Puppy Update / Do this! / Don't do This!

UPDATEJust a quick note this morning to say Molly is healing and recooperating well from her emergency c-section and spay. Our leisurely stroll around the yard yesterday afternoon included a walk around the pond where Molly explored to heart's delight. We have been able to adjust the dosage for her pain medication (Tramadol) so that she remains comfortable but not sedated as she was the first 24 hours, something I hated. She will continue to receive her antibiotic (amoxicillan) twice a day until gone. We're still offering her pedialyte and would like to see one more empty bottle. Nothing wrong with the girls appetite as long as it's freshly cooked chicken, liver, or steak! She continues to really love her nursing mother's pudding so I need to cook up another batch of that. Molly is also getting natural, plain yogurt to help counter negative effects of the antibiotic in regards to good/bad bacteria. The pups are getting a taste of this on my fingertips too. As for her regular dog food, she will chow down on that once enjoying the other food specialties. Molly's food intake will double and then triple in the weeks ahead. Although clouds are rolling in and the wind picking up the weather has been so nice here. The windows have been opened wide to allow fresh air in to circulate and it's been great not to have to keep the woodstove going. We even had the heat lamp off very briefly yesterday although the pups need a constant heat source at this point in their development. I weighed each puppy again and they continue to gain nicely. I will be looking for their weight to double around Day 10 if not earlier. The intermittent supplementary feeding was beneficial to both pups and mom when necessary from Sunday to Monday. I'm thankful it did not need to continue further. There can be many circumstances when supplementary feedings are continued such as the situation of an orphaned litter, puppy to weak to nurse, mastitis, etc. When another Brittany breeder learned about our news here this weekend she quickly offered the use of her lactating mom who had just whelped a litter of pups last weekend. I'm grateful we did not have to take her up on that offer, but the fact that the option was out there really gave us peace of mind. It's always good for breeders to know who else may have a litter of pups in case of emergency that is for sure.

In watching the video from yesterday it's easy to see how strong, agile, determined Molly and Scooby's pups are. The carpeting on the bottom of the whelping box helps to strengthen tiny little muscles resulting in early walking attempts. I think these pups are going to skip the crawling stage! They're very quiet and not vocal at all. We do know that our pups are born with certain characteristics and traits. We also know pups will never reach their full potential unless cultivated by the proper environment and training during the early weeks of their life. It's our goal to see that all our pups will mature with confidence and without fear. People tell us we're achieving that goal, something we are proud of.

SUPPLEMENTARY FEEDING TECHNIQUE FOR PUPPY - Do this!
John and I do believe there are critical periods in our puppys life and that they begin at birth. We were very careful concerning the way in which we handled the supplemental feedings right down to the way the pups were held. (Our vet fully explained and demonstrated for us the amount of liquid Esbilac to use, how to dilute it, how big a nipple to make in the little bottle, and how much each pup should consume. They did not advocate using a stomach tube but we were ready with that in case.) In order to keep the experience as stress free as possible John noted early that it would be important for pups to be fed in the same position as if they were nursing. He took a towel and rolled it up, then put another one underneath. The pup then was positioned with rear legs on the bottom towel, leaning their belly on the rolled up towel, and resting the teeny tiny animal bottle on the top allowed for the pup to experience a natural position as possible. They were so content that a few of them even used their front legs/feet to 'knead' and reach out as if they were on their mother nursing. This is what we did when Molly was in surgery, recovering, and then home heavily sedated. We didn't put them on Molly until the first course of pain relieving drugs had worn off. Although we were assured any crossover from mom to pups would be minimal it just wasn't worth it to take the chance. It's important enough in a normal situation to be aware of the behavior of the neonatals to identify any possible distress. To me this would have been very difficult to tell if the pups were effected by moms drugs.

STIMULATING PUPPY TO ELIMINATE / CLEANING THEM - Do this!
It was Johns job to feed, it was my job to stimulate elimination. So we formed a team and coordinated our efforts, which really was quite enjoyable while Molly was sound asleep. A pups natural ability to pee/poop on their own is not developed until they are older. When you see a mother licking, kissing, cleaning her babies it is not all about love and affection although I'm sure that Molly's wonderful mothering skills is based on her powerful nurturing instincts. Not all mother dogs have them when they have pups, especially if it's their first litter. Usually they will come around in a few days but it's important to be ready to assist. We used 2 washcloths per pup; 1 to hold the pup in the palm of our hand, the other washcloth to collect whatever was being eliminated. It's better to stimulate urination first and that is done by gently pressing (not rubbing) against the pups body part, location based on if it's a boy or girl part! This will stimulate urination so be ready to catch that pee on the washcloth held underneath by two open fingers. Then take a cotton ball and gently dry it off. Using a different corner of the same washcloth, apply the most gentlest pulsing pressure to either side of their little puppy rectum. This will stimulate the appearance of a puppy sized stool which may take a little longer and is definitely messier and smellier.  Follow this up by wiping the rectum with a soft cotton ball, using warm, soapy water if needed.  (It helped to have a freshly bleached and laundered stack of clean white washcloths nearby.  When elimination was complete the cloths were taken care of the same way you'd take care of a dirty cloth diaper.)  It is IMPERATIVE and CRITICAL that a neonatal puppy be stimulated to eliminate when mom can't or wont and it is just as important to keep the area underneath their little tails absolutely clean and feces free.  Even in a normal situation - if mom is not keeping this area clean, be sure that no feces is ever allowed to dry around this area.  We have seen this a time or two. We simply clean the area by filling a small bowl with warm water to which gentle baby shampoo has been added.  We very carefully lower the bottom of the teeny baby puppy carefully into the warm (NOT HOT) soapy water and hold them there and follow this with a gentle washing with a washcloth, being sure to absolutely DRY the area when done.

The pups are responding to our gentle stroking which is the very beginning of their interactions with humans. Although they are not neurologically developed at this point in time, this tactile stimulation of handling them is so important. So in many ways our need to assist Molly in the first 48 hours following pups birth has been of great benefit to them. Their ears will start to open about day 10 and they will hear soft music playing when that occurs. No other barking or running about by other family dogs, no street traffic, no clanging, just soft gentle sounds. There will be time enough for further intense stimulation as they grow and develop but not during the first 2 weeks. Their environment will remain as calm and controlled as possible. When their eyes open, usually about 2 weeks they will then begin to receive additional sensory input.  If you've been an ATB fan for awhile, you've read it all before. But you know I believe each litter of new Brittany pups is unique. While we can learn from litter to litter, from mom to mom, from pup to pup (as we should) it's more important to stay tuned to the individual needs of those puppies immediately in front of you. 

Having said that, I've intentionally not shared much about Pippin, or even Treasure.  This year is unusual for us in that we will have had puppies rather close together. We have done this before but not often.  We have had two litters of pups born within days of each other.  I don't like to do it often and wouldn't do it at all if not for John and I both being home together.  I could never be someone who went off to work leaving a brand new litter of Brittany puppies unattended.  I'm glad we are well set up and the timing has been interesting all things considered.  Each pup or mom will always get 110% of what we deem to be so important in our breeding program here. And life as most people consider it does go on hold. For me, it's perfectly normal to expect that the world would stand still when pups are concerned.  Another thing I don't want to do is take away from Molly and her pups by focusing on how wonderfully Treasure's pups are doing now as they approach 4 months - but they are doing great and even getting some birdwork done. Likewise though I don't want to take away from Pippin's possible and most likely pregnancy either and there are many positive things going on there.  It's just not the time though - not yet. Pippin will have her moment in time but for today, and for right now - this is truly all about our beautiful Molly Rose and Skittle, Veronica, Blossom, May, Flower, and Meg - the Mega-litter. 

John is doing a great job keeping the rest of our amazing Brittany crew occupied, happy,and content.  A full day in the field was greatly enjoyed by True, Piper, Jack, and Bullet.  In their absence I ran Rosie, Scooby, Treasure and Pippin although Pippin is not going to be running with them much longer.  They have all been swimming as the pond is up to it's full height of 35' feet!  I forgot how beautiful it is this time of year.  I hope the level stays high.  I so enjoyed swimming in it last year. The natural spring feeds fresh clean water into it, it's always so fresh and clear once you get away from the side of it where it's muddy.  It was so fun to see the expression of the dogs when I went in with them - it was like pure joy and disbelief!  Bullet loves the water, Julie said he's watched Sassy that is why.

GUN DOG TRAINING TIP - Don't do this - PLEASE!
Speaking of other dogs watching each other and learning. A word of caution as it's field training season.  Unless you have a dog that is a finished dog you don't want to be running youngsters with other untrained dogs.  Yes, they do learn from them. But only when there has been concentrated specific training techniques taught to BOTH dogs. Running dogs together and thinking that is a good way to train them for the field is counterproductive.  We do post pictures of our crew together, but we have breed them, we have trained them, we have hunted with them and we know their level of training and how much actual authentic field experience and hunting they have been exposed to. Train dogs together of the same age. Train dogs together of the same ability. Train dogs together of the same maturity. But never simply run dogs together thinking they are going to train each other.  Oh they sure will learn to hunt together, just not for you!   When dogs are cut loose in a field together, regardless of whether there are 'planted' birds, scented dummies, or wild upland game present if they have not been properly exposed to birds and lots of them, you're may very well ruin your dog's chances of ever connecting all those genetic dots within their DNA. Line upon line, precept upon precept, the foundation is laid.  Beginning with the early scent awakening to when your dog is steady to wing and shot, naturally retrieves and backs or honors, YOU or another 'human' are the trainer of your dog.  Unless you have a completely finished mature adult with many succesful bird hunts (trials or hunt tests) please don't try to use one dog to train another dog to be a gundog. If you do happen to be someone who appreciates the beauty of productive hunting with several Brittanys at the same time check out the book "Bird Dog" written by Ben O. Williams.  Ironically, I bought that book for John's birthday when we were awaiting announcement of the birth of Miss Molly Rose. That my friends, seems a perfect way to draw this to a close!

Take care and God Bless you always with all our love, John, Ann and our motley crew of Brittanys!