Since everything happened so quickly and I hadn’t planned on entering the match, the puppies had no clue what was expected of them.  I grabbed the smallest show collars, but even those ended up being too big.

Brandon took Abe in the ring and had to push him around the ring.  Abe had no desire to walk on leash.  He then took in Pinky while I took in Eva.  The girls caught on pretty fast.  Pinky beat Eva in the 3 month puppy class.  Brandon took Abe back in and I took in Pinky for breed.  We were delighted when Pinky to Best of Breed over her brother and two other, older puppies.

Because only one of us had to be in the ring, Brandon was able to get a video of Pinky & I in the group ring.

Required Profile Picture

I’m a young, independent, intelligent lady with a lovely mask, deep apricot coat and soulful dark brown eyes.  I’m Futurity/Maturity Nominated for the MCOA National Specialty in 2011.  While I think I’d do great in the conformation ring, I’ll be just fine as long as I’m treated like a celebrity.  I’m a star just waiting for my chance to shine!

My Glamour Shot - Showing Off My Conformation

I tend to be independent and confident.  I love solving puzzles, like how to escape the puppy pen and get back in when Momma Lizzie showed up.  I was Puppy Aptitude Tested, so you can judge for yourself.

While I might be reserved, I still enjoy a good cuddle and can be really affectionate.  I’m more serious than my siblings because I know just how wonderful I am. I can also be quiet mischievous and enjoy a good joke as much as the next puppy.

You're Watching Me Walk Away - Aren't You

I’m looking for a forever home where I can be the center of the universe as I deserve.  I may be willing to share the spotlight with another dog or two, but it is quite crowded here.  I do get along great with all the dogs here; I just don’t want to be one in the crowd.

I Can't Get a Good Seat on the Crowded Couch

With lavish adoration, I will love you with all my heart and will be your shining star.

HEALTH TESTED APRICOT MALE

NO LONGER SEARCHING

FOR A CONFORMATION/OBEDIENCE FOREVER HOME

Billy went to his new home on Saturday, November 6, 2010.  Keep an eye out for him in the show ring in 2011!

Requisite Horrible Profile Picture

Ok, so I’m too young for me to get health tests, but my parents were tested as were their parents, and their parents’ parents, etc…  But, I am a young, energetic, smart guy with great bone, a nice mask, rich apricot coat, and dark brown eyes.  I’m Futurity/Maturity Nominated for the MCOA National Specialty in 2011.

Showing Off My Stack

A quick and eager learner, I’d be great in both obedience and rally, though I might get too big for agility. I was Puppy Aptitude Tested, so you can judge for yourself.

I’m a real people puppy and like nothing better than a good cuddle on the couch.  I also love the outdoors and love to act silly.

Here I Come A Runnin'

I’m hoping for a forever home where I can put my good looks and big brains to good use.   I don’t care if you’re male or female, single or committed, with or without kids.  (Though, I do love kids!)  I’d just like to be somewhere I can get tons of love and attention.   I get a long great with all my siblings & the rest of my family, though Great Uncle Bruce isn’t too thrilled with having another boy around.  (He doesn’t think that I treat him with enough respect, unlike Abe who just avoids him as much as possible.)  I love being here, but I’d rather be in a home with fewer dogs where I can get more attention.

See - The Couch is Too Croweded - All I Got Was a Tiny Bit of Lap

I promise to cuddle close and give you sweet kisses if you promise to love me forever.

See How Sweet & Cuddly I Am?

Do you blame me for not wanting to sit by the computer when I can be playing with the pups?

Lizzie had the puppies by emergency c-section on Thursday, July 22, 2010.  There are 5 girls and 2 boys.  Everybody is doing well.

Now for the long story:

Lizzie went into labor on Wednesday, July 21, as expected.  Using the WhelpWise service we were able to monitor her contractions throughout the day.  We expected that serious labor would begin in the early evening.  The contractions continued and finally regulated late Wednesday night.  Finally, around 8 am, a water broke and we thought that a puppy would be arriving very soon.  Lizzie, however, thought differently.  After trying various tricks and medications, we – with the help of the WhelpWise service – decided it was time for a c-section.

Waiting for the Puppies

We called our local vet and were in his office by 10am.  He did a quick exam and x-ray.  We were surprised to discover that Lizzie wasn’t carrying 5 puppies – there were 9 puppies in there!  Based on his advice, we tried some stronger drugs while they prepped for the c-section.  At 10:45, Lizzie was getting prepped.  Poor girl had been in labor for almost 30 hours at that point.

We were able to watch the c-section and see the puppies as they were removed.  (Sorry, no pictures – we ran out of the house too fast.)  Unfortunately, two of the puppies weren’t alive – it appears that Lizzie’s uterus couldn’t support all 9 puppies to term.  The rest of the puppies were kept in the incubator while Lizzie was cleaned up and brought out of the operating room.  Once she was settled, we were able to get the puppies to nurse, getting the all important colostrum.

VET PICS HERE

Once Lizzie had woken up from the anesthesia, we brought her and the puppies home.   All the puppies were weighed and given their little yarn collars.  They ranged in size from 1 lb 9 oz down to 13.5 oz.

Here’s a who’s-who of the pups:

• Pink – Female – Fawn
• Orange – Male – Fawn
• Yellow – Female – Apricot
• White – Female – Apricot
• Green – Female – Apricot
• Purple – Female – Apricot
• Blue – Male – Apricot

Puppy Pile

I’m planning on doing a couple of posts over the next few days, covering Weeks 1 through 4, when we should be all caught up and then post weekly covering the development of the puppies.

We received the equipment from WhelpWise last week and began monitoring Lizzie once daily until Saturday, when we started monitoring her contractions twice daily.  Things seemed to be moving along a steady clip with 3 contractions per hour on Saturday during both sessions and then 4 contractions during the last Sunday session.

My wonderful husband woke up around 5am for a monitoring session before we need to leave for work – and there was a single contraction.  In the last three sessions we’ve progressed back up to 2 contractions per hour session.  Labor is defined as 5 contractions per hour, with actual puppies arriving within 8 to 12 hours.

Included as part of the WhelpWise service, is a fetal heart doppler, so we can be sure the puppies aren’t in any distress.  We’ve been having great fun finding the puppies and making sure we have an accurate count.  We’ve determined there are two on her left side and three on her right.   A few of the pups now have names based on their location:  Lumpy who’s easy to find because he’s right by a small sebaceous cyst, Ribby who hangs out right by Lizzie’s rib cage and Chicken Wing who hangs out right by the fold of skin where Lizzie’s leg attaches to her body.  They aren’t very elegant names, but they do help when we’re trying to track everybody and verify a good heart rate.

We’ll be doing another monitoring session tonight to see if we need to stay home from work tomorrow.

Here’s a great link with pictures of a Mastiff Whelping to tide you over until we have our own pictures to share.

But you’re not here to read about what we’re doing, you’re here for Lizzie and the puppies.  The puppies have been super busy:

Lizzie is feeling very pregnant these days and make sure we hear all her sighs and groans. Her tummy has swollen even larger and has gotten firmer. Any day now, we’ll start feeling the puppies move around – though Lizzie acts like they’re moving constantly. She also started producing milk/colostrum in abundance  – poor girl actually leaks a little at times.

How Many Puppies Are In There?

As her pregnancy has progressed nicely and she’s still in shape (except for the pregnant belly), we’re going forward with a natural whelping using the Whelp Wise Service.  Our other option is to perform a cesarean section.  You can see photos and get information from here:

C-Section in an English Mastiff

The next update will probably be in seven days – a few days before the due date.  You’ll see how well we’re working with Whelp Wise and hopefully have a count of puppies.

Day 39

Instead, we discovered that the puppies are too big to fit completely into the ultrasound image.   As the vet moved the probe, we saw a head here and there, a spine, some legs and some heartbeats. The coolest moment was when the vet stopped moving the probe and we watched one of the pups move his/her head.   Since we were unable to get a clear picture to share,  I hope you find the substitute below acceptable:

During this past week, the pups have developed pigment – with this breeding, we expect the pups to be fawn or apricot – and have continued to grow.  Lizzie’s nipples have gotten much larger and she’s developing breast tissue under some of them.  She’s eating like a pig and is having a hard time finding a comfy position to sleep in.

Do you think she looks pregnant?

Lizzie at the End of Week 6

Do You Think She's Pregnant

Inside Lizzie,  the fetuses are starting to look like tiny dogs at just over an inch in size.  They are becoming boy & girl puppies with toes, whiskers and claws.  Their eyes are closed and will remain shut until after birth.  The uterine horns have filled with fluid to protect the puppies, so detecting puppies by palpation is no longer possible.

Lizzie’s second ultrasound is next week.  We’re hoping to get another count of puppies and check for heartbeats.  It is still hard to believe that in four weeks Lizzie will be ready to whelp.