'A' Litter vom Zederbach Litter Diary/Blog

[smerry]

Okay, so I liked Lauri's blog/diary about her Chinese Crested's litter so much, and I am a picture hound, I thought I would set this up so that all my pics and comments are at only one topic, rather than clogging up the board. LOL

I have also been alienating myself from my non-dog people family with my constant updates and thought, if I did that here instead, I would save them some grief :P

So as of today, my female, Cora von der Schodin is 7 weeks along, and doing famously, in my opinion. We know she has at least three and will do the x-ray on the 15th to get a real head count. I cant wait!

I guess the first order of business is to make sure I can successfully upload pics. I am using Facebook and the last time I tried I only managed to put up the links, not the actual pics. So I am going to try again

[smerry]

First try at a pic. Cora is 6 weeks prego here

[smerry]

YEAH!!!! I did it Okay, now to put up the other pics I have so far LOL :P

[smerry]

6 weeks ... but Not in the mood for pics. She is in what will be the whelping room before I got the box put together.



6 weeks.....



Whelping box with first coat of primer over it



Cora's first chance to check the box out all done(last night) the floor is stall mat material with linoleum over top and the box just set on top of all that.

last one



This morning .... 7 weeks prego ... all set up to wait for whelping.

I will be putting shredded newspaper down around the 15th ... when she goes in for x-rays. She is due the 19th or 20th.

Okay .... any comments/advice along the way are VERY appreciated.

[Lauri & The Gang]

Quote:I will be putting shredded newspaper down around the 15th ... when she goes in for x-rays. She is due the 19th or 20th.

Okay .... any comments/advice along the way are VERY appreciated.

NO newspaper.

I do not like raising puppies on newspaper. I feel it doesn't give them enough traction and I worry about swimmer pups (especially if some are born really big).

I prefer to layer towels for the actual birthing. I take away the towels as they get dirty and put down fresh ones as needed.

After the birthing process I like to use bath mats (rubber backed to keep them from sliding around) with a blanket on top - or just the mats. By using a blanket I can avoid having to wash the mats as frequently - just have to wash the blankets.

Here you can see the brown bath mat under the towel:

[smerry]

Not for the pups, but for her to dig through when she is in labor .... ?? got the idea from leerburg ..... just to clarify .... I wouldnt raise them in it ... ick !! I plan on putting towels/sheets/blankets down afterward

I like the idea of mats .... You dont think with her being a bigger dog that her moving around wont bunch the towels up? That is what I was worried about.

kaynya is sooo pretty

[Chris Wild]

Newspapers are ok for nesting material, though I'd pull them out once labor starts. As Lauri mentioned layers of towels (or old blankets, or sheets, or whatever) works better for actual whelping. Soaks up more of the ick and each layer can be removed as it gets soiled.

For rearing the pups on, I also prefer cloth. We have large fleece pads. One caution I will make is to spread the covering out tight and tuck it under the sides of the whelping box. And don't layer unless all layers are tucked under at the ends. This way it can't bunch up and a pup can't crawl under and possibly be smothered or squished by a dam who couldn't see the pup.

[smerry]

Cool :-) That is the material that I have ... I have been buying fleece by the yards :-D .... and basically what I was thinking of doing ... but it is GREAT to have it confirmed. Thanks Chris and Lauri

[Lauri & The Gang]

Kaynya nested using the towels. I didn't want to be messing around inside the box more than I had to be once things started. And I didn't want Kaynya getting upset that I was removing something she wanted (like newspapers) while she was whelping.

[smerry]

right ....
What about pulling out the towels? just curious?