Southern By Marriage: Dot plus Oct

The puppies have arrived!!!

I knew my little lady was getting close to having her puppies because... a mother knows.

Well really, a mother hit the internet and read up on all the signs, plus we took her temp daily and we both know that wasn't orally. The lengths one will go for their child...er fur baby.

Anyway, the biggest thing all the websites said was "if her temp, bottoms out at 98 you will have puppies within 2-12 hours.

Well Tuesday was the start of 98's.

She was so restless Tuesday night, if she would have been able to she would have gone up and down the stairs a million and a half times. But instead she settled in for the night with Matthew.

Uh.

Excuse me?

Who has been attached to my hip this whole pregnancy and now you are going to sleep with your father.

Ouch Dot, Ouch...

Anyway, the next morning we took her temp and it was still 98 and she had started panting, Great, this mommy had to go to class, I took a chance and went and hounded husband probably every 15 minutes for an update.

She was fine. and I honestly didn't think she was going to go in to labor but then when my mom got home we started getting ready anyway.

She had been showing a prefrence for our hall bath, it was dark, warm and Cooper won't go near it.

We lined the floor, grabbed all the first aid kit, and waited for the show to begin.

I had taken her out around 8 and she made her way to a bush that is by our shed and planted herself.

Great.

My dog was going to give birth under a bush in the dirt.

I called Matt out after I tried to get her out and of COURSE she walked right out to him (can we tell that I am bitter about this.) When we got her settled on the couch and about 30 minutes later, I noticed Dot had stopped snoring and was laying down looking off in to space. I started to rub her belly, thinking maybe the puppies were moving and a shaking, but they were surprisingly quiet. Then I noticed a smell. I couldn't really place what it was but it smelled hot, does that make sense.

Dot was laying right on top of me, her hind quarters right up against my leg. Then I noticed the heat.

Hmmmm.

Then I noticed my leg was wet.

Do you see where I am going with this?

I moved and saw a huge wet spot on the blanket Dot was laying on and then I saw the bubble.

There was a sack beginning to crown!

I didn't want to freak out because dogs really feed off your energy while in labor so Matthew and I gently moved her to the bathroom and at 8:50 puppy Amos was born!

Then not soon after Puppy Buster was born at 9:09

Where the black coat came from we have no idea....we thought it was the milk man's puppy.

Dot took to them immediately and they latched on.

We were so hopped up waiting for number 3 and we were left waiting

Dogs can have a resting period up to 4 hours between births hers was about 2 hours. I was getting pretty antsy because labor had stalled, but she got some much needed sleep.

After that the pups came in hour then 20 minute increments.

We were surprised, because all the puppies that were coming were black, still no idea. Oh, and they were all girls.

We were initially told 5 puppies and when the fifth one came, Dot's puppy bump was still pretty full, Erin and I (she was my doula we joked) felt around bump and could swear there were more in there but these pups were pretty big and there could be no way that there could more in there right?

At this point it was 1 in the morning and I was starting to feel tired so I said I was going to run out and get some coffee. I wanted to slam a Tim Horton's Iced Cap like a boss. I finally made it there and was the next in line when my phone rings, it's husband....

Me: Hello?
Husband: WE HAVE SIX, SHE IS HAVING ANOTHER ONE, WHERE ARE YOU?!?!?!?

I calmly asked if I needed to come home and my worry wart mother and hysetrical husband said yes.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't torn, I could almost taste the iced cap but my pup was still in labor, so I did what a good mother would do and I pulled away and zoomed home. Faster than I should have but I made it home right as pup was born.

Puppy seven, Gertie was born 20 min after and we thought she was done.

NOPE.

Almost immedately after she starting baring down again and here comes another pup.

Another little girl, surprise, she was brown and Dot, like a champ, broke the sack but she cut the cord to close and she started to bleed.

There was a lot of blood and I tried to keep clam, I doctored it up with iodine, and neosporen and let Dot care for it to. It finally stopped but seeing her light fur covered in blood was scary, it just wouldn't stop.

We got the bleeding under control and all was right with the world... because husband went and got me a coffee!

An hour and some change passed and everyone was content and we thought for sure she was done.

Count was 8. We did joke that if she had another one in there the name would be Ivan the terrible, or Ikna, cause it sounds like a big German woman that would hit you with a sausage.

Mom said that she would stay awake with them and we could take a nap.

About an hour in, our bedroom door opens with a bang and she said she had another one and it wasn't breathing.

I don't remember my feet hitting the floor, I don't remember running down the stairs.

My mom handed me the pup, a little boy, with light brown fur and his mothers stripe down the nose and white tipped tail.

He wasn't breathing, my mind went somewhere to something I had read that if this happens you have up to 20 minutes to try to revive them.

I suctioned, I rubbed, I did CPR.

When I pumped his chest fluid came out his mouth and nose... not good.

I suctioned, I rubbed, I did CPR.

nothing.

I suctioned, I rubbed, I did CPR.

The little guy was starting to turn cold and I tried so hard to keep it together.

Just like I am now.

I gave him all 20 minutes and them some.

He wasn't coming back no matter how hard I tried.

We buried him out back with a paver stone to mark the spot.

We had to remember that we had 8 healthy puppies to care for and that this happens. I told my aunt that is a breeder and she said that because so much time had passed that he probably passed in utero and there was nothing we could have done.

I don't want to end on a sad note.

So here are some pics of the new family members