The Cole Porter Litter

09/01/06 HAPPY BIRTHDAY!	Continued from the "Follow Along" page Julia's contractions started at 5:50PM. She had 9 puppies between 10:20PM 8/31 and 3:02AM 9/01. 8 are alive and healthy. 6 boys, 2 girls. Pup #1 10:20PM Male Blue Brindle 10.45 oz Pup #2 10:35PM Female Blue Brindle heavily marked parti 7.35 oz Pup #3 10:45PM Female Red Brindle Parti, born with Omphalocele, ? 7 oz Taken to Five Corners Vet Hospital and humanely euthanized. Named "Layla" by Doug who cared for her with love in the last minutes of her life. Pup #4 10:55PM Male Blue Brindle Parti/White collar 12.15 oz Pup #5 12:35PM Male Red Brindle/White Chest 7.85 oz Pup #6 12:48PM Male Red/Fawn Brindle Parti 11.25 oz Pup #7 1:00AM Male Red Brindle 7.85 oz Pup #8 1:40AM Male Blue Brindle/White Feet/Chest Star 11.45oz Pup #9 3:02AM Female Red Brindle SURPRISE. Not done! 11.35oz What is an Omphalocele? (from Wikipedia) An omphalocele* is a type of abdominal wall defect in which the intestines, liver, and occasionally other organs remain outside of the abdomen in a sac because of a defect in the development of the muscles of the abdominal wall. The sac protrudes in the midline, through the umbilicus (navel). It is normal for the intestines to protrude from the abdomen, into the umbilical cord, until about the tenth week of pregnancy (ed note...this is in humans), after which they return to inside the fetal abdomen. Puppy #1 says, "Hi", and invites you to click here to look at some pictures from the night they were born. You don't need to sign in if you get the sign in page. Just click on pregnant Julia. (Can YOU figure out what's on his head?!)
09/02/06	I love the smiling red brindle. Fawn Brindle Parti Boy trying to be different already Sneaker (Puppy #9) already has a penchant for the same sleeping position as her mother. You put your left arm in, you put your left arm out...
09/04/06	I haven't had a chance to re-organize the website, but here is a picture from today. Mom and babies are doing very well. Julia is an awesome, patient mother. Babies are growing and gaining weight. Dr. Kate Schottman came for a visit today, listened to everyone's hearts, and pronounced all healthy. We are doing Carmen Battaglia's High Achievers exercises, and I have added a few toys with diferent textures to the whelping box for some sensory stimulation.
09/05/06	Julia spent her first (shortened) work day alone with the puppies. Everyone did well. Stacey, Eddie's mom visited today. I got a few cute pictures: I uploaded two of the videos of puppies being born to Google video. Puppy #2, aka Edwina, and Puppy #5 aka Boomer can now be seen joining our world: Edwina: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3503584631730728297 Boomer: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4770027491790471809
09/06/06	We're having a bit of a quiet day today. Julia seems a bit stressed. I think that she is just plain exhausted. She got into bed for about 1/2 hour this AM. I think that is the best sleep that she has had. She got to play a short game of water bunnies in the yard. Now, we rest. Here is a picture of the pups when I was changing their bedding this AM. I liked the way that the light was hitting the basket that they were in. I realize that I haven't documented their names here, so here we go, in theor order of birth: Ellwood (m) Blue brindle - smaller, arrow shaped mark on chest Edwina (f) Blue brindle heavily marked parti Gener or Gene (m) Blue brindle parti Boomer (m) Red brindle - Bigger white star on chest Deener (m) Fawn brindle parti Slider (m) Red Brindle - more irregular "9" chest star Jake (m) Blue brindle - bigger white star on chest Sneaker (f) Red Brindle
09/07/06	Pictures from today are below. I love the second one where they are proving that they have studied all of the Whippet Sleeping positions. Climbing Mountain Mama (click to see their names) There are many more, but here are a few potential registered names of Cole Porter Tunes: Vivace Plz Dont Make Me B Good Vivace a Little Rumba Numba Vivace Anything Goes Vivace C'est Magnifique Vivace High Society Calypso Vivace Red Hot and Blue Vivace I Wanna Be a Yale Boy Vivace I've Got a Crush on You Vivace Let's Misbehave Vivace Lotus Bloom Vivace Moon Man Vivace Naughty Naughty Vivace Rick Chick a Chick Vivace Silver Moon Vivace Sterophonic Sound Vivace Sweet Simplicity Vivace The Gypsy in Me Vivace Where's Louie
09/10/06	Everyone has at least doubled their weight, which is what they should have done by this age. They are fine with being handed, and tolerate their early minor stress exercises. Julia went from basically feeding them 24/7 to laying next to the whelping box and going in numerous times daily to feed and clean them. Little personalities are developing. Eyes are starting to look a bit less tightly shut. It will be exciting when they open! A couple of pictures from yesterday and today: Gener Boomer hugging sister Sneaker More pictures? Click on this link: 9 puppy pictures 8/9 days old You don't need to sign in if you get the sign in page. Just click on hugging puppies.
09/18/06	Has it REALLY been more than a week since I updated this site? The puppies are growing and moving... a LOT! It is hard to get pictures of them when they are not in constant motion. This weekend I helped to Flame's Belgian Sheepdog puppies. They are lovely (2 girls and three boys). Sadly, the first puppy in flame's litter had the same congenital deformity that our puppy #3, "Layla" had. This was also a girl and she was also euthanized. Puppies have their eyes open, and some are beginning to hear. At the moment, they are in an ex pen with their mom, in the middle of my living room, having an early evening snack. They will start coming to work with me at the end of this week. Hopefully we are all ready for that! They have maternal immunity, so I am not worries about that. It will be great socialization. All of the people who so looked forward to their birth will get to meet them! More photos soon, I promise. It's been very busy and they won;t be still. After a while, sleeping puppy pictures get boring! Here are some to whet your appetite, though: Gener: Hugging Deaner: Brad, Potential Puppy Dad, and Deaner More soon. I promise.