Time Flies--Time to Name the Puppies!

Puppies had their first pedicure today. Out of the eight, six were very cooperative. The other two are the ones who make all the noise--so no surprise there.

This is also the point in time where I am assembling names. Since the puppies were born the day before and on April 14 and 15 (two after midnight), we are calling this our Tax Day Litter!

Names we are considering so far are:

1. Carneys Best Deduction (Bess)
2. Carneys Rapid Refund (Rufus)
3. Carneys Maximum Return (Max)
4. Carneys Going For That Extension (Go-Go)
5. Carneys Lovin' Uncle Sam (Sammy)
6. Carneys Turbo My Return (Turbo)
7. Carneys Filing Just In Time (Filer)
8. Carneys Better than A 401K (KK)
9. Carneys Me and the IRS (Iris)
10. Carneys Sugar Sweet Asset (Sugar)
11.Carneys Purest Profit (Essie)

 If you have any suggestions to add--please do so!

Also, if you are so inclined vote on your three favorites.

Day Ten

Puppies are all growing very fast. Phoebe is getting a homemade mix of ground chicken, brown rice and sweet potatoes. I'm supplementing that with adult dog kibble--Wellness brand--and cottage cheese. She is eating about five times a day--over double what she normally eats! Puppies noses are beginning to color in and their toe nails are hardening. Some are black and some are white--very cute!

At this point their eyes are still closed and they sleep on the heating pad about 90% of the time. When they are awake all they do is seek out Mom and eat. Phoebe is comfortable sleeping outside the litter box but won't leave the room except to go outdoors. We might take a short walk today. I'm told it stimulates milk production.

Here are some photos to start your morning!

Feeling Like A Dog Again

I think Phoebe is finally feeling like a dog again and not just a milk machine. Puppies are five and six days old, gaining nicely and squealing up a storm. Good news is that Phoebe came in to the family room to watch TV with us last night. She has been a nervous first-time mother and this was the first time she left the puppy room other than to go potty.

The weather in Michigan has been beautiful after a cold weekend. Can't wait until the pups are big enough to go outside in the yard to play!

Some photos Jen Brown took on Sunday.

The Milk Machine

Puppies are holding their own weight-wise. They are amazingly active and well developed.
Phoebe is beginning to relax just a little--lying down now to nurse.  A few of the puppies seem to need some supplementing. We started bottle feeding them for this. Then my daughter Jenny had this great idea to turn Phoebe into a 'mlk machine' while the bigger puppies were sleeping. Worked like a charm!

Just to give you all an idea of how tiny these puppies are, here are a couple in Jen Brown's palms. She has this magical touch. As soon as they were in her palms they fell asleep!

Busy Friday

Puppies are moving around a little more--squirming might be a better word. Some sleep while others eat which has to be a good thing for Phoebe.  She went outside a few times today--weather is nearly a record high.  And, she got her first bath since the big day.  Looks much better for it!

Here is today's photo.

We Have Puppies!

Phoebe (Roughrider Winnett) delivered eight beautiful, healthy puppies between 8:30 last night and 1:30 this morning--her actual due date.

All it takes is another litter to remember why I do this. What an exhilarating experience.

Handsome and proud father is, of course, Los Perritos An Heir About Him. You can see his picture on my earlier blog post.  His owner, Charlene Edwards, calls him Prince--which he is!
Like Prince, three of the puppies appear to be Sable and White (2 girls and 1 boy). The other five are Black and White (2 boys and 3 girls). Their weights range from 5 5/8  to 6 7/8 oz.

To see more about the sire and the dam and their pedigrees, please link to my website,
http://www.carneyskennel.com

Phoebe was a very attentive and alert mom through the entire process--more concerned with how to take care of everyone--the newborns and the one 'in the chute'--than her own discomfort.

More photos before I tend to the new Mama.

From Birmingham MI to Naples FL--A Match Meant To Be

It was with no small amount of luck that I met Charlene Edwards of CSTA Havanese the beginning of February--with Phoebe three days into her heat cycle. Knowing this would likely happen when I was wintering in Florida (but not quite so soon after I arrived) I had arranged to meet a couple well-respected Florida breeders. The timing, however, did not work for them.

I had found a veterinarian in Naples whose website struck me as reputable and reliable. While there for Phoebe's first progesterone test I was given Charlene's name as she was one of their best customers. The rest is history and Phoebe (top photo-AKA Roughrider's Winnett) and Prince (bottom photo- AKA Los Perritos An Heir About Him) are expecting eight wonderful puppies on April 15, 2010.

Two weeks into her pregnancy Phoebe stopped eating her usual food. I went through an entire pet store supply of different things to tempt her with. Her favorite??? Armour Vienna Sausages! Since then we have managed to find a much healthier option--Wellness for Puppies in the can.

We went to our Michigan vet Monday, April 5 for Phoebe's x-ray.
Eight puppies!
Then we went for an ultrasound because she had a slight discharge.
Eight healthy heartbeats and a yawn!

Trust me--I'm not the one who was bored--it was one of the pups in utero.

To see Phoebe and Prince's pedigree go to my website,
http://web.me.com/jacqui00/CarneysKennel/Our_Home_Page.html

Today I started taking Phoebe's temperature. At 8:20 AM it was 100.9. At 12:20 PM it was 99.4.

Stay tuned for more developments!