Lena's January 2016 Litter
NOTE: All puppies in this litter have been spoken for.
We are thrilled to announce that we have five fabulous new puppies. It’s a boy! And four girls! Mama and babies are doing just fine.
Whelping (having puppies) is a risky business, both for mother and pups. Any number of things can go wrong. We take all kinds of precautions and give our mama dog and her new puppies the best veterinary support. In the days before she’s due, we use prenatal equipment from a company called WhelpWise. Using a uterine contraction monitor, we take readings twice a day and the machine records any contractions Lena may be having. Lena just lays on top of the sensor and takes a little snooze during her monitoring sessions.
We can also hear puppies’ heartbeats using an ultrasound Doppler. It’s important to know that we are finding healthy, strong heartbeats. If a puppy’s heart rate drops too low we may have to take emergency action. All this time we are constantly on the phone with our veterinary support team at WhelpWise. These ladies are fantastic (and very patient), and they are really good at helping us find those sneaky little puppies rolling around in Lena’s womb.
Lena has been getting the best veterinary care from our reproductive specialist Dr. Cheryl Lopate. Dr. Lopate performed Lena’s artificial insemination and she was constantly on the phone with us during Lena’s whelping. Lena gave birth in a private room in the house, using a baby pool as a whelping box. This pool gives the dog plenty of room to move around, and the circular shape is supportive. She likes to rest up against the sides. Her new puppies will nest in this cozy spot for about four or five weeks.
Also at the ready for Lena’s new puppies is a scale and an assortment of Ric Rac ribbons. At the time of birth, we start monitoring each puppy individually. Each pup is given a colored ID ribbon, along with a little nickname, so that we can monitor its weight, health, temperament and growth. All five of our beautiful new puppies are now sporting their ID collars and nursing like mad. We are so proud of Mama Lena!
