One Week Old and Twice as Big!

The beginning of socialization! My daughter in law getting her first wiff of puppy breath and giving Sienna some loving!

 

Our puppies turned 1 (week) today! They are doing great…even the little one! Everyone has at least doubled their weight which is a good sign.

The first three weeks are always the clinchers. I

don’t want to let Sienna outside because we have tons of deer in our neighborhood. They are beautiful but also disease carriers. While the pups do benefit from Mom’s antibodies in the colostrum and in her milk, I am nervous.

Here are some recent photos!

Grandson Ben loves to hold puppies! This is the same young man featured on the “cover” of this website….10 years ago! He is holding our littlest one, Luxio.

They try to sleep in clumps!

You can’t see them all, but the other 5 are nestled under the whelping pen’s pig rail. A pig rail prevents mom from accidentally crushing one of her babies.

Sienna getting some quality on my bed with Luxio. My way of making sure this pup gets all the milk he needs. Special times.

Sienna, me and Luxio. (I am terrible at selfies!)

Sienna’s Puppies–Day 3

As a first time mom, Sienna was a little bewildered when her puppies began to arrive. But after the fourth pup descended (she has 7!), her instincts kicked in big time.

Fast forward to Day 3 and she has got this!!

In the video below she is seen picking up one of the pups to gently (puppy never made a peep) and place him in the circle of babies so that she could curl her body around all of them for nursing. I think this is just amazing!

We Have Puppies!

It has been over five months since I’ve had tiny paws padding around my house so I am excited!

Sienna whelped 7 beautiful (but tiny) babies last night. She was four days early which is rare in dogs. But I am certain because I had her progesterone tested twice and the breeding was by artificial insemination. My boy Tiger is the sire.

Sienna taking a nap with me on the lounge chair

This breeding combines multiple lines and pedigrees that I love and respect. My first champion, Lily, is the great grandmother! And my boy Tiger, who lives nearby, is the sire. Suffice it to say I can’t wait to see how these kids develop.

 

Sienna enjoying some quality time on my lap in the lounge chair the day before pups arrived!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Rewards of Breeding

Breeding dogs is hard work. A LOT of hard work!! It is a full time job…not a hobby.

But the rewards far outweigh the burdens.

One of the rewards is the friendships I have with my puppy owners. Daily my inbox is full of notes, photos and updates on what they are doing.

This week my “Summer Weather” litter enjoyed their 3rd birthday. They are out Luna and of  These are some photos their families sent me to celebrate!

This is Rainbow. She lives in Washington DC and just got a birthday groom! I love her scarf!

This family has three of my Havanese! Birthday girl, Guillia, is in the front. At right is Valentina and at left is Rosie. Their owner said they are frowning because she just arrived to pick them up from the groomer.

This is Wrigley! In the background is his roommate, the pretty cat. I think what Tasha is thinking here is, “You may be higher than me but I have the couch!”