Fish...!

UGH.. this week is all about fish (and anyone that knows me, knows that, that is not my favourite!) I started off with a can of pilchards for Journey and the cat... and the poor cat gone none as Journey was such a hog about it..... so I got some more pilchards for them, and also some tuna, and then some hake belly-flaps. That should go down well! (the sooner the better!)

Journey's temperature on Wednesday morning: 37.5°C..... so all going according to plan so far!

All calm on the home front!

Monday night:

OK, let's call it 37.3°C! So all looking good this week so far.

I also hauled out my Adaptil plug and will plug it in this evening.... just for a nice calm mood hehe

The whelping room was cleaned out again last night, and I F10'd everything as well, so it's all nice and disinfected.

There is some Hills ID food (no stock of AD) for Journey if her appetite goes.

I am trying out some new foam under the whelping box... so far so good!

The first batch of newspaper is in the room, and the scale is ready

The box is now up, complete with heating pad:

I still need to put some plastic fencing up around the whelping box, and some bedding in the crate for Journey (she will want to get away from pups some of the time, and loves a hidey-hole crate)

Tuesday morning:

Whatsapp group

I am starting a whatsapp group for those wanting to follow Journey's progress this week. If anyone wants in, please send me a message on 0835544301.

Monday lunchtime

I am seriously doubting my new thermometer, so I hauled out my old faithful.... will be using both of them this week, just to be safe!

4 days to go

This weekend was very uncomfortable for Journey... she's been moaning a lot lately and the babies are very active now!

Her snack on Saturday lunchtime:

Rounded tummy now:

Sunday temperature is a tad low, I was hoping it would stay at this temp for a few days before the drop:

I have started bringing the whelping things into the spare room:

  

Blankets are all ready, whelping box sides ready. I just want to Clean the room one more time and spray it with F10, and then I will begin laying the stuff out.

Monday morning temperature:

It seems to be dropping already! Let's see how slowly the temp drops. I will know the eta of the pups once it reaches about 36.3 - 36.5...

My puppy bands are ready - for easily spotting which pup is which:

Alien babies..!

I noticed that Journey is beginning to look like a pear..!

The babies were really moving around last night! I managed to get 2x video clips of them squirming:

Critical periods

10 days to go!

The FATTY

Journey has begun her misery-waddle! This weekend she has been very grumpy indeed. Although the food treats are some consolation, she does not like lying on her back for me to feel the babies! But feel them, I do! last night they were VERY active! I sat for ages feeling the little munchkins trying to flop around inside! They are squirming around hectically, it's so awesome to be a part of it!

Journey had a nice bath on the weekend, but went straight back to the dirt, so I give up!

2 Weeks to go!

It is 2 weeks until the next Mackland babies are born, and my excitement is growing (I don't think Journey is as pleased as I am). She is eating like a horse! Today's breakfast included chicken hearts which, I don't think, were chewed at all.... She still tries to run around as usual, but her growing belly is expanding by the day, so hampering her a bit....

I am getting my ducks in a row... paperwork needs to be sorted for my record keeping, and I have booked a "whelping buddy" to be with me at the vet. The whelping room will be set up next weekend, and I will begin taking her temperature after that. I will need to know what's happening incase she tries to deliver early!

Tick tock...

Just under 3 weeks to go!

Due to a busy week coming up, I opted to have Journey's 6-week check-up scan on Friday. I am SO glad that I did! Pups are lively and active, squirming all over the place already! Heartbeats are fast and strong, little paws flexing all over the place. I can't wait to meet them all! The vet had a good chuckle at me and my reaction... there are more pups than we originally thought!

She is wolfing down chicken necks and eggs every day, with a couple of fish treats a week too. And I can notice that she's starting to waddle a bit :)

I will be giving her, her last bath this week, before the pups arrive. She is enjoying lying in the sand and all the dirtiest places!

I am so honoured to be blessed with the opportunity to repeat this litter and pray that all goes well for Journey and the pups. It is a huge privilege to be part of this! Thank you to Tracey Walters and Kristi Walker for making this possible by sending me two lovely Shelties! I am eternally grateful!

Journey

With 25 days to her due date, journey is in good spirits... she's trotting around happily still. On Saturday I took her for an outing at the club (exercise is limited from 4 weeks, so she can't run with all my dogs). She loved that!

Her meals (that now include 1-2 chicken necks as a starter) are being wolfed down... and the boiled egg for lunch is a hit!

Her tummy feels quite tight already, although I can't feel little "bumps" yet...

Halfway!

At halfway, Journey is beginning to show. Her pups are due 1 month from today!