To my shock and surprise, we welcomed four little bundles of joy today. Sure, we have been on whelp watch and expected their arrival – It was how they came into the world that is so amazing!

Barbie and her new puppiesBarbie had me up until 4:00 am two “nights’ ago with her frantic pacing, nesting and panting, all without a single push. I fully expected a repeat of her last whelping, with her waking me at 4 in the morning to START the process. Anyone that has assisted with a litter’s arrival knows, it is usually at the butt-crack of dawn on a Saturday morning while the world is fast asleep. (Including your vet if there are any complications!) So when she didn’t go into labor, we all went back to waiting.

This evening I was out running errands and figured the family would call if I needed to rush home to tend to Barbie. No call was received, especially since she ate her dinner at 6 pm. So at 7:30 when she pawed at me to get my attention and then ran to the gate to try to get upstairs, I honestly fought it was too good to be true. Little did I know!

You guessed it! She was in labor and the sun was kinda-sorta still up! And the miracles kept a comin’ – All of the puppies arrived in just over an hour! They were completely free whelped and all but once was delivered breech. Barbie is my dream bitch for SURE!

Barbie and her new puppiesFirst, she started pushing and panting at 8:20 pm, and the first puppy arrived at 9:47. He’e a blue and white Irished mark plumper weighing in at 4 3/4 ozs. He was nursing almost immediately and had to make room quick because he wasn’t going to be alone for very long.

Barbie and her new puppiesAt 10:08, baby boy two arrived head first – the only one to do so. He weighed 3 7/8 ounces (lets call it 4) and his color is something  have never seen before. It’s not fawn, it’s not cream. There is a chocolate but also a blue hue – I have NO idea what color to call him and of course, it will change once he dries and also matures.

Barbie and her new puppiesWhile tending to the first two, Barbie pushed out her first and only girl. She too is blue but with no white markings on her face. There is a white frosting on her face and around her legs, with tans points already appearing. She is the tiniest of the brood, weighing 2 3/4 ounces.

Barbie and her new puppiesPuppy number four arrived at 10:58 and he too is a shade of blue. Different than the others but definitely blue. He will probably mature to a beautiful blue fawn and he too appears to have tan points with no white markings on his face. He does have a tiny white speck on the nape of his neck. Since they will all be long coats, it will be interesting to see that spot as his coats comes in! Weighing in the same as his oldest brother, the entire litter is healthy, happy and sporting bulgy bellies already!

 

 

 

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