One month old! (And comments on colour)

Yesterday the puppies celebrated their one month-i-versary!!! In the past 31 days they have about quadrupled their birth weight, opened their eyes and ears, started walking, grown a first tooth, and started to eat “solid” food (well, it’s still pretty mushy…) They are beginning to explore their world and learning to interact with other dogs and humans. They’re good for a lot of laughs! In just one more month they’ll be ready to head to new home, new families, and new adventures!

A few comments on colour:

We're seeing some interesting markings on Antares, our black male. It almost looks like he might be brindle, except that the banding in his fur is more grey/silver than tan. When we lift up his fur, the roots and base seem to be lighter grey coloured too, not black. Maybe it's the fading/silver gene, and he's going to end up silver or blue???

Corona is showing some similar banding, though not as much as Tarry. I'm beginning to have doubts that she's phantom - the paler line along her butt seems to be disappearing, though one one her chest is not. She is still really cute with her white paws, though!

Our Cassie (Cassiopeia) is pure black, with no markings.

Little Helios also shows interesting colouration. He has a definite white exclamation mark down his head and forehead, and an almost a tuxedo pattern of lighter/darker fur in his coat. His paws and belly are very pale, while his back and head are darker. He's almost the most phantom-looking of the bunch, but he's cream!

For her part, Lyra is mostly an even caramel colour, not too much variation in her fur, but she's developing curls more than some of the others.

I'll add some better photos as soon as ai get a chance.

Each and every one of them is cute as pie!

It's about time!!!

Sorry for the long absence... It's been a hectic few weeks. (Is it ever not?!?)

The puppies are now just shy of four weeks old and boy have they changes!!

Their eyes have been open for about ten days. Their ears opened around the same time, so they are now able to hear and see!  Vision is still somewhat blurry, but their ears are becoming keener. Above all, they have legs!!! I mean, usable legs. Early on they crawled like little alligators, with legs splayed off to the side. But now they have gotten their legs underneath them, so they can walk and are starting to run. they are still a bit wobbly, so occasionally they just tumble over and then sometimes lie there flailing a little before getting their feet under themselves again.

It is so sweet to watch them beginning to play and be sociable. Two of the them might mouth each other, or one bat the other with his paws, or they might just tumble into one another. Grandma Amore gets playful with them from time to time - and thankfully Mama Garnet doesn't mind.

They do still spend most of their time sleeping, but the periods of playfulness are becoming more frequent and longer. Go pups, go!

One week update

Garnet's five puppies are growing well. They are edging towards double their birth weights - another 2-3 days should do it - and are getting fat and round and snuggly. With their eyes and ears still closed and their little legs still underdeveloped for the size of their bodies, they still resemble fat little gophers more than puppies. But we see them crawling around using the alligator walk (i.e. with legs splayed to the sides rather than underneath them) which is enough for them to get to Mama Garnet when they are hungry and they can smell her presence.

Cassiopeia

Lyra 

Antares 

Helios 

Corona Borealis 

They spend most of their time sleeping, eating and pooping, but when we pick them up they will snuggle into the crook of our elbow or into our neck. Corona and Lyra seem to be the calmest of the bunch and they are also now the smallest and biggest - Lyra has passed borther Antares in weight!

By next Saturday some of them may have their eyes open. That is the first milestone in their development.

There's always one who marches to a different drummer...!

Birth on a Birthday!!!

Garnet had her x-ray last night. Skulls and spines of 5 puppies were clearly visible.

Her temperature was at 99.1 on Friday morning, which is a drop from the normal canine temperature of about 101 (F). Friday evening it was at 97.7. Temperatures below 99 degrees at two consecutive twelve-hour intervals are a sign that whelping is imminent - within the next 24 hours.

Since the morning temperature wasn't below 99 I wasn't sure if we'd see whelping Friday night/Saturday a.m. But seeing as it had dropped, we moved the whelping box into my bedroom just in case and the kids and I (and Amore) all had a sleepover.

Around 2 a.m. Mo jumped out of the bed and, I thought, began pacing. But no - my daughter woke too, and said "Mom, it's Garnet pacing - I think the puppies are coming, she's straining hard!"

So she and I moved the whelping box back into the kitchen, as quietly as possible, so as not to wake my son who was still asleep. It did, indeed, look like hard labour - Garnet was pushing and straining and pacing back and forth. I warned my daughter that it might be a while yet, but lo and behold, at around 3:15 a.m., the first head emerged and within a couple of minutes the first puppy was out! My son had awoken and come to the kitchen just moments before, so he was in there like a dirty shirt, being midwife (mid-husband?) to the puppies as they came.

Ten minutes later a second puppy came, after which Garnet took a break for almost an hour before delivering #3. The fourth arrived after another's hour's rest, and #5 followed shortly after.

Here is the final outcome:

#1 - black female, born at 3:17 a.m., weight 194g, "Cassiopeia"


#2 - black male with a white "beard," born at 3:28 a.m., weight 229g, "Antares"

#3 - black female with pale paws & under-tail markings, white "beard" and "tie," born at 4:25 a.m., weight 177g, "Corona Borealis"

#4 - caramel female, born at 5:35 a.m., weight 207g, "Lyra"

#5 - cream male with a white blaze on his forehead, born at 5:59 a.m., weight 204g, "Helios"

Mother is doing fine and puppies are suckling well.

(Garnet's chin looks white here just because it is in the sunshine!)

My daughter turns 11 today - she said this is the best birthday present ever!!

Update on Garnet

Garnet arrived at our house from her Guardian Home yesterday, looking plump and well-rounded. She is getting used to being here again with Mama Momo and our two lively kids (instead of the four lively kids she has at home!).


My daughter said she thinks Garnet is looking more settled and motherly. Good imagination, kiddo! But she still didn't want to stand still for us to take her temperature. We'll try again  tomorrow!!

We will be taking Garnet for her puppy count x-ray on Friday late afternoon and will report our findings shortly thereafter. We are sure hoping for at least the 4 or 5 seen on the ultrasound!

Garnet is due on Victoria Day Monday, May 23, so we won’t be going very far from home over the long weekend. Playing in the nearby fields and forest with Garnet and Amore, and perhaps taking a fishing trip to the canal, will be our main long weekend activities, while watching for signs of imminent delivery. 

More puppies on the way!! Hooray!

Introducing Magnum

We went to the airport again earlier today to welcome a new arrival to Ottawa:

CD Maggie’s Magnum Rocky Road!!!

Magnum is a chocolate phantom stud-quality puppy that I have bought together with Linda of Canadian Doodle Puppies (also located in Ottawa). Magnum was born on March 14, 2011, at Canadoodles Australian Labradoodles in Grand Forks, BC. His dam is CD Sugar’s Maggie Muggins and his sire is Rivermist Colby, aka MacDuff. Both are mini chocolate phantoms.

Magnum arrived just before noon after a long journey from Grand Forks involving a 2.5-hour drive, 3 flights, and about 24 hours in transit. That’s an awfully long journey for little guy! I took the kids to greet him at the airport and he was happy to see us all. He'd actually arrived in Ottawa two hours earlier than anticipated, but we were not made aware of this so by the time Linda arrived he was wailing and yowling and wanting freedom! By the time we arrived a half hour later Linda had let him out, taken him for a pee, and given him enough attention that he was happy, calm, friendly, and outgoing. What a trooper!!

Magnum will be living with Linda’s pack until we find a Guardian Home for him. (Any interested parties, please contact me.)

Magnum is just 5 days younger than Galena, for whom he will be a potential mate once both reach maturity. They would produce chocolate minis with possibly some chocolate phantoms and creams. I also intend to use him with the puppy we plan to keep back from Garnet’s litter to produce black phantom and possibly chocolate phantom or cream puppies.

Magnum Rocky Road gets his name from the high-end ice cream company, Magnum, and the ice cream flavour Rocky Road which, being a chocolate ice cream with marshmallows and walnuts, reflects his chocolate-and-tan colouring and his status as an unaltered male (i.e. with “nuts” – haha!).

 

 

We welcome Magnum into our program.

Puppy update

Can it really have been 3 weeks since I last updated? It’s been busy!

Since then, both Galena and Malachite Teddy have gone to their new homes.

Galena ended up going to live with her big half-brother, Carnelian. Martin and Carole had expressed an interest in a chocolate, blue-eyed female and Galena fit the bill perfectly. (Though we do think her eyes have shifted from blue to greenish in hue – but still beautiful!) She has now been with big bro for a week and is adjusting well to her new home, playing with Carni, imitating whatever he does, and taking charge of all things playful. I just know she will be loved to bits and given all the attention a young pup want and deserves!

 

Galena Magnolia by the magnolia tree!