Sky Blue is doing fabulous. Sharon has given him a little Mickey Mouse stuffy toy and a routine which includes play after each meal. He's still small in comparison weighing in at only 2 pounds but his gain of 12 ounces is pretty significant when compared to his gain of just barely 6 the week before. Sharon will keep him until Monday to avoid a break in his routine. He'll join the rest of the pack next week and I expect remain with me then for the duration. Fortunately he'll be returning with an edge in experience and ahead of the game as he's already eating a diet which includes pate'. The others will be introduced to solids next week and from there on out I'll become their main caregiver only supplemented by Majestic.... on her terms and only when she feels like it. If history repeats itself her interaction with them will diminish rapidly; especially where supplying the groceries is concerned. There are no free rides with her. She's a gentle and loving mom when the pups are young but she's kind of a tough love momma and expects progress pretty quick. She's a bit like my dad who used to say, if you're hungry enough you'll eat and if your tired enough, you'll sleep. Turns out both are true and I survived and essentially turned out alright. Speaking of tired... I am so I guess, according to my dads theory I'm guaranteed a good night and a much needed sleep. Time to rest up and gear up for yet more work ahead! :-)
Sleep, eat gnaw and repeat! These pups are growing and stating to resemble dogs... in the way they lay and the way they play. Again I was greeted by pups running the room when I got home from my feast! Tomorrow the puppy corral goes up and shavings go in...
Sky Blue is doing fabulous. Sharon has given him a little Mickey Mouse stuffy toy and a routine which includes play after each meal. He's still small in comparison weighing in at only 2 pounds but his gain of 12 ounces is pretty significant when compared to his gain of just barely 6 the week before. Sharon will keep him until Monday to avoid a break in his routine. He'll join the rest of the pack next week and I expect remain with me then for the duration. Fortunately he'll be returning with an edge in experience and ahead of the game as he's already eating a diet which includes pate'. The others will be introduced to solids next week and from there on out I'll become their main caregiver only supplemented by Majestic.... on her terms and only when she feels like it. If history repeats itself her interaction with them will diminish rapidly; especially where supplying the groceries is concerned. There are no free rides with her. She's a gentle and loving mom when the pups are young but she's kind of a tough love momma and expects progress pretty quick. She's a bit like my dad who used to say, if you're hungry enough you'll eat and if your tired enough, you'll sleep. Turns out both are true and I survived and essentially turned out alright. Speaking of tired... I am so I guess, according to my dads theory I'm guaranteed a good night and a much needed sleep. Time to rest up and gear up for yet more work ahead! :-)
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The pups are getting rambunctious and trying to get to mom on their terms rather than hers. I found the first one out of the pup box yesterday and a few more today when I returned from the Vet. I've got the area around the box padded to cushion their tumble when they start to venture out but the point of having a box is to keep them corralled and safe. This litter is right on time if not a little ahead of schedule. I'd like to get them settled this evening but have a little too much on my plate to fit it in. First up a meeting and then a meet up with Sharon and Jared and a visit with Skye Blue. Sharon has decided to keep Blue, aka Ruffi till Monday since I'd likely be returning him to her Thursday night anyway. She gives him straight A's on his report card though. It sounds that developmentally he's progressing as the others and is picking up some noticeable weight. I'll take the scale with me tonight and find out just how much.... Right after I fill by belly with Sam St Johns all you can eat Crab Legs and fixin's. A well deserved treat for Sharon and Jared for their troubles and a treat for myself too because I don't allow them often enough! As far as the pack goes, I'll get them set up in their new habitat tomorrow. In the meantime, it's the Puppy Shuffle which is a take off from something I mastered living in the bay area, the very similar and familiar Stingray Shuffle.
I've got a few photos of the pups gnawing on each other and doing other puppy stuff but I'm out of time for now. I'll get them loaded this evening... cheers! And I don't recommend vet wrap or co-flex for ears although I know many people use it. I am officially a non-believer!!! When I sat down to do her 2nd tape and post last week I noticed Ritz had a few spots on her ear margins that weren't fully healed. Not unusual really and typically not a problem. Ritz's breeder routinely uses vet wrap and at least two of her siblings ears are being taped and posted with it. Knowing this, I figured I'd give it a try. I wanted a loose and light wrap and appreciated it's non-stick feature. Unfortunately when I removed her posts last night I found she had a rather nasty wound at the base of her ear where it joins her head. When I got the wrap fully removed, her ear immediately swelled. I'm not sure if she had a reaction to the tape, or if despite the fact that I was aiming for a loose wrap, it somehow tightened over time. What ever the cause a wound, likely a pressure ulcer was created. In the future I won't deviate from Elastocon and urge anyone who may consider the use of vet wrap for any reason, to do so with extreme caution. In general I recommend everyone invest the time, and yes money to have their pups ears wrapped by a pro. Despite the fact that I've taped and posted with confidence a few pups of my own, my experience last night taught me a valuable lesson. Don't mess around with ears and don't deviate from what you've been taught. Todays visit cost me the equivalent of 7 visits but more importantly Ritz's ears were put at risk by my own hands. Not good! Fortunately I left the office feeling fairly good about things. I certainly didn't have a good feeling last night!
With that said, the highlight of our visit came when we ran into the beauty below. She was there for her final tape and post. Agata emailed me this photo a few weeks back and when I received it I thought "that was a lucky shot". When I ran into her today though, I saw her before I saw Brad, her dad, and my first thought was,"pretty dog"! Then I saw Brad and realized she was one of my own. I also realized, it wasn't just a lucky shot... she's just that beautiful. Running into them and chatting with Brad helped lift my spirits. Here she is.... "Skye's The Limit" aka "Skye" formerly "Pink" showing off her pretty ears compliments, beginning to end, of Dr McBride. I take credit for the breeding... She's Lexi's pup but Majestic and Serious have produced some just as gorgeous! :-) Paperwork is on the way!
Congratulations on your new litter of puppies! Thank you for registering with the American Kennel Club and for the purchase of a Litter Certificate and AKC Puppy Folders. Your litter registration has been accepted and approved using the following information. Litter Application Information Litter Number:WS513500 Breed:Doberman Pinscher Dam (Female) Name:Simply Majestic She's Got My Back Dam (Female) Reg. Number:WS43298609 Dam (Female) Owner Email:ddawncruz@att.net Sire (Male) Name:Suddenly Serious He's Got My Back Sire (Male) Reg. Number:WS42858809 Sire (Male) Owner Email:ddawncruz@att.net Date of Birth:09/04/15 Living Males:9 Living Females:3 Total Puppies:12 Your litter kit and Puppy Folders will be mailed within 3 business days. Two days down, one to go and once again I'll have my work week wrapped up. The one at work anyway. As you can see the pups are doing well and settling in for yet another night. ... all of them! I've been getting regular updates from Sharon on Sky, aka Ruffi now and he's doing great! Some of her words... "ate up a storm, now sleeping", "ate all 20 cc's" "taking the big nipple now and really pushing with his paws" etc etc. She's given up on waking him to eat because he won't until he decides it's time and then he apparently takes the job seriously. He's sleeping in a little soft crate and when he gets hungry he'll whine a little bit but barks at her while she heats up his grub.. Sounds like he's pretty well calling the shots and getting somewhat demanding. :-) She reposts he's walking well and all around and all the plumbing's working. I'm anxious to see him and will be picking him up on Monday. Hope everyone enjoys the rest of the weekend.
Well my little guy Sky has been delivered to spend the weekend with friends and fellow Doberman owners Sharon and Jared. My mind can rest easily now while I work as I could think of no other couple who is more capable and dedicated to the welfare of animals in general. My only hope is that Sharon will allow herself some rest without worry. She was actually surprised by his strength and has nicknamed the pup "The Little Ruffian". I like it, it suits him. Thanks to those of you who are following and rooting for him. It's appreciated. I think he's going to do well and updates will follow. I plan to pick him up on Monday to join the rest of the pack with a tentative plan to return him to Sharon for one final weekend next. We'll see how things progress though as Sharon made noise of just holding on to him. We'll see how their 1st weekend together goes. And Sharon, if you happen to read this, I can't thank you enough. You are a very much appreciated friend. Jared too!
Well, I'm gearing up to return to work but wanted to share a few of the photos I've taken over the course of the past few days. As you can see, the pups continue to sleep a great deal. They do have their wakeful periods between mealtimes and naps however and I'm beginning to see their first feeble attempts at play. It seems they're discovering their mouths and in addition to barking, they've begun to lick and gnaw on each other from time to time. The wakeful ones will at times pester the sleeping. I just weighed Sky Blue who flat out refuses to gain any weight despite supervised feedings. He is officially not for sale until further notice. I'm still hoping he turns the corner once the pups begin to eat solid food but at this point only time will tell. As you can see in some of the photos, he is dwarfed by his siblings. Not sure what to make of things.
Well, I had a fairly good day today... I say fairly because you take the good with the bad and average things out. My repairman ended up getting upset with my rider after most likely finishing it off for good and stormed off in a huff saying "no charge for today".... It has occurred to me that I'm close to needing a new one but had hoped to at least get through the season before having to deal with shopping for one. Long story short, after several no shows and then an obviously botched job, it was a relief in the end to have him out of my hair so I could put things to rest and get back to my love... the pups. They received lots of handling and cuddles today and are progressing well. Their eyes are open and with that they are starting to maneuver with purpose and doing a fair job of walking. I'm not sure if they know what they're doing at this age but some of them inevitably crawl over and snuggle against my legs when I get in the box with them. Whether it's the beginning of the human canine bond or just a desire for warmth I'm not sure, but whatever it is, it can make a bad day good! They're also barking. I walked in yesterday and one of them was actually barking "at" me. It always makes me giggle the first time they do it! The first sign of a fine guard dog in the making. They just need to figure out who they're protecting and when to set off the alarms. I took a bunch of pictures today but was kind of disappointed with the results. So many were blurry. And it didn't seem to matter what I did with the settings... just a bad camera day I guess. I'll keep shooting throughout the week and hopefully happen upon a setting that works... For now I'll post the best of what I got. I got everyone weighed, wormed and trimmed today as planned. Grey has lost his title of heavyweight. He was surpassed by not one but four pups! Red now takes the lead and Sky continues to struggle. I thought he was doing somewhat better but it seems he lost some ground over the weekend. I'll buy some Esbilac tomorrow when I'm in town and supplement him every couple hours through the week and see what I can do about getting him fostered for the weekend or maybe take him to work with me. He doesn't stand a chance at this point of fighting off the bigger pups. I've had this occur with a couple other litters as well. One pup that just lags behind. I'm happy to report though both have grown to normal Doberman standard for size and weight and both are beautiful and very much cherished. I expect no different from Sky... he just needs a temporary helping hand. Regardless, I'll be glad when they're all on mash and it becomes a non-issue. And I'm looking forward to the week ahead... Mostly... Still have some work to do outside and it looks like the weather will be favorable so if my lawnmower man comes through for me maybe I can get that project behind me. I've also got some work to do with the pups. Yours as well as mine. Last week was pretty well dedicated to the horses so this week it's the dogs. And hopefully thereafter things will again find their balance. The youngsters were due for their two week weights on Friday but since Friday's don't work well with my schedule, Mondays will be their official day of weight from here forward. They will also receive the first of a series of wormers tomorrow as well as their first nail trim. There's laundry to do and photos to take, collars to make and pages to create. And for mine... I've got ears to tape, balls to throw, sits, lays and stays to shape and maybe, just maybe an outing or two to take....! Sounds like a full but enjoyable week eh? We'll see how far I get!
Looking over the blog it seems a slathering of photos are in order! Not slacking but sometimes life gets in the way. I did manage to complete the pup habitat today and attempted to get some good shots but the light wasn't the best for the job. As they say, tomorrow is another day. I miss the whelping pool and it's splash of color for photos... Makes me want to spruce up the boards a little... Thought about adding some contact paper and will check on that next time I'm in town. It might brighten things up, but more importantly it would be beneficial where cleaning is concerned. Other than that, not much is going on. The pups are starting to make some noises that sort of resemble barks. They're managing to almost get up on all fours but only very briefly. Their eyes should start to open any day now. And they're growing... some obviously more than others. Sky Blue remains small but he's doing well otherwise... His small stature is most evident when he's laying alongside some of the largest ones. A couple of his siblings are down right huge! I adjusted everyones collar today and will try to find some time to change them tomorrow. It's getting somewhat difficult to tell who's wearing what... Well, that's about it for now. The photos below are few but show the transition from whelping pool to wooden corral. A couple of the photos were taken several days ago before I decided it was safest to remove the mat. The light blanket you see was a concern briefly as I mentioned because it slipped around and with all the activity I'd find it balled up. As it turned out, the pups and mom are smarter than I gave them credit for. Probably would have been fine to leave them as they were but I like the idea of some padding and traction all around. I think Majestic prefers the cool surface of the pool itself but safety is top priority. The current set up will prevent her from digging up the mat as I've got the top cover placed beneath the boards. In consideration of Majestic I purchased a much thinner and likely more breathable model. And as the pups age, the room can be kept progressively cooler. Hope this post finds everyone well. Things are good here!
Well, I'm happy to report last weeks challenges are a thing of the past! My girl, Ginger is back to her ole self or nearly so. Feeling very relieved that scare is behind me. Now it's back to all things puppy and some general cleaning. I'm currently working on the habitat the pups will call home for the next couple weeks or until they figure out how to get over it's walls. The frame is pretty basic so nearly complete but I still need to make up the bed to place within. My brain is still hard at work on that one. Hopefully I'll have the new arrangement done by sometime this evening. I don't have much fear of the pups getting under and trapped in bedding anymore though as they seem to be pretty good about staying on the surface. They've also grown a lot and are getting pretty strong. If they do venture under a blanket, they're good about getting back out. Even so, I think the box will be a better arrangement for the next couple weeks. So, back to work I go. I'll try and get some new photos up this evening.
Not much to say... just a quick check in. One of those no news is good news posts. Majestic and pups are doing fabulous. And me... well, back to the grind again tomorrow. Two down, one to go! I got this!
Hello Puppy People! Just a quick update... it's already well past what should be my bedtime. Sorry for the lack of posts and updates the last couple days. I had actually planned to do some of that with photos today but one of my horses ended up needing Veterinary care and I spent considerable time with her. She gave me a bit of a scare to say the least but it seems things aren't as serious as they appeared this afternoon.
As far as the pups are concerned, I had planned to build them a wooden box that would serve to hold down their bedding but as it turns out they're doing great in the kiddie pool with a light blanket. Seems they've just gotten used to the new arrangement. They're also growing and getting around better each and every day. I still may put the box together but it's going to have to wait until next week at this point. As far as growing is concerned, I did manage to get them weighed just now and posted the results. Their gains for the most part were 5-7 oz in 4 days which is excellent. We have one exception and that's Sky Blue who is now our smallest pup and the only one that hasn't surpassed the pound mark. He seems healthy. I think he just hasn't found his groove yet but time will tell. He's one I'll be keeping a close eye on. Again, it's too early to tell, but historically, some of the smallest pups have turned out to be my favorites. As pups and now, as young adults. Well, it's time for me to call it a night. Vacation is over and I'm off to work for three days. Hope everyone has an enjoyable weekend. I've had a few questions regarding the invoices I mentioned the other day.... you've not missed them. I just haven't had a chance or made it a priority to sit down and get them done. The pups had their tails docked and dew claws removed yesterday and are doing great. I also scheduled appointments for ear crops. Six will be done November 3rd and the others November 5th. It's way early in the game but I like to let people know what's planned as soon as I know so they can start looking at their own schedules. Between the two groups, it usually works out well for everyone. It's helpful if people can arrange to come collect their pups the day after they're cropped so they have less opportunity to roughhouse post operatively. But like I said, it's very early to start being concerned. Later, much later, once the selection process gets underway and I have input regarding everyones schedule, I'll decide and post which pups will be included in which group. My little bundle of love Ritz went in for removal of her sutures and cone today and had her first tape and post @ Dr McBrides . I much prefer the antenna look... As far as your pups are concerned, I've noticed Majestic digging at her bedding quite a bit which is making me a little nervous. I'm afraid one of the pups may end up under the mat they lay on so I purchased some boards and will take care of things before I head back to work for the weekend. In the meantime, it's frequent checks, ears constantly open and a seemingly never ending headcount of pups. I worry probably more than is necessary but need to be able to function at my job without my mind traveling back home and to pups. The next photos you see will likely be a bit less colorful and a little more rustic. The pups will continue to be housed in the whelping room, aka my bedroom. Just a slightly different set up designed specifically for the litter. I've contemplated making the change in the past ... Time to get 'er done. This is Ritz in her new head gear... she wasn't all that cooperative for the camera but you get the idea...
Weights were taken and posting this morning. For a large litter, I'm very happy with the results. Will weigh again in a few days and in the meantime I'll keep an eye on the two smallest ones, Sky a male and Pink a female. The prize for heavy weight male goes to our first born, Grey collared boy. And for the girls, the big girl prize goes to Orange. Everyone continues to do awesome! Majestic was a little more comfortable leaving her pups and was agreeable to going out to do her business without me allowing me to complete a needed linen change for her and the pups. These guys are growing... fast. I think they look bigger than they did this morning. But the most unbelievable thing is the increase in their strength in just 2 days. They are maneuvering around the whelping pool with a bit of speed and they're already climbing up Majestic to rest on her back. Black I've noticed likes to talk with his mouth full. Especially when he senses another pup encroaching on his territory. They are sweet little things and Majestic seems to be loving them! As promised a few photos taken last night and throughout the day today. Although I don't attach music to my site for a reason, I came upon this old Stevie Wonder song while waiting on my Girl Ritz and then dedicated it to her when she was born. Stevie sings of a baby girl so some of you, as you find yourselves singing along, may also find yourselves interchanging his "she" with your "he"... The song will forever hold meaning for me. Maybe for some of you now too. Regardless, I hope you enjoy it. Sorry, the idea to share is roughly a day late. Nothing like waking to the gentle sound of newborn pups! Majestic as I suspected delivered her pups a bit ahead of schedule and it seems she has claimed day 59 as her own. Textbook is 63 days. The process was uneventful and as I'm sure you're all aware by now produced a lovely 12 pack of pups! I'll get each of them weighed sometime today and post the results. I know some people, not all, like to monitor weight as they watch the pups grow so I typically weigh and post, on average, once a week. Mainly I do it for myself and for the health of the pups in order to identify any that might be falling behind. With a large litter, it sometimes becomes necessary to do some rotational feedings but thus far my girls have done a good job of managing their pups on their own. Hopefully this litter will be no exception. Visually, at this point in time they all seem to be roughly the same size. It will be interesting to see what the scale says. On the weight page I've noted what DPCA has to say about Doberman pups at birth. My pups both from Lexi as well as Majestic usually run somewhere right in the middle of the norm to slightly on the high side of the norm. As adults they tend to maintain that trend. Mom and pups are doing well. I've scheduled them to have their tails docked and dew claws removed this coming Tuesday. Monday would have been my preference but the office is closed for the holiday weekend. As much as I don't care to talk about money... per our original agreement I'll be sending out some new Paypal invoices for your second and final deposits. I recall a couple of you originally placed deposit by check and if you'd like to do that with the second that's fine too. Drop me an e-mail if you need my address. The deposits secure your position for selection as they stand. They are held and eventually put toward the cost to crop. I'll be securing cropping appointments early next week and will update everyone with the dates as soon as I have them. Now for the fun stuff! The first glimpse of your pups! And their mom. My beautiful Majestic :-) Well, I must say we've got a nice litter! First pup arrived @ 5 pm and last @ 10:10 for a total of 11 healthy and beautiful Black and Rust babies! And I'm pretty sure we're done. Unfortunately, and this is a first, we're short one girl as the litter leans heavily on the male side with 8 boys and 3 girls. I've read all of your comments but have yet to hear from Alejandro and Peggy. With that said, maybe I'm not short a girl. I'll try and reach them by phone tomorrow but if anyone who's on the list for a girl has an interest in switching to a boy, by all means send me a note to that effect.
All pups are eating and getting around their little habitat well and all appear to be roughly the same size. Majestic is doing a superb job at mothering! She's a fabulous dog!!! She looks a little on the thin side so it's going to be beef liver and chicken for her on top of her kibble for the next couple weeks. Not that I'm concerned about her... more that I know she's got a big job ahead of her and I want to make sure she's not lacking in any way shape or form. I snapped a slew of photos throughout the day and will go through them tomorrow and upload some of the better ones. I also managed to log what time each pup was born and applied their newborn collars. I know from past experience some people like to know where their pup placed in the birthing process so I'll make note of that as well. Until then... goodnight! |
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November 2015
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