It's been a busy couple days here @ GMBD's. As I mentioned I was in the process of making the Afghans new beds in exchange for giving up their spot in the bedroom. In the process of preparing for that project, an idea came to mind for the whelping box. Fortunately the stuff I ordered arrived today and the whelping box has been revised. The revision will go along way toward alleviating my worry for the pups during their first couple weeks of life. They are so helpless in the early days and I worry constantly that a pup could get caught up in the blanket and either suffocate or get laid upon inadvertently by a 75 pound momma dog. It's never happened and Lexi has proven to be a very attentive and good mom but it's my nature to worry. So... Lexi and her pups will now have their own fleece covered egg crate mattress. I'm happy with the way it came together and think it'll work out great.... It's going to provide a good degree of peace of mind for me, added comfort for Lexi and safety for the pups!!! I added a waterproof liner to keep the egg crate clean and will be making another cover in the next day or two so I have a replacement for laundry day which is basically every day when pups are involved.
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A week or so back I had a request to post some pictures of Lexi as she continued to grow. I declined at the time. I really didn't want to commit to posting photos of my very pregnant dog in her not very attractive state. Well I snapped a few shots today for my own record and decided, "pregnant or not, she's still a beautiful girl'! So here's Lexi, basking in the sun in her very pregnant, simply glowing state! Can't forget the other kids... The Affies are soon to be kicked out of the bedroom, aka whelping room/pup room. In light of that, I'm making them some new beds to shelter their poor ole bones from the hard tile floor. It's a pretty simple project. It involves breaking out the trusty old Singer to make covers for egg crate mattresses which I've cut down to a reasonable dog bed size. I love them because they are easy to maintain. Just throw the covers in the washer and when needed swish the egg crates in a tub of soapy water and hang outside to drip dry. I've been using them for years!
Lexi is due to deliver her pups 1 week from today. I think she's ready! She's relatively huge and is starting to act a little uncomfortable at times. I hate seeing her that way so I'm more than ready to see these pups! In general she's still pretty chipper. She looks and acts happy except when she's trying to lye down and get comfy. She's still eager to go outside but only for very short periods... seems to want to stay close. She spent a little time in the whelping box aka kiddie pool last night but otherwise no nesting behaviors have been observed. Her milk is coming in nicely so these pups are certainly not going to start life out hungry!!! I'm getting excited to welcome the litter into my home as I'm sure those who have been waiting are anxious to welcome a pup into yours. The question remains, how many boys and how many girls... My fingers remain crossed for each of you. Please keep yours crossed for Lexi and all the pups!
I received notification this morning via e-mail that I had comment awaiting approval. Thanks Kristin, I guess you are the first to leave comment. You also brought to my attention my blog settings. Didn't realize they were set to withhold comments for approval. I ventured in and changed a few things and look forward to comments anyone may care to share.
Today I set up the Whelping Box aka Kiddie Pool for Lex. She saw me drag it in and it appeared she remembered it. Did I sense a feeling of relief in her? Maybe. I added a blanket and she immediately jumped in and checked things out. Although she doesn't really have an interest in claiming it as hers just yet, it's ready for her when she's ready. The pool is where the pups will spend approximately the first 3 weeks of life.... That will change the day the first brave soul clears the rim. Once the first one's out, they're all out in no time flat! Last year I stripped the room of its carpet and painted the concrete floor to make it pup friendly. Rather than setting the waterbed up I added a twin bed and Lex had her pups in the pool like the good girl she is. We'll see what happens this year. I'm hopeful she'll have them there again rather than in bed with me. Things will be tight when the pups get mobile but I decided I didn't want to give up the comfort of my own bed. Will have to play things by ear. I may have to take it down a bit later but at least I can sleep in comfort for 3 weeks. Tomorrow I'll check the Whelping Kit to make sure everything got put back in its place and add it to the room so I'm not searching for something at the last minute! ......... A couple nights ago Lexi was laying against me and I thought I felt some movement within her belly.... was that a puppy? I laid my hand on her to confirm but she moved away. My hands were chilly, as they usually are, and I assume that's why. I felt for movement the next evening and the next but felt nothing. Decided it was possible that what I had previously felt was simply a gas bubble. Well, today was a different story! She was laying flat out on the bed and this time I thought I saw movement. I gently laid my hand on her and instead of moving away, she rolled over in the typical "scratch my belly" position that dogs frequently assume! Today movement was unmistakable. I felt multiple "kicks" and the little rascals could be seen squirming all around! Lexi continues to do great and enjoyed her belly rub! :-)
But No Worries! Lexi is doing Great. She's her happy, loving and loyal self and is really beginning to reveal her condition! The complication comes not from Lexi or the Doberman. Dobermans are Dobermans! But, while some people choose to alter their natural form as has been customary from the very early years of the breed, others are leaning toward the natural. They are leaning in this direction in their own lives and I sense it carrying over to their animals as well. As a result, I now have 2 requests for Totally Natural Pups with the exception of the dewclaws. I have requests for pups with natural ears and docked tails and I have requests for pups that are both docked and cropped. I fully support each and every decision. My job as the breeder though, will require me to choose which two pups from the litter will be held back from the dock within the first couple days of birth. This will essentially be like drawing a straw out of the hat. As can be witnessed by reviewing weights of the pups from my last litter, they change over time. Just because they started out as the largest pup, didn't mean they left me that way. I guess what it boils down to is that these are pups, each with the potential to be "the best dog you ever owned"... whether docked, cropped, cropped and flopped or natural! My promise to you is that I will do my best to socialize each and every one of them, to avoid any mishap while they're in my care and to pamper each and every one individually! From there on out, it's up to each of you to "love and finish them". I've had some questions about how things will shake out as far as selection goes and I want to assure you, everyone involved is fully aware of the selection process and how the variations of form will come into play. I can also tell you, it's nearly impossible when looking at a whole litter of Black and Rust Doberman Pups, to pick out "the best one". I've seen too many people struggle while selecting their pup and I too have experienced the same struggle choosing my own dogs. With that said, I know every one is getting excited to welcome a new addition to their household. I've got my fingers crossed for no disappointments! I'm not sure if it's helping or not but I've been whispering in Lexi's ear that we're rooting for a fairly even mix as far as the Male to Female Ratio goes. Two weeks and counting.....
Lexi is getting more loving each and everyday! She's pouring it on pretty thick now which I love. She's also starting to get fairly plump around the middle and in just under three weeks she should be a new mom! She has drawn the line as far as who she's willing to share her love with though. She continues to live peacefully with the Affies and Titan but really has no tolerance or use for Serious and or Majestic. Their play drive is just too high! I'm doing my best to give everybody equal time as I continue to keep her segregated from the youngsters. This is the beginning of my work as a breeder, but I've become fairly good at juggling. Lex instinctively knows she's safe in her crate and goes in very willingly allowing me to give the others their needed and deserved couch and cuddle time. Fortunately the weather has improved and Serious and Jess have had ample time to romp around outside which they love. But they too will happily and quietly crate for periods of time if need be. I am reaping the benefits of early crate training for all. Although I know none would intentionally hurt or harm another, a body slam could be quite devastating at this point and forward. Soon Lex will have her own room and a pack of pups to keep her busy.
And I, if I can tear myself away from the mesmerizing ways of puppies, will have a little time to focus on the big pups. Then the real work begins, but it's work I enjoy! Getting excited..... I was hoping to do a photo shoot with Jess today like I did with Serious for his 1st birthday but the weather just isn't cooperating! Maybe we'll get a sun break a bit later but it's not looking promising. This is a picture of Jess taken @ 8 weeks old on her first day with me. Majestic is a sweet, loving and gentle soul! I love her! She'll have her photo shoot but it may be a day late! Going to try my hand at making my own puppy collars. Got the webbing and tiny little buckles in the mail today. Now just have to shop for some ribbon of all different colors. I used the little Velcro collars last time but they don't wash well and one of the pups was very good at removing hers. Not sure if she was doing it on her own or if she had an accomplice. Hopefully these will work well. If not, I have a backup Velcro set.
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