Winner of the Topaz Edition (Guess How Many Puppies)

So...

The winner for the Topaz edition of our Guess How Many Puppies contest is...

Emma P,

who guessed 5 puppies with the first botn on May 20 at 15:30 - so she had the number right and was within a mere two hours (and one minute) of the first birth!!!

Emma will receive a $10 gift card to Tim Horton's or Chapter's.

 

CONGRATULATIONS!

Topaz's puppies have arrived!!!

We are pleased to announce the arrival of Topaz’s puppies!!

They actually arrived on Wednesday, May 20 - very conveniently around the supper hour. The first one "popped out" at 5:30, and she was done by a bit after 8pm. The "important people" (i.e., those with reservations on or interest in this litter) received prompt notification. But this time of year is so busy, the rest of you have had to wait a few days to get the news. (As in - Thursday was my daughter's birthday, Friday was house cleanup evening, Saturday we worked at the spring yard cleanup at our church in the morning and ran in the Ottawa Race Weekend 5km in the afternoon, Sunday we volunteered at the Race Weekend handing out medals for the marathon and half marathon... And of course walking dogs, watching and weighing puppies, feeding dogs...)

Anyhow, we have - as predicted by the ultrasound a month ago - 5 beautiful babies!

Puppy #1: born at 5:30pm, male, red parti, weighing 227g

Puppy #2: 5:47pm, male, apricot, 174g

Puppy #3: 7:02pm, male, red, 180g

Puppy #4: 7:08pm, female, apricot, 133g
                (I think she is the smallest puppy we have ever had!)

Puppy #5: 7:51pm, male, red parti, 244g

Pups and Mama are doing well.

Here are a few shots of the beautiful babes!!

Happy birthday Lyra, Cassie, Corona, Gatsby and Ziggy!

Here's one more – they’re turning four!!

Garnet’s first litter is already FOUR years old! (That means Garnet herself will be six in summer – where did the time go?!) We’ve seen Lyra and Cassie quite frequently over the years, and even Ziggy has joined us for a Romp once or twice over the years all the way from Montreal. (It helps that he has human family here in Ottawa.) Gatsby and Corona, if you’re reading this, let us know how you’re doing!!

 

What with the two new litters born earlier this month, this is now the fourth May litter we have had in our program, and the seventh spring litter (counting March as spring). That's one-third of all our litters born in May - as well as both my kids and my mom! Popular month, that.

Happy fourth birthday!

We wish you many new exciting adventures in the coming year.

(Oh, and happy birthday to my daughter, too, who is now in high school!)

Topaz: Almost there!

At just over 8 weeks’ gestation, Topaz’s puppies could be born any time.

During this third trimester, the foetuses have completed almost all essential development except for eyes and ears, and spend most of their time gaining weight and size. Their bones have calcified and they have fur. 

With Topaz being a fairly small girl, she’s getting nice and fat, which makes it easy to see the movement of puppies inside. Topaz will be joining us tonight so we can begin to monitor her temperature for signs of imminent whelping. Given her issues with delivery of her first litter, we may give her extra calcium up front to ensure things go smoothly and we don’t lose any puppies this time. The whelping box will go up today or tomorrow and we’ll set her crate aside, so we can keep a closer eye on her.

Stay tuned for a birth announcement likely by the end of the week!

Happy birthday Harmony, Brio, Shiva, Darwin and Rusty

You’re one year old today!

These were Topaz’s first puppies – and within a short while they’ll be joined by her second litter, due in about 10 days!



Harmon is one!

We are using a musical theme for the names we give Topaz’s puppies, which have now been joined by the new names some of the families gave them:

• Harmony
• Brio
• Darwin Caprice
• Rusty Rococo
• Shiva Piccolo

Harmony is a regular Doodle Romp attendee, and one of our breeding prospects. Next spring maybe we’ll be welcoming her first litter, who knows? We’ve also had a chance to meet Brio a few times with his family at a couple of Romps. We’d love to see Rusty again, as he’s close enough to attend, though he and his family lead a busy life. Shiva lives in Montreal and Darwin in Toronto so the chances of meeting up with them are rare, though pictures are always appreciated.

Happy first birthday! Many spring romps through the fresh green grass!