Preparing for Pups!

Now for the excitement! Cime is due with pups very soon! We hope to share this joyful process with you- stay tuned here for pictures, daily updates, and ALL the cuteness!

Setting up the whelping box

The whelping box is a special nest for Cime to whelp (the process of birthing puppies) and raise her puppies in during their first few weeks. Cime's box is 4'x4' and 2 feet high. about 3-4" off the ground and 2" away from the walls on each side is a rail. This rail, known as a 'pig rail', is designed to guard the puppies from accidentally being laid on by their mother. Especially in a large litter it can be hard for Cime to move around and find a good place to lay to nurse without catching a pup between her and the walls. The pig rails keep Cime from getting to close to the wall so that pups won't get crushed. We also hang a heat lamp over the box to help keep the newborn pups warm.

Assembling the supplies

While whelping is a natural process that theoretically requires no help, we like to have lots of supplies available if necessary. Here's a brief list of what we have:

Oral-Cal Plus: Supplemental calcium for Cime during and after whelping to prevent eclampsia, a dangerous calcium deficiency

Nutrical Plus: High calorie gel to help any newborn puppies who are struggling to nurse

Scissors: to cut umbilical cords if necessary

LOTS of towels: birth is messy!

Canned Oxygen: if any pups are having a hard time breathing we can give them a boost.

Nasal Bulb syringe: for suctioning out little noses if necessary

Dental floss: for tying off umbilical cords

Nail polish: We mark each puppy with a color so we can tell everyone apart

Notebook: for documenting the weight of each pup

Getting Cime Ready

Cime gets a last bath and nail trim. We bring her in to the whelping box several days before her due date so she can be comfortable there (or at least as comfortable as possible since looking like you swallowed a beachball must be at least a bit uncomfortable). She enjoys this process as it usually involves even more treats than her usual life (and that's saying a lot!).

Stay tuned....pups will be here soon!