All the Leaves are Brown and the Sky is Gray

 December 28th, 2024 The HRH staff were on cloud nine as they looked after Daphne's puppies throughout the day. This day was over cast with thundershowers underscoring the most dramatic parts. As the thunderstorm's began to rage around 6pm which is dinner time for the HRH pack, There was energy intensifying in the house. Dinner was served to the HRH pack and when they were done eating, Levi and Josiah steadily worked to take everyone outside to relieve themselves and take some air. Levi noticed that Ella did not eat and told Bunny. Bunny asked Levi to go and bring Ella into the house. Ella was panting. It was time but she wasn't due until December 30th. Knowing that Ella is not the best at nursing newborns and that she was about to give birth too soon, Bunny was worried about the litter. 

Ella stepped into her whelping box at 7pm and laid down. Her panting was rather musical and was rather soothing. By 7:30pm Ella began whining as she bared down appearing as if she was going to pee. By 8pm Ella was franticly walking around on the piddle pads peeing frequently. Ella would go back into the whelping box every now and again to rest and then got back out to "pee" even though nothing was coming out at this point. The time seemed to pass very slowly, Ella was breathing very heavily and by 9:49 no puppies had arrived.  Bunny sighed most fretfully and said a short prayer. At 10:15 puppy #1 and #2 slid out of the birthing canal at the same time. 

Puppy#1 is named Brighton, male, black and white parti, and weighs 5 ounces. Puppy #2 is named Bryliegh, female, black and white IPied, and weighs 2.8 ounces. Bryliegh was so very tiny. Bunny had to work fast. Ella just stared at these puppies and did not try to break their sacks. Once Bunny broke the sacks Ella began licking them dry. Ella tried to eat Bryleigh's umbilical cord too close to her body and appeared to be pulling the cord with a foot on the pup.  Bunny stopped her and carefully cut the cord with small sterilized scissors. Bunny picked up each puppy and dried them after which she placed them close to Ella's chest. Ella did lick the puppies but did not manage to get the puppies to her teats. Bunny gently picked up one puppy at a time and waited until the pups latched to a teat before she let go. Bunny realized she wasn't breathing and took in a breath then released a deep exhale. Ella began panting again and at 10:30 puppy #3 slipped out. Pup 

#3 named Brayden, is havana brown with white markings, and weighing 3.2 ounces. Even though Ella is not a natural new born care giving mother, her body appears to have no problems giving birth.  Ella does however begin to lick her puppies and keep them close to her. Ella seems to calm down and Bunny thought se was done giving birth. Ella did not seem to be panting or having any contractions but at 11:22 Puppy #4 just slid right out.

 

Puppu #4 named Bridgerton, has what appears to be 4 wings on his back. Ella did not open his sack and it didn't appear that she noticed he was born. Bunny assisted to get Bridgerton out of his sack and carefully cut his umbilical cord. Bridgerton, male, is a black and white parti, weighing in at 6.1 ounces. Again Ella laid in the whelping box appearing relaxed, without panting or appearing to have any contractions. Bunny thought surely this was the last pup. But no, at 11:46 puppy #5 shot right out. 

Puppy #5 named Bringham came out aspirating, Bringham, male, black with white markings, and weighing 2.9 ounces was struggling, barely clinging to life. Bunny and Jeff (Bunny's husband) spent a lot of time and energy giving karo syrup, supplement milk, rubbing, and keeping him warm. \Bunny did not sleep that night as she was constantly watching Ella and the puppies to make sure they were drinking milk and staying warm. 

The next day after taking weights on Ella's litter I saw that the Bryleigh, Brayden, and Bringham were not gaining enough weight. Baby's need the milk for their immune system and the energy it takes for them to stay warm and grow.  Bunny saw Ella actively choosing to abandon Bryleigh, Brayden, and Bringham in the whelping box while nursing and caring for Brighton and Bridgerton. Bunny made a tough decision and placed Bryleigh, Brayden and Bringham with Daphne to nurse and comfort. Daphne saw the three pups in Bunny's hand and whimpered until she placed them near her chest. Daphne immediately began licking them and nuzzling them with her nose. Daphne looked at Bunny as if to say they were her babies now and she would take care of them the best that she could. The odds were against Daphne in this case. Bringham and Bryleigh died on December 31st lying close to Daphne for unknown and unforeseeable causes. However, Brayden survived under the loving care of Daphne. 

All Grown Up

It had been a perfectly beautiful winters day on Friday, December 27th, 2024. Bunny was at work worried Daphne would go into labor before she could get home. It was Daphne's first litter and Bunny wasn't sure how Daphne was going to handle it. Bunny looked at her watch. The minuets seemed to be dragging. The time clock finally turned 2:30pm and Bunny ran out of the  building to her vehicle. While driving home, Bunny couldn't stop thinking about her pregnant girls and how she hoped they hadn't given birth without her. Bunny didn't want a repeat of Ella's last litter where she gave birth alone. Ella as beautiful and sweet as she can be is not a good mother of new born puppies. Ella does fairly well with puppies ages 4 weeks and up. Bunny made it to the house and ran inside to greet the girls. Ella and Daphne looked at Bunny with and electric excitement in their eyes and gave her kisses all over her face and hands. Bunny sat on the floor with them and hugged them. They hadn't gone into labor and the girls were happy and healthy. There was a lot to do. Bunny had the weekend off and was excited about preparing for their due date on December 30th which was in two days. Bunny began gathering the whelping boxes, towels, and pulled out a notebook, a pen, and the mini scale. Almost understanding what Bunny was up to Daphne began panting. It was time for the pack to go to the outside dog runs to relieve themselves. Levi, Bunny's son and HRH staff member, walked into the dog room as he normally does and began taking each member of the pack outside. When it was time for Levi to take Daphne she growled and tried to bite him. Biting is out of character for Daphne so when Bunny witnessed it she knew it could only mean one thing. Daphne was going have those puppies by the end of the night. 

Daphne became restless as the minutes flew by using her feet to move pieces of fabric around in her whelping box. She continued to pant and have small episodes of dry heaving. Around 6pm Daphne's breathing became more intense as she laid outstretched across the whelping box. Bearing her head down she seamed to gather the strength from the universe to manage each contraction the came. At 8:25pm Daphne made the cutest most adorable howl as she pushed out Her first pup. 

Pup #1 was named Arlo, a male, black and white parti was born weighing 6 ounces. Daphne instinctively knew how to clen her baby up and bring him to her teat. Bunny was elated to have witness what a natural mother Daphne was and exhaled a joyful sigh of relief. The next puppy came at 8:32pm. When this puppy came out Bunny gasped. She couldn't quite process how stunningly beautiful he was. 

Pup #2 was named Argyle, for the stunning pattern on his back. Argyle, a male, is a black and white parti and weighed 6.7 ounces. Daphne seemed as if she had years of birthing experience and by 8:56pm she pushed out her 3 puppy. 

Another black and white parti, this time a little girl weighing  4.8 ounces. Bunny felt around Daphne's belly checking for anymore puppies. Bunny felt very strongly that there were two more pups on their way down the birthing canal. Daphne made sure each pup was dried and then close to her teats and for a moment she closed her eyes and was perfectly still as if praying. Then at 9:19pm Daphne had her 4th puppy. 

This puppy was almost solid black with what looked like white ancient Viking arrowhead on its chest and he was named Arrow. Arrow is a male weighing 6.1 ounces. Bunny could see the last pup moving down to the birth canal. The last puppy was viably bigger that the others and it wasn't even out of Daphne's womb yet. At 9:42 Daphne pushed Arden out into the world.

 Arden, a male, black and white extreme piebald, weighing in at a whopping 7.3 ounces. Daphne seemed to smile when he came out as she gazed at him. Daphne quickly cleaned him up and brough him to her chest as she did with her other four puppies. 

The labor was over and the real work would begin. Bunny could not be more proud of her little Daphne girl all grown up and mother of her first litter. Daphne raised her head outside of the  whelping box and placed herself on Bunny's lap. Bunny held her head in her hands and kissed her on her nose bridge, then told her, "You are so beautiful, and I am so very proud of you." All was calm throughout the rest of the night.