Figgy's pups are 2 weeks old and their eyes are open!

Red Girl 2 lbs. 3 ozs.

Blue Boy 2 lbs. 3 3/4 ozs.

Green Boy 2 lbs. 6 5/8 ozs.

Black Boy - 2 lbs. 10 3/4 ozs.

Purple Girl - 2 lbs. 11 1/4 ozs.

Orange Boy - 2 lbs.

We are keeping the Fourth of July theme for another week as we celebrate our nations birth. The pups will have a huge experience now that their eyes are open.  Although very sensitive to light at this time, their sight will grow stronger each day and eventually the 'bluish haze film' you may see in some of the shots will gradually go away.  

Their appetites have no boundaries and Figgy is doing a great job keeping them satisfied.  I bet by the end of this week, I will have to change the pool to my Perla Dog Bed because it has higher sides so they can't climb out.  Once those eyes can focus - watch out world - they are coming!!  :+)

Fourth of July garden decorations.....

I wish I could keep them out there all the time because they are so adorable but they were brought right in after the photo shoot.  :+)  Such a great group of pups so far.  

I hope everyone has a festive and safe holiday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grammy.........'PLEASE can I see the little puppies???'

'They are so soft, Grammy'!

'I am very quiet and gentle, Grammy.'

'See?  I know how.'

'Grammy, before I go, can I just give one of them a little kiss?'

Our third car ride is not stressful at all. :+)

In keeping with my interest of proving out a theory from one of the seminars I attended, I take the newborn pups on three or more car rides during their first ten days of life.  It is said that by doing this, you can significatly imprint in a dog that cars are a good place and reduce the percentages of car sick dogs or car anxiety ridden dogs. 

It does not look like they mind at all.  :+)

Figgy x Rodeo pups are one week old and man are they packing the calories!

Green Boy at 1.8 lbs.

Black Boy at 1.10 lbs.

Purple Girl at 1.13 lbs.

Orange Boy at 1.3 lbs.

Red Girl at 1.6 lbs.

Blue Boy at 1.6 lbs.

All they do is eat, eat and eat.  Poor Figgy is becoming a bag of bones as everything she consumes she gives back to the pups!  This girl has food in front of her all the time but can only eat so much. 

Figgy is wonderful to have here - even Jaxon does not faze her.  If he gets too close, Figgy puts him right in his place and off he goes to tease some other female in the house.  :+)  This morning, I was outside playing ball with the dogs and Figgy wanted so much to play but needs to keep her energy for her babies.  She was more a 'cheer leader', sitting and wagging her tail.  Such a sweetie.  I wish all my guardian girls were as easy as Figgy is.

I am so proud of my little guy PERCY JAXON!

Percy Jaxon

Although I have used Jaxon, it was through Artificial Insemination.  Jax would be collected and then the girl would be impregnated with his semen via a 'tube' used specifically for this purpose.  HOWEVER..... today Jaxon had his first natural mating!!  It was with Maine Coast's Sadie Smiles and I can assure you BOTH doodles were smiling when the deed was finished.  :+)

Maine Coast's Sadie Smiles

I am sure this miniature litter will be the cutest ever!  Sadie is such a sweet thing and only a bit bigger than Jaxon.  Their coats and temperaments are a wonderful match as well.  Sadie has such great color and Jaxon's soft curls and white tipping could make some wicked adorable markings.  Of course I am looking forward to selecting a girl to add to my program!  Naturally, finding a great local guardian home for her will be a priority soon.

Have a great pregnancy Sadie and I hope your whelping is an easy one.  :+)

Proud as a peacock! My charcoal stud FELIX GUMSHOE has passed his Canine Good Citizenship test!

Yes!  What a wonderful achievement Felix and Deb!  You have both worked so very hard to pass this test.  Patience and perseverance paid off.  KUDOS!

We all went to the vets today!

Purple Girl

Green Boy

Red Girl

Blue Boy

Black Boy

Orange Boy

We had our first car ride and vet visit this morning.  All were packed into the back of my car in one of the Perla beds which are very sturdy and keeps everyone nice and comfy.  Figgy settled right in with her babies and enjoyed the ride to Rochester, NH.  

Once there, Dr. Estle took the pups to the surgical area to remove their dew claws.  These are appendages higher up on the front legs that usually get caught and torn in bushes and brush, so I prefer having them removed very early.  This early intervention removes the possibility of injury and being nicked by groomers.  While the pups were in the surgical area, Figgy and I took a walk outside in the lovely weather.  

Figgy was then checked over by my vet and declared in great shape with lots of milk for her babies.  I guess that is why they are gaining just beautifully.  :+)

The pups will go on quite a few short car rides for the first ten days of their lives to hopefully imprint on them that cars are a good place to be and prevent car sickness.

Here we are! Figgy's litter with Rodeo.

We are finally here!  Some are hidden.  :+)

Orange Boy

Blue Boy

Black Boy

Red Girl

Green Boy

Purple Girl

Boy are Figgy and I glad to have this over with!  We do have a lovely litter of six healthy looking puppies.  I just took head shots for the most part because to see these little faces on a normal size pic is pretty difficult.  As they grow, there will be different shots of them.  Blue Boy has the cutest white goatee and chest patch which we will see more of as they grow.

So far, so good.  I expect to be visiting my vet either today or tomorrow to have them checked out and to be sure Figgy is all set.  I see no problems at this time but always err on the side of caution.

Figgy Puddin` has arrived and now so are her babies!

Figgy and I went for a drive to the vets right after she was dropped off for an x-ray.  I am happy to announce that we should have 6 pups arriving within the next few days.  I groom Figgy often, so she is quite comfortable here and my 'house' girls barely bat an eye when she is around.

I have set up Figgy's whelping area and she is learning that this will be her birthing bed.  This is set up a few days prior so that the mom-to-be is feeling both comfortable and safe.  There will be a gate by the entrance door and it will be blocked so no 'peeping doggie eyes' will see through.  Dogs, like people, hover around the 'waiting room' as the birth mother brings little ones into the world.

UPDATE:
Figgy is in her whelping pool on and off.  She also has her appetite back which is NOT normal when a dam is going to whelp - most stop eating which is one of the signs of an impending whelp.  I saw some stringy mucous which is normal but this waiting is killing me!

• 3:00 pm - Figgy IS panting and definitely feeling pressure.  This is confusing for a first time mom, so she thinks she needs to go outside all the time.  I am in the office with her helping her understand that she needs to stay in the whelping box.  At 2:30 am, she is finally beginning to push.
• 2:52 am - Pup #1, an apricot girl is born and weighs 13 1/2 ozs!  A plump babe!
• 3:27 am - Pup #2, apricot male weighing in at 11 1/2 ozs.
• 4:20 am - Pup #3, black male that weighs 11 7/8 ozs.
• 4:30 am - Pup #4 arrives.  Black male weighing 9 1/8 ozs.
• 5:00 am - Pup #5 is another black male weighing 10 7/8 ozs.
• 5:25 am - Pup #6, an apricot female weighing 9 1/4 ozs.

Figgy is an attentive and caring mother and did an excellent job albeit, I had to share my 'bed' which consisted of a lounger pad with her.  Not much room on one of those!!  Pics of these cuties will come later today in a new post.

Betty joins her new family.

Today Betty will go on a long drive to New Jersey where she will become the latest addition to her new family. I was so happy to receive the many emails suggesting that Betty would have a great home with them and why this family felt they could work with Betty to help redirect some of her anxieties.  It certainly seems like the perfect fit.

It did not take long before both Betty and her new furry friend Albert were playing fetch together.  I think with a couple of weeks under their belt that it will seem as if Betty has been a family member for years.  :+)

Betty is the best water dog!

Water and a ball and life is sooooooo good!