you see in the pictures) and sure enough, they all startled! So cool to see their bodies right on target developmentally.
Greta has been sick but is finally getting better. I counted and she was having a loose, runny, large volume poop every two hours! You know what fun that is? I can’t even begin to tell you. The vet thinks her whipworm or hookworm infections may not have cleared with the first round of Panacur so we are doing a second three day dose. She also included a general antibiotic just in case in was something bacterial. It seems to have done the trick as she pooped three times today, just like a normal dog. Hopefully we’ll be out of that particular woods soon.
Pile of puppies!
I feel so bad for Greta. Until the foster mamas are given a clean bill of health I have to keep them quarantined, which basically means she spends the majority of the day and night by herself (with her pups of course) in a room. She does get frequent short potty walks (and is keeping her room clean!) and at least two long walks (45 minutes) each day, but still, she is bored and wants to hang out with me and the other dogs. Poor girl. Hopefully soon she’ll be able to get out and about more.
As you see from the pictures, the puppies mostly sleep. Lately I have been catching them sleeping on their backs with their little mouths open! So cute. They are clearly feeling safe and happy. When they are hungry and hear and smell Greta, they “walk” (more like a seal like of waddle thing than a really doggy walk) around their whelping pen crying their heads off, “looking” for her. Their eyes are still closed so mostly they snuffle around, bumping into one another. eventually they give up and just huddle together in a lump. Very cute.
See? Way bigger than a week ago!!
another puppy pile
Greta, getting away from it all
Greta and her 5 new puppies
Greta & her 8-hour old puppies
Well, another cycle begins! On Monday night around 9:30 I was sure that Greta was going to have her pups…she hadn’t eaten since noon, was peeing frequently and hiding out in her crate. I sat with her and watched the pups wriggling around under her skin. I could see bodies pass by, a head graze the surface, then a leg. It was intense and it seemed clear that they were readying themselves for action. But Greta, after grunting and looking at her back end with a startled look on a few occasions fell into a deep, deep sleep. I left after watching the scene for an hour, convinced there would be puppies by morning.
However, when I left for work at 8am, no one had arrived. I figured she’d wait until tonight, as most of the mama’s we’ve had deliver in the evenings. Was I surprised when I got home in the afternoon to find 6 dogs where originally there had been one! There are two white ones with black markings (a male and a female), one white one with brown markings, one solid brown one who looks like Greta, and one almost dark gray one, all females. Five in all and only one male. They are strong and healthy – no ribs showing at all! This is by far the healthiest litter we’ve had, and it further supports my belief that Greta was an owner surrender. Makes me sad, as she was clearly loved and cared for. She is the sweetest, friendliest and most easy going dog we’ve had. I have really grown attached to her and am a bit sad to have to share her now with her puppies.
Greta's 8-hour old puppy
Dogs change when they have their litters to care for – they become more serious, and far less “needy” of my attention. Where just a day ago Greta tried everything in her power to get me to pet her and pay attention to her, happily wagging her tail anytime I was in her line of vision, now she just looks at me with a calm gaze, suggesting that my presence, while benign, is slightly annoying. I actually feel out of place around her! She has it all together and my attempts to help feel clumsy and unnecessary. It really felt good to see her reaction when I opened a can of wet food. She didn’t need the wet food, I just opened it to see that look again – her joy at my abilities to provide her with something she wanted. I know that this will change, as she gets tired of her role, she’ll want to be a dog again, but for now, I feel left out.
Update from Boomer’s family
Boomer
Hi Kristin!
Here is a photo from last weekend of Boomer smiling on our bed! He smiles all the time, now. He is doing great and has reached a number of milestones! He has passed the six month age mark, the fifty pound mark and graduated in awesome fashion from his first round of puppy classes!! He is now on week four of “Puppy II” classes and doing fabulously! Everyone wants to know what breed this beautiful dog is! I say I don’t know. Everyone is fascinated and charmed with his big ears. : ) They look like Shepherd ears but I am guessing he also has some cattle dog somewhere in his genetic make up. Thank you for saving him and getting him to us. He is a treasure.
Best, Kathy
Kathy, thanks so much for the photo and update! I love his look!! He looks a lot like my dog Bella who we also think is some sort of Shepherd/Cattle dog mix. He is a lucky dude to have such dedicated pet owners. It makes me smile to see him so happy. Thanks for giving him such a great life!
-Kristin
A day at Doggie Boot Camp
From time to time, some of the dogs we have fostered or trained will come and stay with us for a ‘doggie boot camp’ of sorts. This weekend we’ve hosted Otis and Teddy – here are some photos of their day today…
Otis, enjoying the beautiful day
Teddy visits the windy park
Otis works off the highlife on the treadmill
Teddy finds some shade
Brady has grown into a good dog
I recevied a note from the owner of Brady (formerly known as Cupid from Annie‘s litter).
Kristin,
I wanted to write and let you know how wonderful of a dog Brady is. He is so eager to please and is currently in training classes which have taken him from a good dog to a great dog. I can not express how happy I am having rescued him. I am attaching a few pictures and will be getting some more soon . hope you like them!
Here is my response:
Lisa,
Thank you SO much for passing these photos on to me! I remember you well, wasn’t your other dog named Bella? I am very happy to hear that Brady is giving you so much love and is being a good boy. I get to see his brother, Donner now named Bauer, every Monday at a free, off leash playtime I run. It is great to get to see my babies all grown up! If you are ever in the St Charles area you have to bring him by for a visit!
Thanks again for the update – it means so much to me.
-Kristin
Another wonderful party
Chloe’s family reunion was a hit – again! What fun we all had even in the sweltering 90 degree heat. We just put out a huge bucket of water for the dogs, gave the kids those extra large squirt guns and all sat in what shade we could find. Again, I am convinced the dogs all remembered one another. At a gathering of dogs who do not know each other there is much more sniffing and posturing; they are all trying to figure out what sort of rank they will fall into. Not this group – they literally met each other at a full speed run, joined up nose to nose, and ran on together with only a few nose nudges and happy pants. It was one of those sights that makes you feel good – like your own heart is out there running fast with them. Very good time. More photos will be up shortly…
