A little about Nickel

Nickel is from my first generation Alchmy poodles.  She is TinTin and Nicky's daughter.  and Ico (mom of 2010 litter)'s sister.   Here is her pedigree (you can click on dogs to expand the pedigree):

Am/Can INTL Ch UGrCh Alchmys Magic Tin Nick-L Blues Am/Can RA JHD CGC TDI VC

FO UGRACH UOCH GR CH Tiger's Unique Magic Nicholas UD RAE MX AXP MXJ AJP NFP VCX AM CH Gailwyn Alexander So Unique AM CH Unique Opportunity UD CH Gailwyn Reach For A Star CDX Tiger's Jubilee AM CH Ale Kai Always Ready AM CH Tiger's Echo UKC INTL CH Bibelot's Tolka Tintanium Am/Can RA NAJ OAP NJP UAG-1 JHD TDI Bibelot's Cherod Tinsmith Bibelot's Sheffield Bibelot's Parchment CAN CH Blacktie Graphic Ag Of Bibelot AM CH Blacktie Shining On Lake Cove AM CH Graphic Sauvie Quick Silver TP

Here's Nickel's Dad Nicky:

and Mom TinTin:

TinTin and Nicky's litter was, as I said, my first litter.  I decided to raise the puppies on raw diet with minimal vaccinations.  Nickel and Stoli have been on a raw diet and vaccinated minimally so the up coming litter will be a second generation of full raw/minimal vacs.  This is important to me as I feel that both of these things impact the immune system of our dogs.

April 3 Day 24

It's amazing how fast the first Month goes.  There was so little happening and so few changes in Nickel the past 24 days just flew by.  The changes that she was showing were so subtle that I didn't know if I could believe them or not.  Well,  now there's no doubt!

I bathed her last night and with her hair wet you could really see her shape has changed.  She still has a tuck up but there is a thickness up high toward her back at her waist.    I'm surprised that she's showing sooner and more clearly than Ico did, but perhaps it's because she's in a Continental so her belly shows more.... OR... she is carrying more pups (yikes).   My friend Theresa said (soon after the breeding) that she had a dream with 8 puppies in it.  Nickel says, "Theresa! couldn't you have seen  6 or 7 puppies?!"

I have a little (silly) theory that moms have the right number of nipples for the number of puppies.  (I know that's not really true since some dogs have up to 15 or more pups with the normal 10 nipples... but humor me)  TinTin had only 8 nipples.  One was so tiny that it only had one pore that the milk came out of... it was more like a little tiny pimple. Eeks.   She had 7 puppies.  Boy did those pups work at that thing!


Ico had the same number and the missing nipple is in the same place as TinTin.  Fearing a family legacy of 7 nipples and one eccentric pimple, I did a thorough exam of Nickel.   She has the normal 10.

 That means 9 puppies, right?

Can you see the pooch starting?

Ok, since we're talking about nipples I'll have to tell you my silly story...

For my work I have to call the hospital nightly to find out whether I have a 'case' for the next morning (I run a Heart-Lung machine for open heart surgery).   I call the Operating Room Desk and the nurse tells me the schedule.  Sometimes they're busy so I may have to wait on the phone for a while.  

So.....  I was sitting on the couch with the *very* pregnant TinTin in my lap.  She was sitting up with her back leaning against me and front feet held up in the air.  I think she was about 50 days pregnant so her mammaries were getting well developed and I was rubbing her belly.   When I called,  the nurse told me that she had to put me on hold.   So I sat there, and sat there, and started saying to TinTin, " OHhhhhh I LOVE your boobies!   You siwwy girl,  I Looooooooove your boobies.... Ohhh I love your boobies."  I'd totally forgotten that I was on 'hold' until I heard the nurse saying, " Errrr,  Ah... Hello?"