To all the prospective puppy owners, I thought that you would like to see the photographs, videos, and updates of the Mackland puppies while they are still with me. These Border Collie & Shetland Sheepdog puppies are lovingly bred and raised in my home. This blog lets me show you step by step how your baby is raised. It highlights each step from mating to 8 weeks old. I hope that you all enjoy reading about them as much as I enjoy having them in my house!
Monday, September 30, 2019
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Friday, September 20, 2019
The babies are 6 days old
G is a little more relaxed with the babies, and they are putting on weight and looking quite strong. I had to tempt G with some Hills a/d as she is not feeling up to eating at the moment.
Monday, September 16, 2019
G and her babies
We have had a rough week! G was due around Wednesday, and there was no labour and no pups... But after multiple trips to the vet (we went daily), scopes and scans to monitor the babies - we eventually did a caesar on Saturday morning. The 2 babies arrived, 1 boy and 1 girl, around noon. Birth weights were low, so as soon as I could get G out of there, we headed off home so that she could meet her babies.
Unfortunately as time passed, I realized that the girl was struggling to maintain a good body temperature, even though there were 2 heaters on, plus a heating pad. I added a heated beanbag, and this eventually helped.
Both pups lost a bit of weight over the first day and a half, but then stabilised as I was tube feeding them. The boy fed on mom inbetween, but the girl didn't have much stamina for that. She eventually managed a good feed on Monday afternoon. They haven't picked up weight yet, but the boy has returned to his birth weight, 185g. The girl is sitting on 110g.
G is starting to relax - she is really an overprotective mother! She realises now that I am helping the pup when I take her to be tube fed across the room, and not trying to murder it! But that doesn't stop her from grabbing the pup from me in her mouth, and hiding it in the box!
Unfortunately as time passed, I realized that the girl was struggling to maintain a good body temperature, even though there were 2 heaters on, plus a heating pad. I added a heated beanbag, and this eventually helped.
Both pups lost a bit of weight over the first day and a half, but then stabilised as I was tube feeding them. The boy fed on mom inbetween, but the girl didn't have much stamina for that. She eventually managed a good feed on Monday afternoon. They haven't picked up weight yet, but the boy has returned to his birth weight, 185g. The girl is sitting on 110g.
G is starting to relax - she is really an overprotective mother! She realises now that I am helping the pup when I take her to be tube fed across the room, and not trying to murder it! But that doesn't stop her from grabbing the pup from me in her mouth, and hiding it in the box!
Monday, September 9, 2019
Brave
Brave is getting pretty miserable with morning sickness. She has been turning her nose up at food, will eat no pellets. I have been tempting her with various things....
Both G and Brave have been snacking on this:
Both G and Brave have been snacking on this:
But for the last 2 days, Brave has turned her nose up at all of the above, so she's been eating cooked chicken..... this morning she even refused that!
She's pretty miserable!
Time is drawing near for G
G went for her last outing this weekend - a slow walk on the field. She is in good spirits and eating well. Her temperature has been pretty constant around 38°C. This morning it is a little lower:
Also this weekend, I hauled out the first whelping box and gave it a good clean outside before bringing it inside and disinfecting it.
I then started packing the room!
I have bottles of F10 spray ready, both inside and outside the house - for me as well as anyone else entering the premesis, and also some additional F10 products ready. The whelping room was washed down with F10 before me packing it, and the box and room are being sprayed daily until pups (as I am in and out)
In the meantime, G is resting peacefully. I will contunue to monitor her temperature and behaviour. Any day now!
And my vetbed is FINALLY unpacked!!!! So we are ready for babies this week! This is an amazing product. It is imported bedding specifically for breders/ vets. I have 2 large pieces for the whelping. I will pop it in the box when G is ready. theblanket in there is just for her nesting - the pups will be bown on this. It is super absorbent, so pups won't be lying in the wet while G is whelping...
Thursday, September 5, 2019
Food food food
With G so close to her due date, and Brave appearing to have morning sickness, I have to keep juggling foods around...
Both are loving their fish twice a week, sardines/ pilchards/ tuna!
Both are loving their fish twice a week, sardines/ pilchards/ tuna!
G's breakfast today was some Hills, with a boiled egg topped with yoghurt.
Brave refused her pellets this morning, but did eat a bit of yoghurt and a chicken neck!
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Update on G - 1 week to go!
G has been doing well, eating everything she can get hold of. Her favourite definitely seems to be chicken necks, although tuna does come close!
I was able to use the fetal doppler on Saturday and find the baby's heartbeat! All looks (sounds) good, from what I can hear.
She has begun nesting (I lost her under the deck yesterday, thought she had been stolen, HEART ATTACK)
Then I have started rearranging the whelping room, have to move my boys' crates out tomorrow to begin the F10 cleaning, then the assembling of the PVC whelping box.
The paperwork is printed in preparation for her whelping. It's in a file, all ready for the room. I will start taking her temperature today.
I was able to use the fetal doppler on Saturday and find the baby's heartbeat! All looks (sounds) good, from what I can hear.
She has begun nesting (I lost her under the deck yesterday, thought she had been stolen, HEART ATTACK)
Then I have started rearranging the whelping room, have to move my boys' crates out tomorrow to begin the F10 cleaning, then the assembling of the PVC whelping box.
The paperwork is printed in preparation for her whelping. It's in a file, all ready for the room. I will start taking her temperature today.
We will be seeing the vet on Monday for her X-ray and check. Holding thumbs that tha baby is AOK and that everything is still on track!
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