Summer (taken 11 May 2013)
We are desperately looking for signs that she is definitely pregnant, but it's really difficult to tell!
She is very cuddly and cutchie, and is sitting on my lap quite a lot as well as giving us the 'sad eyes' more often...but is it that we're looking too hard for signs, or is she actually pregnant?
As of Tuesday last week, we started to take our Tibetan Terrier for walks where there were other dogs, and whilst the first walk is always unnerving, watching how male dogs respond to her, all seemed fine, so we're sure her season is over.
Summer seems to get a little tireder, although I do wonder if this is because she hasn't had quite such long walks due to her being in season. Or could this be another sign?
On Friday last week, Judy and I took Summer and Harris to Headley Heath, National Trust land close to Box Hill in the Surrey Hills (North Downs). It is a dog walkers paradise, although we have to look out for the horses (but usually only a couple)! The two TTs had a brilliant time, romping and chasing, and Harris played more rough and tumble (although he is very gentle) with Summer, which he hadn't done for the last month. We saw about six other Tibetan Terriers, including a five month old puppy who definitely was top dog in his family (he was dragging his elderly owners and sat in the front seat of the car whilst one of the owners sat in the back - DO NOT recommend this..)!
Rosemary Leaf
From tomorrow, we will start our hopefully pregnant, Summer, on Rosemary Leaf tablets - just one a day. Rose, Claude's owner, recommended it and gives it to her pregnant bitches (Pulis and Tibetan Terriers). Rosemary leaf helps the muscles during and after birth. It's the only pills / supplements I will give Summer, with the exception of some homoeopathic pills Rose gave me for during whelping. The Rosemary leaf should be started from the third week of gestation (mating), until a week after whelping. People seem to either think it's a wonderful product or totally useless - you decide!
Today (Sunday)
Locally every year is the Cowpie Country Show, run by the Surrey Young Farmers. My daughter and I took Summer and we wandered around the fields watching display shows and browsing through the stands. Whilst we've been many times over the last 20 years, I couldn't remember there being quite so many dogs there!
Usually this wouldn't be a problem, but having read THE BOOK OF THE BITCH by J M Evans & Kay White, which is a MUST read for ALL bitch owners, it mentions that during weeks 3 and 4 after mating, that these are "the most vital ones <weeks> for the prospective litter". The book goes on say that the organs and limbs of the puppies are growing very quickly and are susceptible to various things including being stuck in a hot car, infection, poisons, medication etc. It also suggests that from 3 and a half weeks to 5 weeks after mating, you should keep the dog away from shows and training groups where your bitch can pick up infections.
We're still half a week from this period, but I wish I'd thought more about our lovely day out!!
Summer and I love going to Agility Classes with Ann Cook in Reigate. We started Puppy Classes as soon as Summer had had her first jabs and worked through to Kennel Club Gold Level. Sadly, we attempted three times to pass the gold, but she just couldn't do it, so I say "she is trained to gold standard"!! The first two times we took the test, she was brilliant until we got to "Relaxed isolation". The little monkey just wanted to be where everybody else was, and started yapping followed by howling, whilst I was answering the test questions, talking louder and louder in the hope that the examiner wouldn't hear her!! No such luck... ha ha... By the third attempt, we had perfected "relaxed isolation" and did this first. She was perfect! But passing was just not to be, and she decided she was not going to stop (Stop the Dog) when called...
I decided three attempts was quite enough for us both, and we joined the Agility Classes, which are very sociable and great fun for us both!
No comments:
Post a Comment