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!

The first three pups. The 'white' is still a bit bloody

Proud Mum, Summer

The two 'white and black/sable' pups, feeding

Well deserved rest for Summer - with the sable and the black/white pups

Number 3 (nicknamed 'Claude' like his dad), having a snuggle with mum

Tea time!

Mum is taken to the loo. Time to take some pics!

First Stage of Labour - At Last!

This morning I went out and as I was sitting in my car ready to come home at 11.30am, I got a call from my 18 year old daughter, "Mum, Summer's under the bath and making funny noises like she's in pain". 

I suggested my daughter get something nice that Summer would like to eat and lure her out.

About 15 minutes later, "Mum, Summer's in the box under your bed".  Same response. Doors all closed.

I got home and having set up her whelping box yesterday with newspaper and vet bed remnants (saving the nice pieces for later), found Summer happily in there. Well not totally happy.

It is now 6.30pm.

Summer has been alternating between ripping up the newspaper in her whelping box and trying to relax in the bottom of a doorless cupboard for hours. Very restless.

I have spoken to Claude (the super stud)'s owner and experienced breeder, Rose, and she has confirmed that Summer is in the first stages of labour.

So, guys, hopefully when you wake up in the morning, we'll have a whole set of gorgeous, tiny, Tibetan Terrier puppies!

DAY TEN - Will there be Summer's Puppies?

Summer is still in season.

On Monday (DAY 8) I took her to Box Hill, Surrey, with Judy, and Summer's Tibetan Terrier "boyfriend", Harris. Rather than being totally subdued, as Summer has been for the last week, there were hints of her pre-season self, coming back. We were also able to see that Harris was still interested in Summer (he has been done, so no chance of puppies), as he climbed on her back and started to hump (she let him) - we didn't!  I know of a friend's dog who, having been castrated, managed a successful tie. Not a situation I'd want Summer to be in, even knowing there would be no end product!!

Back to 'Box Hill', I can't recommend this stunning area in north east Surrey enough as a place to walk a dog in season. You rarely meet other dogs as the area is so vast. Another favourite, is certain areas of the Woodland Trust's Surrey Hills above Wallingham.


DAY TEN (Wednesday)

Over the last few days we've started to notice that Summer isn't humping her big teddy bear quite so much, and that when road walking, she's not stopping to sniff quite so much either.  I'm thinking that her season is coming to an end.  We're meeting Harris again on Friday, so that will be the real telling sign!

Other than what I've mentioned, there have been no signs of pregnancy. Summer was very tired last week, but is a little more her usual self. She is more interested in going for walks, is taking me to the freezer to get her a bone and has started coming upstairs again. There has been no blood for about 5-7 days.

We're trying to come up with a KC pedigree breeders name. Each time we come up with something we all agree with, we check and find it is already being used. This really isn't easy!

She's in Season!

Summer (taken 16/04/13)

Our lovely Tibetan Terrier, Summer, usually comes into season every 10 months; just like her mother!  So we prepared ourselves for a November/December mating. 

But then January came and went, followed by February and March.  Had we missed the occasion? 

Thank goodness, no! Or we don't think we did...

On April 11th she came into season (started to bleed).  We didn't believe it at first, but after about 4 hours of checking, we could confirm she most definitely had.

GOING BACK 10 MONTHS

From May to October 2012, having decided we wanted Summer to have puppies, (as a pedigree dog) we had to have a series of tests done to ensure that she had no genetic defects, and that her puppies would be healthy.

Following the Kennel Club guidelines, the health tests for a Tibetan Terrier are:

1.  BVA/KC/ISDS Eye Scheme

2.  BVA/KC Hip Dysplasia Scheme

3.  DNA test - PLL   (Primary Lens Luxation)

4.  DNA test - NCL   (Neruronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis)

For the Eye Scheme test we had to take Summer to a specialist vets in West Surrey. It was a very quick test  involving looking into the back of the eye and dye, and was painless and straightforward. We received a certificate immediately to show she was clear. Excellent!

The Hip Dysplasia test was much more involved, and meant that she had to have a general anesthetic. The x rays were taken at our local vets who sent off their findings for the scoring. The results did take some time, and unfortunately the results were lost (not at our vets) but the normal process we would have expected from x-ray to results was about 6-8 weeks.

The PLL and NCL were just simple swab tests. You pay and order the kits online, wipe where you're asked to (!) and send them off. All clear too. Fabulous!

So the conclusion of the tests was that Summer has NONE of the problems listed above, and next step was to find a mate..

A MATE FOR SUMMER

At Crufts in 2012, also a first for me, I got to talk to a number of breeders and asked lots of questions. I'd travelled there with my friend Judy (also a TT - Tibetan Terrier - owner), and the breeder of her dog, Harris, was there also.

I have to mention, and this was pointed out to me by Judy and her husband, Rob, before the show, that TT owners (generally) are very friendly and happy people, ready to give advice and support. I was pleased to report that this was my experience too!

I digress. With a few names of breeders in my hand as I left Crufts and also having spoken to the people on the stand of the Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme, I felt ready for the next step. To find a mate.

Now Summer and Harris (Judy and Rob's TT) are, what we say, "in love".  Boyfriend and Girlfriend. Love to be together, and play and protect like two dogs that live together. Same age. We take them out for walks together twice a week, exploring places like Box Hill, Headley and Nonsuch Park. 

Judy mentioned that Harris' breeder, showed Harris' brother, Claude, and thought he may be a stud dog, so I contacted them, and was so pleased to find out that he was. Harris is a gorgeous dog, laid back and happy. Summer is also a very happy dog but more sprightly and energetic. I suspect that Claude will be a mixture of the two, and what a wonderful combination of personalities the puppies could have!


A MATE IS FOUND

After a number of emails between myself and Rose at the Tyngeli Kennels, who breeds Pulis and Tibetan Terriers, and checking that the dogs were compatible through their breeding lines, it was decided that Summer (Margretas Desert Dreamer) and Claude (Tyngeli Mr Bojangles) could be a perfect match. Summer would have Harris' nieces and nephews!!