Good Evening Everyone!
It has gotten cold here in Kentucky, we've even had snow over the past 24 hours. But this hasn't stopped the pups from getting their exercise. In fact the pups have done so well with both diet and exercise that they have already gained more than a pound! All five are now over two pounds in weight and they are beginning to gain the use of their legs. At this rate their eyes and ears will open by the end of this week and they will be walking!
You've all seen the introductory video in my last post. The full video featuring my fab five is now playing. Enjoy!
Nelly
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Daily Exercise
Hello Everyone!
All is quiet here in my world. My K's parents left yesterday morning and K herself has been out and about visiting her horses most of the weekend. I suspect she's trying to get some additional exercise as we haven't been able to take walks since the pups have arrived.
Did you know that the pups need to have daily exercise too? They receive about 12 seconds of specialized stimulation from our humans each day. The program we are using was developed by the U.S. Military and has been proven to produce healthier, more socially accepting puppies.
I have included a video of Normandy's round. You will see that it is quite acrobatic and, while Norman makes a bit of a fuss, it's not hurting him. What K is doing is holding him vertically, on his tummy, on his back and finally upside down for about 3 seconds and finally tickling his toes. Exposing Normandy and his siblings to such stressors early in life helps them progress faster in their mental and physical development. The humans will do this daily until the pups are about 17 days old; at which point they'll be on their feet and too big to safely hold in the various positions. Can you believe that that milestone is going to be next week? I can't wait! I am hoping to be able to resume my own exercise program once the pups have their legs.
Nelly
All is quiet here in my world. My K's parents left yesterday morning and K herself has been out and about visiting her horses most of the weekend. I suspect she's trying to get some additional exercise as we haven't been able to take walks since the pups have arrived.
Did you know that the pups need to have daily exercise too? They receive about 12 seconds of specialized stimulation from our humans each day. The program we are using was developed by the U.S. Military and has been proven to produce healthier, more socially accepting puppies.
I have included a video of Normandy's round. You will see that it is quite acrobatic and, while Norman makes a bit of a fuss, it's not hurting him. What K is doing is holding him vertically, on his tummy, on his back and finally upside down for about 3 seconds and finally tickling his toes. Exposing Normandy and his siblings to such stressors early in life helps them progress faster in their mental and physical development. The humans will do this daily until the pups are about 17 days old; at which point they'll be on their feet and too big to safely hold in the various positions. Can you believe that that milestone is going to be next week? I can't wait! I am hoping to be able to resume my own exercise program once the pups have their legs.
Nelly
Friday, November 25, 2011
Week One
Hello Friends!
Happy Thanksgiving to you! I hope you and yours have had a delightful holiday week thus far.
Well, the pups and I have made it through their first week. All five of them are healthy and gaining weight daily. I too am doing well. I must admit though that I tire of them frequently and enjoy having a break with K and my other humans.
The pups' personalities are still developing however here's where we are at one week:
Nelly
Happy Thanksgiving to you! I hope you and yours have had a delightful holiday week thus far.
Well, the pups and I have made it through their first week. All five of them are healthy and gaining weight daily. I too am doing well. I must admit though that I tire of them frequently and enjoy having a break with K and my other humans.
The pups' personalities are still developing however here's where we are at one week:
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| Nova. Team captain, quiet and a steadying influence on her siblings. |
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| Ned. Still directionally challenged but a sweet boy. |
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| Normandy. He's a solid citizen. |
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| Nike. The team diva. Pink is definitely her color. |
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| Neon. Quick on the uptake and still using his small stature to advantage. |
Friday, November 18, 2011
Fab Five
Hello!
I am no longer pregnant! My puppies arrived yesterday morning beginning with Nova making her debut about 4:05. Following Nova were her brothers Ned at 4:42 and Normandy (Norman for short) at 5:55. After a spot of trouble which was relieved by a hormone boost, Miss Nike arrived at 8:47 and then little Mr. Neon at 10:14.
We are all doing well. I am a bit sore and a whole lot tired! Yesterday was an incredibly long day and my pups will be completely dependent upon me for several weeks. Right now they are blind and deaf as their ears and eyes will remain sealed for two weeks. What you may not know is that they also cannot yet produce their own body heat or even go potty. They stay warm by sleeping next to me and by using latent heat and piling upon one another should I be momentarily indisposed. I feed them, bathe them and even take care of waste management for the next five weeks! Thankfully I have a brilliant support team! K, B, R and T, I love you guys! K, I'm sorry I've had to wake you at 3:30 and 4:00 the past two mornings.
Readers, you may be remembering my earlier post telling you the vet said I was carrying eight. He was correct, but sadly three of the puppies were stillborn. My support team and I tried very hard to revive them but the pups couldn't be saved. K and R both stated that they were needed Heaven.
Now enough sadness. The "fab five" are a joy to be celebrated. Even at one day old they are starting to develop their personalities:
Nova is a diva. She knows what she needs and she'd going to go for it.
Ned is determined but has a poor sense of direction. Poor little dear took forever to find the milk.
Normandy is a fighter. He was a little weak at birth but pulled through.
Nike is athletic. She can nurse like a champ from the most amazing positions.
Neon is ingenious. He may look like the runt but he uses his size to advantage, crawling under and through to get to food.
I will keep up posting their progress. Now for a power nap!
Nelly
I am no longer pregnant! My puppies arrived yesterday morning beginning with Nova making her debut about 4:05. Following Nova were her brothers Ned at 4:42 and Normandy (Norman for short) at 5:55. After a spot of trouble which was relieved by a hormone boost, Miss Nike arrived at 8:47 and then little Mr. Neon at 10:14.
We are all doing well. I am a bit sore and a whole lot tired! Yesterday was an incredibly long day and my pups will be completely dependent upon me for several weeks. Right now they are blind and deaf as their ears and eyes will remain sealed for two weeks. What you may not know is that they also cannot yet produce their own body heat or even go potty. They stay warm by sleeping next to me and by using latent heat and piling upon one another should I be momentarily indisposed. I feed them, bathe them and even take care of waste management for the next five weeks! Thankfully I have a brilliant support team! K, B, R and T, I love you guys! K, I'm sorry I've had to wake you at 3:30 and 4:00 the past two mornings.
Readers, you may be remembering my earlier post telling you the vet said I was carrying eight. He was correct, but sadly three of the puppies were stillborn. My support team and I tried very hard to revive them but the pups couldn't be saved. K and R both stated that they were needed Heaven.
Now enough sadness. The "fab five" are a joy to be celebrated. Even at one day old they are starting to develop their personalities:
Nova is a diva. She knows what she needs and she'd going to go for it.
Ned is determined but has a poor sense of direction. Poor little dear took forever to find the milk.
Normandy is a fighter. He was a little weak at birth but pulled through.
Nike is athletic. She can nurse like a champ from the most amazing positions.
Neon is ingenious. He may look like the runt but he uses his size to advantage, crawling under and through to get to food.
I will keep up posting their progress. Now for a power nap!
Nelly
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| Left to right: Neon, Nova, Nike, Norman (on top) and Ned |
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Still waiting...
Here is perhaps the last photo to be taken of me before the puppies make their debut. I suspect they will make their grand entrance soon as I have been very tired much of the day and I don't like it when K and Tink move out of my line of site. The doc did say I am carrying eight and as you can see, they are quite unwieldy hanging as they do in my belly. Exhausting!
Also exhausting are my humans. Dear readers I do love them but they are so impatient! K has taken my temperature twice today and asked me at least three times if the puppies are coming. I had to put my head in her lap, look her in the eye and patiently explain that they pups will be here when they're ready and not before.
And now I must rest. I've got to conserve my strength so I bid you a pleasant evening. I'm off to dreamland thinking of my "After" photo.
Nelly
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Nope, not done yet!
Evenin' All!
It's been another quiet day for me. I've spent my day resting and trying to ignore Tinkerbell's shenanigans.
The humans are starting to get impatient, to which I can only advise them to trust me.
About mid afternoon K and R started communicating via their mini box things again. They were talking about me. How do I know?
First, K took my temperature again, checking for labor onset. While I do love K and realize she's only trying to help, I must say this constant temperature-taking is becoming bothersome! And as if that weren't enough, she then started viewing the blog library of another human Lab mother. While viewing this blog library K just had to pull up a video of newborn pups. When I heard the cries I ran right over to the rescue! Even Tinkerbell came to investigate. (There may be hope for Tink yet. Oh wait, she also tried to chew the corner of the folder; never mind.)
I was quite glad that a rescue wasn't necessary. The pups on the video were with their momma so there was no need to file a report with the Puppy Protection Agency. I was a bit chagrined at having my nap so rudely interrupted however and tried, once again to reassure K that I know what I'm doing. And that I'm not done yet!
Nelly
P.s. As it's a short report, here's a picture of Tinkerbell. Even though she's not a Lab, she is a canine and tries quite hard to be a model citizen when she has a mind to.
It's been another quiet day for me. I've spent my day resting and trying to ignore Tinkerbell's shenanigans.
The humans are starting to get impatient, to which I can only advise them to trust me.
About mid afternoon K and R started communicating via their mini box things again. They were talking about me. How do I know?
First, K took my temperature again, checking for labor onset. While I do love K and realize she's only trying to help, I must say this constant temperature-taking is becoming bothersome! And as if that weren't enough, she then started viewing the blog library of another human Lab mother. While viewing this blog library K just had to pull up a video of newborn pups. When I heard the cries I ran right over to the rescue! Even Tinkerbell came to investigate. (There may be hope for Tink yet. Oh wait, she also tried to chew the corner of the folder; never mind.)
I was quite glad that a rescue wasn't necessary. The pups on the video were with their momma so there was no need to file a report with the Puppy Protection Agency. I was a bit chagrined at having my nap so rudely interrupted however and tried, once again to reassure K that I know what I'm doing. And that I'm not done yet!
Nelly
P.s. As it's a short report, here's a picture of Tinkerbell. Even though she's not a Lab, she is a canine and tries quite hard to be a model citizen when she has a mind to.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Hurry up and wait
Good Afternoon Friends!
All is quiet on the puppy front. The pups are moving a lot which is delightful for my humans but exhausting for me. I've been spending the day resting up as much as possible, pausing only for brief forays outside, temperature logs and of course today's blog posting.
I must say that my humans have been very considerate in helping me prepare for this latest litter. They've set up a suitable whelping box, brought in heat lamps and blankets to help me keep each puppy warm until all are safely delivered, assembled basic veterinary supplies and are supplying lots of love and encouragement. Sometimes I worry that they'll become a little mushy-gushy with the L and E, but so far they've managed to keep it in check.
I do suspect that my humans are quite excited to meet the pups. They are messaging each other constantly on those funny little boxes they carry around. K has taken to keeping her box within arm's reach and she goes for it as soon as she's finished taking my temperature. I wish they would relax just a little bit. Otherwise they may be too exhausted to help out when I need them most! Silly humans, they really can take the cues from me. Even Tinkerbell the cattle dog puppy is more relaxed, and if you knew Tink, you'd realize that that's saying something!
Well folks, I'm feeling another nap coming on so I'll sign off for now. In the meantime, enjoy your afternoon and, for my humans, RELAX!
Nelly
All is quiet on the puppy front. The pups are moving a lot which is delightful for my humans but exhausting for me. I've been spending the day resting up as much as possible, pausing only for brief forays outside, temperature logs and of course today's blog posting.
I must say that my humans have been very considerate in helping me prepare for this latest litter. They've set up a suitable whelping box, brought in heat lamps and blankets to help me keep each puppy warm until all are safely delivered, assembled basic veterinary supplies and are supplying lots of love and encouragement. Sometimes I worry that they'll become a little mushy-gushy with the L and E, but so far they've managed to keep it in check.
I do suspect that my humans are quite excited to meet the pups. They are messaging each other constantly on those funny little boxes they carry around. K has taken to keeping her box within arm's reach and she goes for it as soon as she's finished taking my temperature. I wish they would relax just a little bit. Otherwise they may be too exhausted to help out when I need them most! Silly humans, they really can take the cues from me. Even Tinkerbell the cattle dog puppy is more relaxed, and if you knew Tink, you'd realize that that's saying something!
Well folks, I'm feeling another nap coming on so I'll sign off for now. In the meantime, enjoy your afternoon and, for my humans, RELAX!
Nelly
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Many Blessings
Hello and Welcome to my world!
My name is Nelly. I am eight years old. I am a Labrador Retriever. Despite my breed's title I do not engage in retrieval which frankly, I find to be a waste of time and energy. My career has been spent as a show dog and as a brood bitch. In other words, I've produced litters of puppies. And when you raise puppies, you do not have time to fetch. Trust me on this.
Recently my life was forever changed and I would like to share my story with you.
My new story begins about 56 days ago when my breeder was raided by the county humane society. Sadly my breeder had allowed herself to be overwhelmed with too many animals and was unable to properly care for us. The county forced her to surrender me and eleven other kennel mates. This could have been the end of the line for many of us older Labs as I have heard that most adopters prefer youngsters. My mates and I are blessed in that a couple of dear friends recognized us from the reports and came to the county shelter to re-rescue as many of us as they could. These friends, B and T, then combed their network of friends, co-workers and community members to find us loving forever homes.
B had a few potential candidates in mind for in me, so she sent me to live with her friend K until just the right home was found. I was rather nervous that first night at K's house. This was the second major upheaval in my life within a period of two weeks. K made me feel welcome and within a couple of days I decided I quite like her. I really enjoy the individual attention K lavishes on me. I don't even mind that I share the house with Tinkerbell, K's eleven month old cattle dog-shepherd mix.
The one and only complaint I had was the diet K put me on. My breeder may have been overwhelmed in the cleaning and organizational departments, but she was quite generous with the food. While I admit I had lost my girlish figure, I also have the defense of many litters of puppies delivered, which makes complete recovery impossible. K takes health and fitness pretty seriously, so she cut me back to one cup of food per day and instituted an exercise regimen. She, Tink and I walk about three-quarters of a mile at least once a day. Or we did until a couple of days ago when K finally realized that I am producing another litter.
Boy did those human phone lines light up Friday night! It was a bit of a treat for me to watch the by-play. I have been trying to tell K these past two months but apparently rolling over to show my belly just convey the message. Instead my belly had to "drop" for this latest litter to be noticed. Anyway, the thermometer came out and regular temperature checks began immediately. (The humans need to monitor my temperature and observe it's drop which signals the onset of labor.) K, our mutual friend R, along with B and T rushed me to the vet for x-rays Saturday morning where the vet confirmed for them that I shall be delivering eight in the coming days. While I truly do enjoy the entertainment these humans provide, the best part about this is the food! K immediately increased my intake to four cups per day of a puppy formula for it's increased nutrients and added yogurt for calcium. Yum!
Eating more and exercising less. It's completely worth one more litter of puppies for this old girl.
I will fill you in on my progress and the human-provided entertainment in the days ahead. In the meantime, I must nap.
Nelly
My name is Nelly. I am eight years old. I am a Labrador Retriever. Despite my breed's title I do not engage in retrieval which frankly, I find to be a waste of time and energy. My career has been spent as a show dog and as a brood bitch. In other words, I've produced litters of puppies. And when you raise puppies, you do not have time to fetch. Trust me on this.
Recently my life was forever changed and I would like to share my story with you.
My new story begins about 56 days ago when my breeder was raided by the county humane society. Sadly my breeder had allowed herself to be overwhelmed with too many animals and was unable to properly care for us. The county forced her to surrender me and eleven other kennel mates. This could have been the end of the line for many of us older Labs as I have heard that most adopters prefer youngsters. My mates and I are blessed in that a couple of dear friends recognized us from the reports and came to the county shelter to re-rescue as many of us as they could. These friends, B and T, then combed their network of friends, co-workers and community members to find us loving forever homes.
B had a few potential candidates in mind for in me, so she sent me to live with her friend K until just the right home was found. I was rather nervous that first night at K's house. This was the second major upheaval in my life within a period of two weeks. K made me feel welcome and within a couple of days I decided I quite like her. I really enjoy the individual attention K lavishes on me. I don't even mind that I share the house with Tinkerbell, K's eleven month old cattle dog-shepherd mix.
The one and only complaint I had was the diet K put me on. My breeder may have been overwhelmed in the cleaning and organizational departments, but she was quite generous with the food. While I admit I had lost my girlish figure, I also have the defense of many litters of puppies delivered, which makes complete recovery impossible. K takes health and fitness pretty seriously, so she cut me back to one cup of food per day and instituted an exercise regimen. She, Tink and I walk about three-quarters of a mile at least once a day. Or we did until a couple of days ago when K finally realized that I am producing another litter.
Boy did those human phone lines light up Friday night! It was a bit of a treat for me to watch the by-play. I have been trying to tell K these past two months but apparently rolling over to show my belly just convey the message. Instead my belly had to "drop" for this latest litter to be noticed. Anyway, the thermometer came out and regular temperature checks began immediately. (The humans need to monitor my temperature and observe it's drop which signals the onset of labor.) K, our mutual friend R, along with B and T rushed me to the vet for x-rays Saturday morning where the vet confirmed for them that I shall be delivering eight in the coming days. While I truly do enjoy the entertainment these humans provide, the best part about this is the food! K immediately increased my intake to four cups per day of a puppy formula for it's increased nutrients and added yogurt for calcium. Yum!
Eating more and exercising less. It's completely worth one more litter of puppies for this old girl.
I will fill you in on my progress and the human-provided entertainment in the days ahead. In the meantime, I must nap.
Nelly
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| My puppies! |
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