Summer's Puppies: HAPPY BIRTH-DAY PUPPIES

Saturday Night

Well, what a night!

Poor Summer was incredibly restless and all through the night, she just couldn't sit or lie still. She went from being a little aloof to wanting to be very close to me, and each time I started to dose off, she appeared.

Summer, our Tibetan Terrier, at now 62 days pregnant (based on first mating), didn't seem to be in any pain, and when Rose (the stud, Claude's, owner) called at 4.30am, Summer was just restless but there were no advances on the birthing situation. Lots of tummy stroking was called for!

Sunday - D DAY

About 7amish (I think), Rose and I spoke again - still no advances. And Judy, Summer's 'BFF' who was to support me, was told of the same.

Personally, I'd started getting quite nervous on the Thursday evening but just coped and hopped for the best!

At 9.50am this morning, Summer let out a very human sounding "eeewwwww" shout and started straining. A couple more, and I rang Rose immediately to tell her of this advance...at last! I called Judy too.

So here we were moving onto Stage Two of whelping.

My friend, Judy, arrived just after 10am.

At 10.18am, there was a small gush of fluid, and we thought a puppy would follow soon.

Having not been able to get Rose earlier, I called her again and she reminded us to give Summer a caulophyllum pill now and every hour, until an hour after labour was complete ("tones up the uterus").

10.23am: Summer gave another human sounding shout, had another very strong contraction (she'd been having quite a few smaller ones for the previous 30 minutes) and out popped a round sack. We thought it WAS a puppy for a little (terrifying) while, but it wasn't (see picture below)...

The amniotic sack

10.37am: I took Summer for the toilet, still with sack protuding.

10.45 to 11.04: More contractions of varying sizes

11.10: A very strong contraction

11.12; Out pops PUPPY NUMBER 1

PUPPY 1:

Boy

242 grams

All over sable

11.35am: Summer starts pushing and out pops PUPPY NUMBER 2

PUPPY 2:

Girl

282 grams

Black with little white paws and chest markings

11.47am: Summer starts pushing

11.49am: And out pops PUPPY NUMBER 3

PUPPY 3:

Boy

254 grams

White and black

Summer then relaxed and where as we were cleaning and sorting the puppies, we put them back with her to look after.

Rose arrived. Having rushed down from Northamptonshire.

12.30pm: Pushing again, out pops PUPPY NUMBER 4

PUPPY 4:

Boy

246 grams

White and sable

Summer's reaction after the fourth puppy was born, was of such relief, and she relaxed immediately.

We did hope for more, but four is actually a nice and copable number for Summer.

The four at present are fantastic. Both mum and pups are doing really really well. Summer seems to be a very natural mum and it always amazes me how instinctive animals are.

So I am very very proud to announce that we now have FOUR beautiful, healthy pedigree Tibetan Terrier puppies!

Gorgeous!