The Poop Mat

Louise, the puppies sire's owner had suggested using foamy bath mats in the whelping bed.  She said they helped keep the puppies clean.  

She was right.  However, with growth comes poop - and lot's of it!  The puppies are starting to defecate on their own, even doing a crab walk squat.  While a lovely developmental milestone it means that there is poop everywhere.  Rather than a localized spot that is easy for Reba to clean up, there is poop spread from one end of the bed to the other.  As the pups grow I'll plan to have a toilet area and a sleep area in their pen.  But we're not there yet.

Where we are is me having a battle to keep things clean.  Every second day I take the mats out, lay down extra thick newspaper, and spray the mats off.  I follow this with a wash using an antibacterial dish soap and then hang the mats out to dry.  

I'm sure I'll soon lose the battle but I plan to keep trying!

Growing Puppies

My little darlings are growing!!  I swear I can see the difference each time I look at them!  Last night Tank even started to open his eyes.

Puppies:  Top Left: 3, 1, 7 (Tank).  Middle Left: 5, 2, 4. Bottom: 6.

The Bucket List

Have you heard of The Bucket List?  The Bucket List is the list of things you should or want to do before you die.  Accomplishing some things on my list mean sacrificing others to achieve the goals.  How do you choose?  In no specific order here's the list to date.

1. Travel to every continent in the world except Antarctica.  Specific countries or places on the list are: Galapagos Islands, Costa Rica, Amazon River, Northwest Territories (Canada), Alaska, a wildlife refuge in Africa.  Places I've already been: Europe, Cuba, Maui, many places in the USA and Canada.
2. Win a major competition - be it with the horses or dogs.
3. Get my Masters degree.
4. Skydive
5. Zip line over a rain forest.
6. Climb a mountain with or without rock climbing.  
7. Learn how to Salsa.
8. Learn how to speak French fluently.
9. Run a marathon.
10. Travel across Canada - see every province.
11. Go on a polar bear tour. 
12. Write a book.
13. Walk the Great Wall of China.
14. Learn how to dive (even though I'm terrified of water).
15. Breed a champion - be it horse or dog.
16. Sit on a porch with the man I married and watch my grandchildren play. (Yes, I know a few variables outta my control here.)
17. Volunteer in a third world or developing country.
18. Ski in the Alps.

Some things I've already accomplished:

1. Take Ballet.
2. Fly in a helicopter.
3. See the Redwood Forrest (California).
4. Ride a scary roller coaster (okay, so it wasn't that scary for most people - but I don't like roller coasters so the fact that I was even on one was amazing.)
5. Team Rope
6. Make the perfect chocolate cake, cinnamon buns, chocolate chip cookie.
7. Learn how to make pie, jam and can.

And that's all I've got off the top of my head.

Nose to the Grindstone

It is time to put the nose to the grindstone. It is time to rejoin the land of the living and start getting stuff done! It is time to hit the road. The trial road. I have decided to give myself a bit of a timeline in working with the dogs. And as added incentive I'll be entering some trials to fully motivate myself. Nothing like a little public humiliation to get one moving!

For Tessa, there is the FarmFair trial held at Northlands just before the Canadian Finals Rodeo. Really, other than needing a bit of a tune up - this is a reasonable and relatively easily achieved goal. After all, she's pretty handy in an arena.

For some added pressure, er, incentive, I've decided that Reba's first trial won't be next summer. Nope, it's going to be this November. In early (and I do mean early, as in the first week) November the fine folks at Lloydminister Agriculture and the Saskatchewan Stockdog Association host an arena trial. I (in my infinite wisdom) have decided that this will be Reba's first ever trial. Now all I have to do is teach her the commands for walk up, come bye, away to me, and there. Really, minor... Or not.

The nice thing about Lloyd is that it's a young dog friendly trial in that you can help your dog if needed. I figure I have two months. If I spend 10-20 minutes 5 days a week Reba should have enough buttons on her to go to town. It may not be pretty - but first trials rarely are. And it gets my rear end moving on finishing her. Her bonus is it gives her a nice mental break from the pups. See? There really is a method to my madness. Let's git'r done!

Be Still My Heart

Are they not lovely??  

Puppy 5, 2, 6

Puppy 7

Puppy 5, 2, 6

Left top corner, clockwise: puppy 4, 1, 7, 3 (under)

Eat, sleep, poop.  The life of a puppy.

Need a Nap

It seems things are speeding up in my world.  Everything is happening at once.  When Whiskey came home I noticed she was a bit lame on the front.  Checking her out I discovered she had scratches.  Scratches is common during wet, rainy periods.  Sam (vet) confirmed it when she was out preg checking her.  (She's in foal - looks like a late May baby!!)  She gave me some suggestions for treating it.  That was over a week ago.  We've had a bunch of rain the last few days so the treatment plan had to be placed on hold.  

Yesterday, I started washing her pasterns with soapy water (antibacterial dish soap), followed by towel drying the areas and applying Panalog Ointment (a antipuritic, antifungal, and antibacterial cream available at the vet).  Today I ran out of Panalog so I'll be running into the clinic.  This time I'll get them to mix up some scratches cream for me.  (Which has the Panalog in it.)  

While all this is going on Reba has had diarrhea.  Yesterday, I ran into the clinic and picked up some Progut (think doggy Pepto Bismal), and while there Sam thought she should also go on an antibiotic as a preventative measure.  Last night Reba was extremely restless.  She just would not settle.  I've been going to bed at 11 or 12 pm.  I set the space heater for 4 hours (it's been excessively cool here).  Last night Reba woke me up at 1 am.  I opened the door and sent her out.  Only to be woke up again at 3:30, 4:30, 5:00, 7:30, 9:00, and 10:30.  Something's obviously bothering her. 

Worried I checked her bag to make sure it was still soft, took her temperature and weighed all the babies.  I wanted to make sure things looked relatively normal - otherwise I was hauling her into the vets today.  She seemed ok.  And the pups are definitely getting enough to eat!  They are gaining like crazy!  It's so neat to sit and watch their little personalities come out and see them grow.  Did you know even puppies have "dreams" and talk in their sleep?  I had no idea having never been around such young babies.  (My family has always been very focused on spay/neutering of pets.)  They even wag their little tails.  Some are quieter and some are very vocal.  

Today while I treated Whiskey, Reba ran around outside.  And maybe that's part of her problem.  She wants to be with her people and doesn't want to miss out on the action.  All I know is that I'm TIRED!  Tonight I'll wait until she's done nursing, then if she wants to (she always has the choice) I'll take her and Tessa for a walk.  Hopefully her tummy feels better and I get a proper nights sleep.

Who knew having animals would be this exhausting?

PUPPIES: Here, There, Everywhere!!

Here are the first pictures of Reba's puppies.  They are devilishly difficult to take pictures of - but I promise better pics will be coming soon.  

Pups were born August 15, 2010.  The final count - Seven!  That's three more than I thought we'd have based on the vet check/x-ray.

Puppy 1 - born about 11:30 am, Female.  Weighing 323g. 

Puppy Two - born 15 minutes later.  Female. 290 g.

Puppy three - born 15 minutes later. Male. 340 g.

Puppy Four - another 15 minutes later - Female. 304 g.

Puppy Five - born 1.5 hours later, Female, 238 g.

Puppy Six - born 30 minutes later, Male. 330 g.

Puppy Seven - a surprising final addition - we didn't actually find him until morning but figure he was born at about 10:00 pm.  She seemed more restless and there was some fresh blood at that time.  And Male.  (On the left.)  And he's the biggest of them all at 407 g.