This is where we will be spending our time from this point on:
Excerpt from our recent email update:
"...As
you can see her abdomen is continuing to enlarge. From this point on the pups
are growing within daily. The last two weeks of a dogs pregnancy is when the
pups do most of their growing. We are very happy to say we feel strong puppy
movement as well as see little ripples when they stretch. Piper grows more
uncomfortable with each day as her body begins to prepare for the day of
delivery. She's restless. When she lays down she kicks one of her rear legs out
behind her. Sometimes she turns around and wants to bite at her back leg or
rear. The shape of her back and tail area has started to change, and eventually
it will take on a true, obvious pointed shape. We have started to monitor Pipers
body temperature and will be taking it twice a day. She is at 100.3 which is
very average for a dog. As her body continues to react to the approaching birth
of her puppies, her temperature will fall. We will be watching. The first drop
we look for is when her temperature falls below 100 and remains there. Are you
following in the Monks of New Skete Book - "Art of Raising a Puppy"? If so, you
have a very good idea of what stage we are at. We are hopeful for a very normal
and uneventful progression, and based upon her half sister, her aunt, and her
grandmother have every reason to believe Piper will be a wonderful mother with
strong maternal instincts and an easy delivery. (I'm not sure the girls consider
it easy though!). Although Jacks daughter, she wasn't born here but we were in close touch with her
breeder in New Jersey who owns her mother and her brother. "Chloe" had a very
uneventful whelping as well. Even so we never know. John and I are fortunate to
have several vet friends nearby to turn to if needed as the day approaches. And
although we delivered our first litter of Brittany pups back in 1990... each
birth is unique and each mother is a very special individual to us. There is a
bonding that takes place - not only between momma dog and her pups - but with
her and with us. Piper loves and trusts us and we adore her. She will not be
left alone at any time. In fact, beginning tomorrow I'm pretty sure we will overnight with her in the area where she'll have her pups. Up until now,
she's still enjoyed being with her "pack". It is for her benefit and well being
that she will now have her own private place to be alone with us. (Based on years of experience, we are not breeders who support the warm and fuzzy community "parenting" philosophy at all. That puts the life of a valuable dog and her pups at risk.)Pipers nesting
instincts are beginning to kick in. She tried to climb into a laundry basket of
towels and lay down in it. Too funny really - Piper turned around and look at me
with a silly expression. She can't really control what her body wants to do but
the natural instincts are strong. John and I are both so proud of Piper...
adapting to what is happening, something we are ultimately responsible
for...Now is the time we will "hunker down". Right now it's all about Piper, and that's as it should
be!" As always thank you for your interest and your commitment in All Things Brittany, take care and God bless you and yours always!!! John, Ann, Piper, True, and crew
PS Piper not only has her own blanket that "Aunt Julie" made when Piper was a puppy, but has several that Julie has recently crocheted for her much anticipated pups. We are blessed... in many ways and God is good all the time.
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