Another thought

Something else I have thought about, is could Bella have possibly absorbed her fetuses earlier on? I've heard of this in dogs and since I'm just positive I felt the little "marbles" at the correct time frame, from what I've read up on, seems this also could be a possibility. I've done this many times and know what I'm feeling early on. This is new territory for me. Here is one excerpt I have found regarding this issue: 

"Ultrasounding is normally done day 26-28, when the heart starts beating on the puppy, so we can monitor viability as well as pregnancy. Absorption can occur up until around day 37-38. Now that we are ultrasounding, we are REALIZING that absorption is not uncommon in the bitch, but ultrasound is only diagnosing it, it's not causing it. Just as x-raying a bitch at day 52 does NOT cause cataracts or whatever in the bitch; it gives us a WHALE of a lot of information about how many pups, their size, their positioning , and their health. That is an urban legend. Absorption is most commonly caused when the uterus is not able to support the placenta and give nutrition to the puppies; genetic problems that stop the puppies from developing; there can be some viral of infectious causes; there have been some toxins identified in large animals more so than in small animals. Trauma probably plays no role, such as palpation or jumping off the porch."

Ho hummm...................

Ok, I'm really bummed. As more time passes, and no puppies, I'm thinking Bella is having a false pregnancy. She is seeming to be loosing what little bit of a belly she had on her, her milk is no longer increasing and she's quite active and seeming more like her old self. She is showing no signs of nesting either. I've been bringing her in and watching her closely, and seems all her signs are fading. I'll probably give our vet a call, just to see his thoughts on false pregnancies or his thoughts overall. I just REALLY wanted a litter from Bella.........as I know everyone else was anxiously awaiting. I know she could still have a few days left, but as each day passes, so do my hopes, and her signs. 

At least we do have Mattie in heat here. I'm planning on putting her and Ace together within the next couple of days. They had some exceptional pups in their first litter last year! 

And about Jasmine......I don't know. My husband just thinks she has gotten old and has gotten fat. She will be 9 in a couple weeks, so maybe she's just getting that "middle age spread". Like I've said in the past, I think Jasmine has some health issues anyway, especially hormonal........I think that's why she always seems to "mother" her piece of wood that she carries around all the time. But she's a sweetie and we love her! 

It's yucky weather here today. Pouring the rain. And I think I'm off to the Dr for some antibiotics for these crazy sinuses of mine...........2 weeks of throbbing headaches is enough! LOL  I will keep ya'll posted! Enjoy your Monday!
Amy

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Hard to believe Thanksgiving is here! I hope everyone has a wonderful day......we have a lot to be thankful for.

The days are drawing closer for the dogs, or at least Bella I should say. Jasmine, I'm still up in the air about her! Bella just can't wait for me to get in her fence when she sees me coming. She gives such big hugs, wants to lick you all over the face......just the biggest sweetheart!! She actually sat on my lap earlier today! She's just about too big to be doing that! LOL  She's showing some signs of the time nearing. I'm just going to throw out a wild guess that we'll have "Black Friday" pups. We'll see. She seems to be tiring a bit more lately, sleeping a lot. I'm going to be bringing her in starting tonight, keeping a close eye on her from now on. I'll probably start keeping a good eye on Jasmine next week, just to try and sort things out with her. If she really is expecting or not, she's definitely throwing me for a loop!! I'm trying not to worry that she's got a growth or something in there that's not supposed to be. I just don't know how she could have this bulge, especially when she sits, and not have something of significance in there.......hopefully puppies instead of a tumor or something. I just wish I wasn't so confused with her. 

On another note here, Mattie has just come into heat, so we will be looking at breeding her with Ace next week sometime. That would make somewhere around the first part of Feb pups. They threw some AWESOME pups last time!! I'm VERY pleased with how they turned out! So, the excitement contiues!! LOL Oh but I love every minute of it!

We have been enjoying some beautiful weather here this week. Doing a lot of stuff around the house too. Just hard to  think that the holidays are upon us once again...........the past year has gone much too fast. Have a great day everyone! I will definitely give you the first notice when I know Bella's in labor! Until then....
Amy

Calculated days.........

Ok, I sat down, went back over my calendar and have done some figuring on due dates here. 

Bella could be due anywhere from November 25 to December 2. So maybe she just didn't take until later in her cycle, hence her small belly. She is really becoming quite lazy, sleeping a LOT and seems just drained. I have started feeding both her and Jasmine puppy food, for that extra protein they need.


Now Jasmine, IF she's preggo, I think would be due somewhere between December 8 to December 15, more likely the earlier date. Due to her gash she got on her hip and her stitches, she was kept up in the house for the most part of her heat cycle, only being put back out the last 5 days or so. 

Well, I guess we wait and see!

Some pics from the day

Just wanted to share a few pictures I took today. :)

Here's beautiful Bella......note the very small belly.

And Miss Mattie......LOVE this first one!

 

 

 

Here we have Ace giving Bella the usual look, daring her to come his way.........he guards EVERYTHING!

 

And one of Jasmine and her wood......she carries this piece of log around with her everywhere, all the time. It use to be a fairly large piece of wood, but she's whittled it down pretty good. She's so funny with it!

 

 

A peaceful day

We are having yet another gorgeous day, sunny and warm, in the 70's. Can you believe we have farmers around the area cutting and baling hay still?!? Crazy for November!

Well, I do believe I have felt a puppy in Bella!!! After I watered earlier, she was just sitting there, and since she loves belly rubs, she rolled over and was kind of on her side, and I'm pretty sure that hard little handful of a lump I felt was puppy. Hopefully there's more than one, but we'll take what's been given to us. I have noticed her starting to lay on her belly, front legs stretched out with her chin laying on the ground......a sign she's getting the puppy/puppies lined up for birth. So she's right on cue with the little symptoms I'm picking up. And I have noticed her getting up under the doghouse and hiding out, something she normally wouldn't do. There's definitely been a lot of digging going on under there! LOL And Jasmine, yes, I'm still confused with her! I need to get some recent pics and compare with ones from 2/3 months ago.........I just don't think she's putting on THAT much "winter weight". Oh I'm so excited and just can't wait! I have a very busy photography schedule coming up, so I'm hoping to not be birthing pups on a day I have a session scheduled. I have never missed any of my dogs' births. I've spent many a night, sleeping in the garage!! LOL  

Anxiety, anticipation and...............

total confusion! LOL  I can get so worked up and SO excited with an impending litter coming. You'd think I was awaiting my "own" baby arrival or something. Just ask my hubby! 

It's been a fairly quiet week. The dogs have behaved themselves the entire time, believe it or not! I think they have been totally enjoying the warm weather we've had towards the end of the week. They all sprawl out on top of their houses, sunning it like they are in Hawaii somewhere on vacation. Ahhh, a dog's life, sounds nice sometimes, don't it?

Cookie can't figure out whether to get her winter coat on or continue to shed out more. She blows her coat so bad after she weans a litter. She shed most all of it out, then it turned cold for a spell, so she started growing a good coat in, now she's shedding somewhat again. Poor gal!

Well, onto baby news. Bella, I'm really thinking she has a small litter, VERY small litter on board.......or she's hiding them up in her rib cage! She is not growing much and is actually quite small, but she is producing milk and I can notice a little more fullness every few days, which is at least a good sign. I'm just going to guess she might have a couple. But these dogs are good to have tricks up their sleeves ya know! She could really blossom out here now though, with 3 weeks left at the most, more likely 2 1/2. Let's just keep our fingers crossed that all is ok. Now, on to something that is just absolutely, tee totally confusing the heck out of me!!! And I'm not putting much into this, yet anyway, seeing will be believing, but................I think Jasmine is pregnant! HOW?? Probably between the chain link fence!! Her and Ace are neighbors and that is the ONLY way it could've happened. They were not put together during her heat cycle, nor did either one escape during that time period. It's just the only option. Course who knows, Jasmine is good to let herself out and put herself back up.........when she wants to! I did not see anything happen or going on, but boy, does she ever appear to becoming largely pregnant!  I noticed this last weekend, of course Chris thinks I'm crazy and imagining things, but she continues to get just a bit bigger and I had Laura to look at her today and she was like, "mom, oh my gosh Jasmine has gotten fat!" Like I said, I'm trying not to get too wrapped up in this at the moment but I can't help but be just a wee bit excited!!! Jasmine has difficult labors and that's one reason we quit breeding her. So let's hope everything works out for the best. I don't know what to make of it myself, but I'll definitely keep ya'll posted! Do these dogs like keeping you on your toes or what?!? Goodnight ya'll!
Amy

The maternity corner is ready to go!

We had such a beautiful and very warm day yesterday! I spent 4 1/2 hours outside, cleaning the garage and washing up all my towels and birthing rags and such. Have the birthing box all set up, paper lined and ready to go.........the countdown is on! I know she's still got a ways to go, but I don't think she's going to have an overly large litter. She is still jumping around like a kangaroo, easily clearing the top rail of the fence! Luckily she's NOT figured out that she can go on "over"! 

I went through too and put extra bedding in their dog houses. Now they have like 8 inches of shavings in there! I'm sure the enjoyed burrowing down in there and snuggling up for a good night's sleep. By the time I went inside, I could hear them in there, scratching around, making a nest. 

So, all in all, yesterday was just a wonderful day. And we had lots of fun playing with the dogs and getting ready for the next babies!! Also, little Sooky got a new home. We're so happy for him. More later. Have a great Monday!

Figured you might as well meet us all.................

so here are a few recent pics. I've got a new web page in the works, to meet us and see our beautiful scenery here, it's proving to be a slow go though. These will do for now.

Me and my wonderful husband of 18 yrs........

And our 3 kiddos........

Mattie's up and at 'em!

Boy, Mattie is rearing to go this morning. She's been up, playing around, checking out her gate to see if it's locked or maybe how she can escape. She just bounces around everywhere. She's SO full of energy, all the time! I think she's anxiously awaiting for her "neighbors" to wake up.........that is Jasmine and Bella. They have slept in really late this morning. I actually just now see Jasmine has come out of her doghouse, Bella must still be curled up inside. It is a pretty cold morning here of 29 degrees! I don't blame her, I'd like to still be snoozing myself. This time change is wreaking havoc on me! LOL I better finish baking some cookies for my daughter's class and then head out to check on the gang. Ya'll have a great day!
Amy

NEWS FLASH!!! : )

News that everyone has been waiting for!! Bella IS expecting!! I am SO thrilled and excited and totally looking forward to these new little ones. I would expect them somewhere around Thanksgiving. These will be some gorgeous pups for sure! I've been thinking that she was and seeing a few subtle signs, but just didn't want to "make the announcement" until I just saw for sure. Well, it's funny how 2 days makes a difference in telling. She has the poochiest little belly on her and appears to be getting in some milk. So yeh, it's for real!

I have many people waiting on this litter, so anyone that is interested in placing a deposit now, to hold your place in choosing your puppy, PLEASE let me know asap as I'm only accepting 4 deposits until I see how many she'll have. Stay tuned as they'll be lots more updates on the excitement!

Beautiful morning and all is quiet

Nice start to a day here.........sunny, but very foggy so far. It's so pretty, with all the colorful leaves peeking out from the fog. All the dogs are beginning to stir. Actually seems as if they've slept in this morning as usually they're done up by now. They're out nibbling on their food, couple of them are soaking in what little bit of sun they can get from laying on the roof of their doghouse. Ace is taking survey of things by sitting on his little front porch of the doghouse, looking like a statue. Cookie is the early riser in the bunch, she's always been the first one up. And funny, but Jasmine is always the last to get up, always has been. She likes her sleep! LOL They had a fun day yesterday, getting to run around and play. The last couple days it had rained and was so messy. So going out to feed in that weather is always an adventure. I come in looking like I've just gotten down and rolled in the mud.......but I love all their hugs they give me, no matter how much mud gets on me.