The passage of time is relentlessly undeniable. Long before Autumn actually arrives the determination of this season is felt and seen. It brings to us joyful anticipation as we enjoy our pumpkin spice coffees, apple pies, crisp weather and nights around a campfire. For those in New England who dread winter autumn also reminds us of the inevitable. The cordwood is all dried and stacked and soon will be used to keep a home warm and cozy. Hunkering down for the long winter months will be here soon enough. But here, we are looking foward to a different kind of hunkering down.
Hunker down actually means to stay in one place for a period of time. For Holly, hunkering down will soon begin with the primal instinct of preparing a nest or a den for her soon to arrive puppies. Shortly before giving birth in the wild a wolf seeks out a suitable spot for her den. It is instinctual to prepare her den in a sheltered area, such as a cleft between rocks, an old hollow log, or a space under an upturned tree. (Years ago when Molly Rose had pups she was certain she would make a den among some tangled roots of an old pine tree!) In addition to Holly's actual anticipated temperature drop she will begin to exhibit her own nesting behavior. Digging, scratching, hiding, seeking out dark and tight spaces are some of the things we'll expect. We often provide newspaper for tearing apart in the whelping box. We will keep the lights down low. At night when she has to relieve herself she will be on a leash and I will carry a flashlight and a towel. You never know because Holly, her mother, and grandmother have never had problem plopping a puppy in the most unexpected places!
I have been charting Holly's temperature for just about a full week. While her behavior will certainly indicate approaching labor the temperature drop will help pinpoint the timing. Her temperature has been fairly consistent with a couple of insignificant drops. Holly and I spend a couple of hours together each night in the puppy cave. I keep the lights low and play calming music. With a multiple dog household this is a welcome break for our girl. As I write this afternoon Holly prefers to be in her crate on the other side of the house. When she goes outdoors she often disappears from sight. When I call her she is apt to come out from behind the horse trailer, the johnny house, the woodpile or from the back of the garage.
The puppies are so active! I can feel their strong movements when I gently lay my hand on her tummy. She has milk already. Holly's appetite is up and down. Some days she is a chow hound and other days she turns her nose up and walks away. This is not the time to let a dog call the shots as far as eating goes. She MUST eat and if that means cooking a prime rib just for her so be it! I am trying to feed her several small meals a day in order to help ease abdominal discomfort.
Yesterday Holly's Adaptil collar arrived. At the advice of our reproductive team we started to use this collar several years ago. This collar safely releases the pheromone of a nursing mother. It actually helps as whelping approaches for the momma dog to feel safe and reduces her anxiety.
As I have experienced before when puppies are due here all of our other dogs seem to understand. They are quite the jubilant crew on any given day but when around Holly Beth each one is very respectful. HB's signals are also very clear when it comes to communicating "Leave me alone, grasshoppper!"
We have come up with a list of nicknames to choose from when the pups are born. We are working on a name for the litter itself. John and I each make a list with a specific number of names on it. Then we exchange the list and circle the ones we like and cross out the ones we don't. Very diplomatic!
Today, on a scale of 1-10, the weather here in Southern Maine is definitely a 10! The humidity has left and the temperature is a comfortable 70 something. We've been out to one of the local orchards to pick some sweet and juicy peaches. We live close to many orchards and the next trip will be for apples! In the meantime, I hope that you and yours enjoy this gorgeous weather. These truly are challenging and crazy times that we live in but we do need to all live our life outwardly and fully. As always thank you for your interest in All Things Brittany, take care and God bless! John, Ann, and our canine crew.
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