April 23 Day 44

My New Logo!

Alchmy Poodle by my friend Lena

Lynne,  In response to your comment.... here's a typical sight in the neighborhood.  We walk leash free in the mornings.  I know some people will be unhappy with the thought but... it's just the way it is ;^)   When people are walking toward or coming up behind us the girls know to sit and wait for them to pass.  They know they're not allowed in yards, just the grassy strip next to the road, and they can't roam too far ahead.  One command is 'stay with' which means they have to walk behind me.  They also have to sit at the curb before crossing the street.  Here's what it looks like  (of course most of them have to carry something in their mouth during the 'parade.'

Mica,  Nickel,  Eureka, TinTin and Corsa

One day I was standing with them like this, waiting for the puppy to sit, and I looked over my shoulder to see a patrol car creeping up behind me.  I took a big gulp and prepared to get a hefty ticket for having 5 dogs off leash.  He rolled down his window and said, "I just had to stop because I couldn't believe my eyes."  and drove away.  Phew! 

April 22 Day 43 Begin Week 6

Begin Last Trimester

A lot is going on in the next 3 weeks!  Just last night there was a dramatic difference in Nickel's behavior.  She was uncomfortable all night trying to adjust her positioning to accomodate the puppies,  I'm sure that they're now pushing on her lungs.  If she moved into a certain position she'd gag and cough.  She also spent the night practically on top of me.   She got me out of bed at 2am to go potty, not something she normally does.  Thinking about how big the puppies are now it's no surprise especially when considering the number.  Through this last trimester the puppies are going to grow even more rapidly and we will see Nickel's belly grow ... and grow.. and grow... I hope the next three weeks aren't too rough on our girl.

Here's a picture I took this morning of her Buddha Belly:

She found being on her back was the most comfortable position.

I finally clipped Nickel down last night and took off about 4 inches of hair on her jacket and bracelets.  I'll be leaving the hair on her back and head so that I can continue growing her hair into a full continental.   Having the hair off her sides and belly will help keep things neat and tidy during delivery and afterward.  I'll give her a complete shave of face, feet and around the jacket today so that she can be free of grooming through the next  month. She'll get a quick bath after delivery but that will be it for a while.  I also want to be sure that there's enough time for some regrowth of hair on her belly... those puppy claws are very sharp!   

I've been taking Nickel's Belly picture during our morning walk.  In the last few days the other poos have figured out that Nickel 's been getting a lot of extra attention on that particular street corner.  I think I mentioned earlier that Eureka seems to have appeared in the most recent pictures..... welll....  the whole gang decided that it's time to get involved!   They wouldn't leave us alone.. ha ha ha.....

Dear blind Corsa Bella couldn't figure out how to maneuver around Nickel

April 21 Day 42

Busy work week... Seems like Nickel is growing faster than I can keep up with her ;)  She's slowed down a little bit and is having to put a little effort into jumping in the car.  She's still active and playing but taking lots of breaks.

Found a picture of TinTin when she was 40 days pregnant.... Nickel's in that belly some where!

That patch of hair on her back was a Heart... looked good from above but from the side looks a bit strange.. ha ha ha

April 20 Day 41

Have you noticed that Eureka is always in these pictures..  Ha ha ha

April 19 Day 40

Quiet/Quite a day today.


Had an agility lesson for TinTin... first one in a YEAR!  OMG.  It was fabulous.  I just adore my instructor Andrea Dexter .  She's the one, btw, who did the herding and jumping films.  She is a Zen Master in all that she does.  I left the lesson inspired to get back into training.  TinTin will be in the Poodle Agility Trial next weekend and that's the main reason I scheduled the lesson.  I figured (duh) that we should at least re-familiarize ourselves with a course :0G   TinTin will be competing in the Excellent Level.  She's been incredible as she's Qualified in almost every trial we've participated in... despite the lack of practice.  She makes me look good :o)    Anyway,  It was a gorgeous day and after the lesson I took all the kids to a local dog park for a romp.


At the park I met an interesting women from the Czech Republic.  She was there without her dog;  a 17 year old Giant Schnauzer.  Wow.  As we chatted we found out that we'd both lost our husbands in 1995 and that it had been our beloved dogs that had kept us a live.  It was quite a tearful and inspirational conversation.  She asked me about puppies but admitted that she was too much in the midst of chaos to get one.  It was therapeutic to meet someone else who was still so emotionally effected by a loss so long ago.. and to have had her dog 'save her life'... just as I had with Corsa.  Our dogs are amazing beings.


Anyway... Here's Big Mama playing with Little Big Man:

April 18 Day 39.. cont...

I spent the day cleaning out the Whelping room.. Wow had it gotten filled with clutter in the past year!  Nickel spent most of the time laying directly in my way.  She seems to know that this room is for her.  Not too much of a surprise since she was born in this room! and her sister delivered her litter in it last year... same whelping box.  Of course last year Nickel spent a great deal of time watching her sister, Ico's litter growing in the very same spot.  I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't some residule smell on the box.  

Nickel practically battled for her position while I rebuilt the whelping box.  LOL... she really wanted center stage this time round ;)  I repainted the lavendar walls; this time we have pink and blue (it's left over paint from the Pink Poodle Parlor and exterior house paint).  At least we know that these pups will be frugal :)  

Here's Nickel hanging out in the Whelping box last year...  She certainly was ready to be a mom.  As you can see.... she spent a lot of time outside the box as well...

Nickel in Ico's Whelping box (last year) ... ah....just trying it out :)

Nickel outside whelping box.. watching Ico's puppies

Ico (the REAL mom) on the left and Nickel (the WANNA be Mom) on the right

Nickel (top) and TinTin (bottom) out side Ico's Whelping box... It Takes  A Village...

In the following pictures I'm in the process of painting the Whelping Room from Lavendar to Pink and Blue...  Nickel didn't seem to think that having the room painted should stop her from settling into Mother-Hood!  As I constructed the Whelping Box Today,  Nickel tried to take central control ;)   Before I even had the sides up she circled around the 'Whelping Nest' and settled into position.  The 'Whelping Nest' is the black circle.  It's a heated  pad that will maintain a steady temperature of 95 degrees for the puppies.  For the first ten days the puppies wont be able to maintain their body temperature and this heating 'dish' will keep them safe.  If they get too hot they can crawl off the dish.