Gidget didn't want to go out this morning when my husband got up (5am). That's a first. No problem when I got up at 6 but I don't usually take them out again until after I read the paper and have a cup of coffee. She just kept sleeping so I left her. No problem going out around 7 though. She even seems a bit more energetic. Ate a small amount of food but left most of it (and it was mostly canned). After she ate she barked once which is her way of letting me know she wants to go out. Did her business and came back in (while my dog chased someone walking their dog on the other side of the fence:-(.
So the waiting continues. I stayed home from Rally class last night sure that she would go into labor as soon as I left. Obviously not. Maybe today's the day.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Day 60 and still counting
We're still in waiting mode. I gave up on taking her temperature as it was staying around 99.3 or so and it doesn't' seem to be a good indicator of impending labor for her. Her appetite has diminished. She just ate the boiled chicken I added to her kibble and canned food this morning (she is getting more picky. If I just gave her plain kibble, she turns her nose up. She never touches the kibble that is in her crate at night although I don't really expect her to eat during the night:-). She's also not doing much but lying around and moving from the big bed (which she is shredding) to the floor in the alcove leading to our room and sometimes to the floor by the end table between the 2 stuffed chairs. I still don't see any milk.
She's also not following me around every time I move like she was. She's kind of look up and acknowledge that I am moving and then just lies back down. I also don't think she is getting appreciably bigger although it may just be that she was growing so rapidly for a while that a smaller rate is less noticeable. When she does walk, there is a noticeable "waddle" to her step. I'll try to see if I can catch anything on video later. She doesn't walk around much, even when I take her outside so we'll see.
She's also not following me around every time I move like she was. She's kind of look up and acknowledge that I am moving and then just lies back down. I also don't think she is getting appreciably bigger although it may just be that she was growing so rapidly for a while that a smaller rate is less noticeable. When she does walk, there is a noticeable "waddle" to her step. I'll try to see if I can catch anything on video later. She doesn't walk around much, even when I take her outside so we'll see.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Have a look at this belly
This is her favorite spot outside. At least, it's about as far as she gets when I take her outside unless she has to go potty verrrry badly. And even then, she'll plop down here after she goes. It's a sign as to how big she has gotten that I was able to get these photos (did use my phone so maybe she didn't realize what I was doing?) She stayed still and let me take them.
The countdown continues
I took Gidget's temperature several times yesterday. It's a new digital thermometer (I haven't had a thermometer since my kids were little and my "baby" is 35!) and I am not sure how accurate it is (or if I am able to keep it in long enough). It varied from 98.3-99.6. My husband helped hold her last night so I could get a better reading but he had a hard time keeping the treats coming fast enough to keep her distracted. I was using the super high value stuff I use for training classes for my dog. Sardine brownies, tuna brownies, liver chews, turkey crunches, that kind of thing. She really will wolf those down even when she turns her nose up at store bought treats.
She's digging in the bed this morning(nesting?) but she ate fairly well when she got up. Not as much as she was eating but still ate a good deal. No milk yet. So it's still a waiting game. I do think it will be this week simply from the date she was bred.
The puppies aren't real active. I've felt one move a couple of times but she doesn't like to have her belly touched (even very lightly). I watch when she's lying there but don't see any movement. Hopefully all is going well and we'll get to meet the babies soon.
A friend is going to bring an exercise pen today.(She brought a playpen yesterday- what a great friend). That'll help, especially after I found out that she can jump out of the whelping pen. Silly me, I was thinking that with her big belly, she'd avoid trying. I knew she could but just thought... oh, well. That's what I get for thinking. I hate to confine her but as her time approaches, I worry about her having the babies under the bed or someplace else less appropriate, especially after my husband build that nice whelping box.
She's digging in the bed this morning(nesting?) but she ate fairly well when she got up. Not as much as she was eating but still ate a good deal. No milk yet. So it's still a waiting game. I do think it will be this week simply from the date she was bred.
The puppies aren't real active. I've felt one move a couple of times but she doesn't like to have her belly touched (even very lightly). I watch when she's lying there but don't see any movement. Hopefully all is going well and we'll get to meet the babies soon.
A friend is going to bring an exercise pen today.(She brought a playpen yesterday- what a great friend). That'll help, especially after I found out that she can jump out of the whelping pen. Silly me, I was thinking that with her big belly, she'd avoid trying. I knew she could but just thought... oh, well. That's what I get for thinking. I hate to confine her but as her time approaches, I worry about her having the babies under the bed or someplace else less appropriate, especially after my husband build that nice whelping box.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Whelping box
I got the whelping box set up. I took her temperature this morning and it was 98.3 but I don't think she stood still long enough to get a good reading so I'll take it again when I have someone to help hold her. I just threw some treats on the floor to occupy her while I tried to take her temp but she scarfed them up pretty quickly. Her appetite is still good so I'm thinking maybe not so quickly.
The orangy thing under the whelping box is an old (sanitized) office chair mat. I was trying to think of something besides a tarp to protect the carpet. The living room is the only room that I can block off and that is also open to the rest of the house so she is still part of the family. I'm going to let her have access to the kitchen, I think, once I get an exercise pen to block off one opening.
For bedding, I put down a layer of towels, then a bunch of layers of newspapers, then a piece of a mattress pad (I was able to get 4 pads from a king sized mattress pad). My husband made the bottom as a tray so that we can put the top pad under it all the way around so that puppies can't get tangled up. I've got some chux type pads and tons of towels which I may add as well.
There's a little "door" that slides into the front cut out to keep puppies in when they get bigger:-)
So, without further ado... the whelping box...
The orangy thing under the whelping box is an old (sanitized) office chair mat. I was trying to think of something besides a tarp to protect the carpet. The living room is the only room that I can block off and that is also open to the rest of the house so she is still part of the family. I'm going to let her have access to the kitchen, I think, once I get an exercise pen to block off one opening.
For bedding, I put down a layer of towels, then a bunch of layers of newspapers, then a piece of a mattress pad (I was able to get 4 pads from a king sized mattress pad). My husband made the bottom as a tray so that we can put the top pad under it all the way around so that puppies can't get tangled up. I've got some chux type pads and tons of towels which I may add as well.
There's a little "door" that slides into the front cut out to keep puppies in when they get bigger:-)
So, without further ado... the whelping box...
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Day 56 (or there abouts)
I've gotten out my DSLR with the telephoto lens hoping that if I am far enough away from her, I can get a photo without her realizing that's what I am doing. She doesn't stand still very long but you can get an idea of the size of her belly. It looks way bigger than this in person to me:-) She lay out in the sun for a while today. The weather is so beautiful right now.
My husband finished the whelping box today. I've got 2 coats of paint on the walls and 1 on the inside bottom. I'm running out of paint so will probably have to run to the store in a sec. I want to get it finished today so that it has time to cure well before we bring it in. We used low fume, low everything paint. Want to be sure it's safe for her and her precious cargo before bringing it in the house.
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