Puppy update & photos

Puppy photos are posted. They're all filling out and doing well. Mama's seem to be resting well. Each time I check, they've either gotten their pups to sleep and are resting by them, or they're nursing them. Chloe & Maggie are both excellent mothers. My only job is to sit back and monitor their feedings and growth, clean, and monitor the temp in the puppy house to make sure it remains a constant temperature for them. It takes a bit of work this time of year with the cool nights and warm afternoons. I can hardly wait for Rainey's litter to arrive now. The anticipation of how many and what sex is always like Christmas. You never know what you're going to get!

Chloe delivered!

Finally....Chloe delivered 3 puppies tonight. She has 2 males, 1 female, and they are very large puppies. I helped her deliver the first one breech and I thought I'd never get him out. It stressed me out! It took several minutes of her pushing and me pulling to get him out. The second boy was nearly as difficult, but she delivered the girl on her own. They are all a light wheaten or cream with black points and are very big healthy puppies. I think she should have delivered them last week and they would have been 'normal' sized. LOL They're nursing and Chloe is pretty sore and growly, but she'll feel better tomorrow.

Maggie

Maggie delivered 6 healthy puppies this morning. She has 3 girls, 3 boys, perfect little brindles! We did an U/S this afternoon just to ensure all was well and there were no more puppies in there. We almost lost her last litter when things seemed normal and 2 days later, we discovered a dead puppy in the birth canal. She was septic and it took several days of IV antibiotics and intensive care to save her. So no chances taken this time! :) The puppies are nursing and strong. It's exciting to have babies again!

No Puppy Update

We're still watching and waiting but no puppies yet. Chloe is overdue and this is not uncommon, particularly for her. She is bagged up and appears ready. Maggie & Rainey are big bellied and wadling. I'll post news when we get some!

Beat the Summer Heat- But Clip?

Some dog owners believe that clipping a dog's coat will make them cooler. They get their dog a summer cut to help them beat the summer heat. What they don't realize is that a dog's coat is insulating not only during the winter, but it's insulating against the heat in the summer. A dog doesn't sweat, but dissipates their body heat through panting. The undercoat helps to not only keep out the summer heat, but it prevents sunburn and skin irritations such as misquito bites. We know that Cairn Terriers should be stripped, not clipped. The primary reason is that dead hair left in the follicle and not stripped out, damages the base of the hair and makes it soft. The dead soft hair matts and is more odorous and difficult to manage. When stripping, the dead hair is removed by plucking it when it's ready, and a new hair grows in that remains course and the coat stays cleaner, less smelly, and does not matt as easily. It's important in the summer to brush regularly, remove any matts that may actually cause excess heat, and strip to maintain coat health. Bathe once a month to minimize drying out the skin. When spending a lot of time in the summer sun, use a dog sunscreen & insect repellent such as Flea the Scene by Happytails Spa product line. Ensure your dog has plenty of clean cool water to drink. There are various products available, such as cooling beds and cooling bandanas to help cool your dog when spending a lot of time outside. Some owners like to provide a baby wading pool in the yard for the Cairn to play in. They enjoy playing in the water and it helps keep them cool. Remember to use caution around large pools and use safety gates & fencing to dog proof your pool. Dogs can easily drown if they fall into a pool and can't get back out.

Puppies Puppies Puppies!

We got a surprise when Chloe turned out to be pregnant after all. She is due on Wed and can go any day now. We had expected for Maggie to breed at some time, but she snuck up on us and is already pregnant and due very soon. I would expect her to whelp in the next week or 2. Rainey is very pregnant and due June 2nd. All mamas are happy go lucky and are sporting big bellies! We're going to be very busy but are excited to welcome puppies into the world. We'll post our news soon!

Forever in Our Hearts

March 7, 1999-May 1, 2008