Growing like weeds...

It is amazing how fast these guys grow! All of them have at least doubled their birth weight, so we know that Ryder is taking good care of them. The trip to the Vet went very well. They rode in a picnic basket while Ryder was in a crate next to them. Ryder didn't think this was too much fun, but it was a quick trip. Everyone got a clean bill of health!

Some of the pups already have nicknames. Sometimes when puppies are born the placenta will rub off on them tinting them green- so we have "Green Goblin." She is super cute! You can't tell so much in the pictures, but you sure can in person. A few other nicknames are "angel face" and "loud mouth" (can you guess why?). ;-)



Their pigment is starting to come in, so soon they will have black noses. You can see the variety of yellow shading. Their is only on that is lighter then the rest of them. Don't tell the others, but she is my favorite. She is very feminie looking and just adorable...well they are all adorable!!!

I am finally getting a little more sleep. I get up a few times through out the night to check on them and take Ryder out for a potty break. She has this idea that maybe she might be able to move the puppies outside to a better spot, so she still continues to look a den. With nine puppies she had to eat a lot, which for most Labradors- eating is their passion. She had gotten to the point where at meal time she will look at me as if to say "You gotta be kidding...more food." I just tell her it would be a dream come true for any of the other dogs to eat this much, so she better consider herself lucky!

They're Here!

13 hours, one call to the vet at Midnight, and maybe an hour of sleep- all for nine beautiful puppies! Every minute was worth it!!!

Puppy #1 came yesterday at 8:00 PM. I thought to myself- "OK...here we go." But then nothing came for four hours. At that point, I called the vet for some professional advice. In the time it took him to call me back ( 3 minutes) we had puppy #2- weighing 1/4 pound heavier then everyone else. After the big boy was out everyone else came with ease. The last puppy was born this morning at 8:45 AM. When Cash came down this morning to see them, he stared at them with the most joyful grin and said "Nine puppies...that is a lot of puppies." I call them my "cloud nine"!

Ryder did amazing, taking care of each pup as it was born, worrying about the others, and thinking ahead of what she needed to do for the next puppy to come. When it was all over she looked at me as if to say "Phew...we did it." She LOVES her babies! Every time she goes outside for a walk, she will race back to the door and let me know that I am not opening it fast enough with a little whine. Then she races to her box and goes from puppy to puppy, as if she is counting them before she settles down ever so careful to avoid laying on any. Everyone is marked with pink fingernail polish so that I can track their growth and make sure they stay healthy. So if you see pink...it's not blood.

They are a loud group, very talkative but I don't mind...it's like sweet music!

Almost time...

Ryder is sooooooo ready to have these puppies! She is trying to get some sleep, but it's hard to get comfortable when you're stomach is the size of a 20 pound pumpkin. ;-) I'm sure I will be up all night with her...that's what a mid-wife does!

The Whelping Area

The Perfect Spot

No puppies yet...but we are getting there! Ryder has found a few places on the property that SHE thinks would be a great spot to have puppies.

She has tried to dig under the stairs and next to deck under a bush-

She has tried the two old "homestead" buildings where the skunks live. Luckily we haven't seen the skunks!

This morning she got under the hay tarp and looked at me as if to ask "What about here?"-

But her FAVORITE spot of all is under our old tractor-

Ryder has been sleeping a lot, but still finds time to snack on the pears, pulling them right off the tree. Her temperature is dropping, but has not hit that magical number yet (A normal temperature is 99-100 degrees. One of the first signs of labor is when their temperature drops to 98 degrees. Puppies usually come within 24 hours).

So we continue to wait...

Big Mama

We have reached that point where laying down is not so comfortable anymore. Ryder is due on the 28th...but I wonder if she will make it that long. She has started to look for a "den"...digging here and there. I keep reminding her that she doesn't get to have her pups outside, but she just can't help it. Most of the time Ryder can be found laying next to me. Cash is very careful with Ryder...petting her softly...rubbing her belly. He calls her a "good mama dog." He also tells the other dogs to "be gentle with Ryder, she has babies." She IS a good mama dog!