Out on the road....

Home again - ready to transfer into their "nest".

So the pups took to traveling a couple of days ago.  The first trip was a quick errand.  Yesterday was a five hour trip to Silverdale.  This morning, the pups and the girls went to breakfast with us and made a quick visit to a neighbor who is in the nursing home.  Seeing the pups made her day!  They take to their travels just fine.  It is just like my memories of my children as infants.  Start the car and everyone goes to sleep.  Bonny and Zinger had separate crates from the pups.  Lots of fuzzy blankets made a cozy place for the babies. When needed, the pups joined their mom for some snacks and loving!

Zinger and Bonny had a five minute play session - then took a break together - before Bonny returned to the pups.

One Week Old Birthday!

So...the puppies were 1 week old last evening.  They almost tripled their weight since birth!  Amazing.

Cake...hanging out in Mom's special "away- from- puppy" bed.  Crawled in all by herself.

Three of four..nestled.

 Bonny is more comfortable leaving them for periods of time now.  She is making more contact with us again. She has even forgotten her new status as "mature mom" and has been seen playing with Zinger.  Zinger hangs out with toys nearby waiting for those moments.

Zinger - waiting for the play to begin!

Bonny - checking in....

Not every dog mommy gets "Congrats" cards!

I stayed home on Friday for some much needed sleep after the big event.  When I went to school this morning, this card created by my middle schoolers awaited. I delievered it to Bonny after school.  Look at that smile! 

Bonny is a great Mom...

 

I'm awed....

What a marvel!  I sit and stare at these new little creatures that emerged from the swollen belly of my girl, Bonny, and am awed.  Each little paw with pads and claws so teeny, tiny and yet perfect in every way.  Little mouths that find their mothers teats and clamp on, though with no eyes open yet to see.  Mobility? They can get to where they need to be.  Communication? They can squeal their displeasure when they are lost in that nest their mother has so carefully created for them. Fascinating.  Amazing. Miraculous.

Not only are the babies amazing.  So is their mother, Bonny.  Bonny is a 2.5 year old Border Terrier.  This is her first litter. Bonny communicates clearly with her pups.  She shoves them around as needed.  She licks and licks so that each pup is constantly stimulated.  She does not want to leave them EVER.  We must insist on brief visits to the grass.  We carry her out; place her on the grass, where she spends all of two minutes taking care of business.  Then she makes a straight line back to the door to return to her pups.  Bonny also clearly communicates with us.  We offer food often so that she remains well nourished.  Usually she sits up long enough to lick the bowl dry.  Every so often, however, she will push the bowl away with her head or hide her head in her paws.  We get it.  “Not now.” She says.  

Pups bring visitors.  When Bonny knows the person, she continues caring for her pups as if no one is present.  “No big deal.”   When a stranger that she does not know enters, she sits up over her babies and barks at them.  “Stay away!"  She is a great Mom.

Almost 48 hours old. All the babies are gaining weight.  Mom is eatting well. 

The Babies

Fos - only boy

Char-Latte - see the white on the lips?

Checking for weight gain.  So far...so good.

The Birth

Well...for me it was easy!  For Bonny...guess smooth is the best answer. 

For two days, she was restless.  We created a nest for her - cozy and hidden with a gate so she could escape from Zinger - who just doesn't get why she isn't interested in playing.  I came home after school on Thursday, pretty sure we were close to the time of birth.  We cuddled for about 5 minutes.  Then she wanted down and I went to work on my computer. (My on-line students needed their final exams graded.)  About 6 PM, we went for a walk down the road and back.  Soon after, Skip came home.  For those of you who do not know Bonny, she has created a running track for herself around the greenhouse.  When we come home or when the cats are on the other side of the fence, off she goes.  When Skip arrived...off she went.

Soon she came in the house.  She went running over to her nest.  She acted as if she was afraid of something.  I saw her and thought surely something was going to happen. I headed over to her nest.  Skip came in and noticed blood drops on the floor.  Then he looked beyond by the door and noticed a "thing" on the floor.  "Is that a puppy?" he asked.  Sure enough...it was.  That is what scared her.  I rushed over, picked it up and pushed the film away from the puppy's face.  Took it over to Bonny and she began licking immediately.  That was that.  The next three pups followed at regularly spaced intervals.  No problems at all.  Once she figured things out, all went smoothly.  By 10 PM, the action was over.  However, a long night of monitoring began!

Birth Night Photos

Hard work.  Good Night All.

So...which puppy is which? 



Spot's (the Dad) Human Mom checking out his pups.




Look what you did Bonny.




Tying off a cord with dental floss. Worked just fine.




Beautiful



Bonny and Spot's first Mom plus both their "NOW" Moms.

Crawling in to get a better look!

ANNOUNCEMENT

When:  June 16, 2011

Time: Dinner time and on

Place: Kaczynski's Living Room

Parents: Bonny and Spot

New Arrivals: 3 females and 1 male puppy to be known in puppyhood as:  the Birthday Bunch

Char - latte   4.5 oz    female grizzle  Border Terrier  in honor of Charlotte Metzler who's birthday is tomorrow

Fos    4.25  oz   male blue Border Terrier    in honor of Bonny's human mom's father (Foster) who will be 91 on Monday June 20

Cake   4 oz  female blue  Border Terrier   who shall be known as Cake  - in honor of the birthday week-end

June    3.5 oz female  grizzle Border Terrier    named by Spot's human mom for these special June birthdays

Bonny is very pleased with herself as you can plainly see!

Mother and puppies are doing well!  Bonny is a natural at this "mother" thing!  (Thank goodness!)

Background....how I came to be having this experience.

Background: Though I am writing this for friend and family, it has occurred to me that some folks might read this that do not know us.  So here is a short explanation on how Border Terriers became a part of our lives. 

Being involved in the world of breeding, showing dogs, etc. is something I would have never thought I would be involved in.  I know that there are many dogs in the world that need good homes.   Our family has chosen to adopt rescue dogs over the years. Each was a great dog and added to our family. I have volunteered at the Humane Society and support their work.  Yet, here we are and this is how it came to be. 

After relocating to Sequim, Washington about 6 years ago, I accidently became involved with dogs, understanding their behavior and how to train.  In pursuit for some help with a challenging puppy, I contacted Legacy Canine Behavior and Training Center in Sequim, Washington.  Not only did I attend Pet Dog Manners classes, but also began to attend seminars offered by Terry Ryan.  As a previous early childhood educator, I was fascinated with what I learned about the brain research and what it has taught us regarding the developing dog, the science behind training a dog, and understanding the body cues dogs use in communicating.  For a number of years, I worked at the center, where I assisted with pet dog manner and puppy classes.  Though no longer working on staff, I continue to take my dogs to train at the center.

Through Legacy, I became acquainted with Charlotte Metzler of Elwha Border Terriers.  Charlotte is an awesome breeder with a focus not only on breeding good looking dogs but doing what is needed for all her pups to be smart, sociable, and easy to train dogs.  When I was searching for a dog that would be a good dog to train for some competition sports such as Rally Obedience, Charlotte offered me the opportunity to adopt one of her pups as a co-owner.  Thus Bonny came into our lives. 

And so, we find ourselves witnessing and learning what breeding dogs is all about.