Iida the terrier's maternity diary

[JudyN]

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It's a bit of an extreme way to diet though!

And it didn't work with DS2! I shovelled in food as before, and suddenly realised that if I wasn't careful I'd be back at my pre-birth weight

 

[Finsky]

Have you noticed any difference in personality yet, or is it too early for that? Have you started thinking about which one you would like to keep?

Iida sounds similar to me after DS1 - he sucked the calories out of as fast as I could shove them in.

I have noticed few slight differences but as 'personality'...hmm...lets say, it could be start of something along that line. There is couple that are quite happy to pull away from mum and sleep bit more 'independently' at times..and couple of that seem to be much more clingy than others...and then there is super greedy ones Other than that...no other 'personality ' traits.
One particular pup did court my eye since it was born, but I'm not making my mind up with it yet, too early. But my eyes are constantly draw to it and I do observe it tad more than others.....I could say, my mind is made up but I don't want to...I still want to keep the 'door open' in case I want to change my mind, and I'm not in hurry anyway.

 

[Finsky]

Puppies are now 1 week old! And they are growing fast..well, as they should too. All of them have more than doubled their weight now. I resulted getting some 'working dog' raw food in for Iida and that seem to go down really well and agree with her nutritional/energy needs...another thing solved and ticked from the list.

 

[Hemlock]

They look so healthy and well-fed! That last pic is a corker.

 

[niamh123]

Well done Ida your babies are absolutely beautiful

 

[Suzette]

Oh, those plump little bellies!

I can smell that sweet puppy breath from here...

 

[excuseme]

Ah yes, puppy breath, that's better than any expensive perfume

 

[JudyN]

And puppy paws!

 

[Flobo]

EEK!! After looking at those adorable pictures yesterday, I dreamt, last night, that I actually said yes to a pup I met at some house I was visiting.. the mum and dad were there, all normal, and the one pup that was left was just sooo lovely, big, fluffy and a deep purple() colour with a white nose and toes! How could I resist??!! ...

 

[excuseme]

Where did the purple come from?

 

[Finsky]

EEK!! After looking at those adorable pictures yesterday, I dreamt, last night, that I actually said yes to a pup I met at some house I was visiting.. the mum and dad were there, all normal, and the one pup that was left was just sooo lovely, big, fluffy and a deep purple() colour with a white nose and toes! How could I resist??!! ...

That was some 'royal' pup! Have you been listening some Deep Purple lately?

 

[Finsky]

Pups day 8...
Nothing unusual for them really....same stuff...eat, sleep, make noises and body crawl to the bar every now and then
Iida however is starting to get bit restless with her duties and the pull of the freedom is increasing
I've been leaving the pup pen door open for her as she is giving me the sad 'prisoner' eyes when sitting behind the 'bars'..'let me out!'
She has been around my ankles in the kitchen quite a lot today and every so often asked going out, not for her needs as such but just sniffing the air and checking the boundaries. I even let her into living room while she kept looking over her shoulder if I was staying put keeping eye on the pups and not letting Eva to get them
Oh what a joy she had meeting her partner in crime...they had good old terrier flurry...running around and rolling like young pups It was lovely to see both girls being happy meeting each other again.
But 5 minutes was enough and she was then ready to get back on the other side of the child gate and check the pups again.
But this re-discovered friendship with Eva again is still little on the shaky ground...Iida is protective of her pups and she will react unless I'm there on guard duty as well. But it is a start and I'll see it as perfectly normal response...certainly not worried about it.

 

[Hemlock]

Lucky dogs that you understand this. You are doing so well.

 

[Finsky]

I absolutely love all the different thing to do with the pups....all the experiences with the litter is new and there is so much to learn. This morning when OH took Iida to forest for her first proper walk since whelping leaving me to be surrogate mum. Girl was SO excited when the familiar words what was about to happen was said to her and harness put on
While the little madam was out, I had good chance to give the bed thorough clean and change, weigh the pups again and give their nails their first clip. Blimey...that was an experience indeed, but I did get the knack of it very quickly and it was much easier job compared for the grown up dogs. But I did have to find the strongest pair of glasses to see their little velcro hooks
And now that both girls have had their forest walks, all is quiet and restful again...gives me opportunity to have a little computer time..

 

[Finsky]

Pups day 12...

Nothing new really to report...all are fat, eating well and gaining weight and growing in steady pace.
Other day I spend some amusing hours looking for dog's names..making lists and narrowing them down to just few to match with the pups 'characters' and looks. They are going to be chipped in few day's time and I cannot bare having them registered as 'yellow'...or 'blue'. Even if the names are just temporary and pups owners change them for something else...at least I had the fun of searching and giving so many names, so be it.
In the process I have now made my decision which pup is going to be mine. I more and less new it from the moment it was born but I tried to keep my options open. Resistance was futile as it was meant to be.
I'm keeping brown pup (with blue collar) for myself and her name is Ella (meaning 'beautiful, fairy Maiden, Goddess)
Our friend is keeping other girl that I had name Sandie (because of the colour)...but that was changed into Cassie.
Then we have Black and tan boy called 'Bran', meaning Raven
Girl called Nellie...bit of reference to 'little Nellie' in 007 there..we like those films and no other suitable names came to my mind..calling terrier a 'pussy galore' is not quite proper!

Oh...then we've got Brad...sandy blond lad, pretty to look at but bit of a whinger... That one is going to be some trouble.. I'm sure of it!
And last but not least...two black and tan girls, Iona & Aila.
"Aila is “from a strong or resilient place”. This meaning paints the picture of a girl that will grow to be a leader and one that does not back down from a challenge."
"Iona, name overall does have a connection to the symbol of the dove, making it a peaceful name, appropriate for a girl for whom peace or a peaceful world is a hope"

And so the 'spells' have been cast and pups given a start in a life no matter what their future names are going to be...

 

[JudyN]

What was it that drew you to Ella?

When Jasper was born, the 'stud fee' was that the owner of the sire got the pick of the litter - he lived in Ireland so the breeder chose the pup as she knew as soon as he was born that he was awesome. She also knew right away which she was going to keep. I'd love to know just how a wiggly bundle of newborn pup stands out as special.

 

[Hemlock]

I've always known right away which one I'd be keeping. Head over heart said "wait and see" but - I always knew. They are so different, even when all/mostly the same colour. Even when so-called blind and deaf, they all have their own characters.

I query the 'blind and deaf' because I have observed behaviour in new whelps that indicated they did have some kind of hearing at least.

 

[Finsky]

What was it that drew you to Ella?
I'd love to know just how a wiggly bundle of newborn pup stands out as special.

I think these sort of things are mystery itself....it is 'something' that clicks. I could have easily taken to any one of the pups...and I'm certainly kissing and hugging each one of them in turn like they would be mine. Well...they are at the moment but I kind of feel already they are only 'on loan'. There wasn't anything particular about Ella....two of the brown pups are very similar...Ella just showing teeny tiny bit more of the red shade than other..she has lighter muzzle colour than other..something just pleases my eye. OH didn't really have no saying on this I just showed the pup for him and said 'meet Ella'... We did choose the name together though..well, I drew the short list from what we 'tasted' the names in our mouths, but that was done even before IIda was expecting!
Oh...and the eyes have just started 'crack' open today..another 'mile stone' ticked

 

[Finsky]

Pup's day 17...
All of the pups eyes are now open to some degree and they are starting to try out their 'sea legs'...or that's how their walking attempts look like. Like drunken sailors they take one step forward...two side ways and then result to do belly crawl I just cannot help myself but gently place my hand on their sides to provide teeny bit support so they can carry on taking their wobbly steps to get little further
Yesterday they had their first taste of food..other than milk. I blitzed some raw chicken into fine puree, added little puppy milk powder and some warm water and let each pup have little lick of it from a teaspoon. They decided they liked it very much indeed. But at this stage I won't give any more than that...it was a just a taste of things to come and I let their tummies to get used to it first before giving more of it. This morning they had same again but a 2 teaspoonfuls per pup....and I it will go on, each day increasing the quantity.
Iida has got plenty of milk, but I feel so sorry for her and her boobies....they look bruised and well abused So if she can have at least one feeding off, I'm sure it will help her case. Certainly she is not bothered that I push my motherly duties for the pups and is eager to finish off what is left from the 'porridge'.
Pups have now had their first worming and I've been giving Iida some DE-powder in her food to keep her worm count under control while the pups are still suckling from her.

 

[excuseme]

Take care with the milk powder, remember they are getting plenty of milk from their mum, they don't need any more, neither do you don't want to cause a runny tummy. The raw chicken alone with a little water to help make it slimy is just fine. At this stage you will be able to offer a different meat type every couple of days or whatever suits you. They take to raw products easily without problems (as you have just discovered). The more they learn to like before they leave mum, the better, you don't want to get stuck on one type only and find them difficult to accept another flavour.
Meaty chicken bones or wings can start at 4 to 5 weeks. The sooner they know how to manage bones the better, don't chop bones up small, you don't want them swallowed before they know what they are doing with them!

Oh such great fun
.