Pups Update

Hey, sorry it took me so long~I've been busy busy busy! And tired to boot. Sick kids, demanding pups, and oh...we snuck getting pictures taken of the boys as well on Friday (turned out so cute!).

Well, to update you on the happenings on the Borchers pups (I've been thinking about naming our business "Out of the Box" since we have mostly boxers. I haven't asked Brandy what he thinks, and actually, this is kinda his baby so he should have the say. But what do YOU think?).

You'll remember that I had moved Dyna since she and Molly seemed to be arch enemies. In fact, moving her to the other side of her kennel wasn't good enough, so I moved her across the machine shed. She was on a little bit of cement, and I tied her up...gave her a bed and some food and water. But she seemed to prefer laying on the dirt, which she could reach. Looking across the shed at her during the day she was pretty quiet, I assumed because she was cross about being tied up. But I wanted Molly to calm down and stop stepping on the pups, etc.

During the day, I also decided I was tired of Molly growling at me. I didn't think she'd harm me, but I didn't know for sure. So finally I grabbed her droopy cheeks, and stared her down. She looked away first! I was declared the Alpha Dog! Hooray, she hasn't growled at me since.

Wednesday night about 10 pm I went to check on the pups. Brandy had just gotten home and was going to bed, planning on taking his turn at 1 am. I'm carefully putting each of them on a teet, when I hear a far away little puppy cry. I thought, is one hiding? One, two, three....seven (Oh, yes, she had one more on Tuesday, 10 total, 8 born alive). Nope, all here. Hmmm...I hear it again...from across the machine shed!! Dyna!!! Yes, indeed, Dyna had 4 pups in the dirt. But she did wonderfully! She's a first time mom, they were all feeding, and they were all perfectly clean (keep in mind they were born in dirt and come out wet). What a good mamma! So I ran to get Brandy and we set up her kennel for her...heat pad, heat lamp and all. Molly and Dyna still growl and sometimes bark at each other (mostly Molly) but we put a wall of sorts between them now so they can't see each other and there's space between them.

I didn't think Dyna was quite due yet. As Shianne would say, "my bad." Dyna's pups are healthier than Molly's...most likely because she only had 4 versus 10. Can I say I'd rather have smaller amounts and healthy?

Well, it's been quite the week taking care of them. I've spoken with a couple other breeders and it seems to be the consensus that Boxers can be tough. The first week is the most important.

We've been getting up through the night every few hours. Friday morning at 6 am, as I snuck under the heat lamp for a while to make sure that the pups continued nursing, I so wanted to lay my head down on the blanket and sleep. Just to catch a few winks! I told myself, Carey, don't do it! don't do it! That's so gross! You'd have your head by Molly's behind and this blanket is gross! But, oh, it was tempting.

I think it was Thursday that one of Molly's pups died.

Last night was a long night. In fact, we didn't go to church this morning cuz we just needed to rest. I think the Lord understood! The littlest of Dyna's wasn't doing well, and so we were feeding her by hand every two to two and a half hours, and then trying to get her to nurse. Well, when I went in to feed her about six, she had passed away.

So, we are down to 9 pups. Right now they all look good. At the suggestion of the vet, Dyna has 4 because we gave her one of Molly's because Molly's milk wasn't coming in as well. And the sweetie took her even though Molly's so awful to her. Molly is a pretty good dog, she just gives new meaning to the term Mother Bear! If she had it her way, she'd have the shed all to herself and her pups.

We still have a few more days until the first week is up, then we can breathe a little bit easier. The second week is still a little touch and go if they'll live but not as volatile as the first. And by the third week I'll be very relieved. You get attached to those little pups when you're in there all the time!

As far as kids go...Sierra stayed home from school Tuesday and Wednesday, and didn't get to go trick or treating or to Pioneer Club in her costume. Such a sad life lesson. Heartbreaking for her. BUT, some friends from church invited us to a kid's costume party on Friday night in their parents barn, and me and the kids had a great time. So she did get to have some Halloween fun.

Sorry no pics yet! I'm not sure I dare take pics of Molly's pups just yet (that may cause a revolt against this alpha dog), but I'll try to get some of Dyna's soon. And of course I have cute pics of my little darlings in their costumes! But, as you can imagine, with the little sleep I've been getting (and opting for short naps when possible instead of exercising) I'm getting a chest cold and my neck is bothering me. So, no pics for tonight! Just bed. Hope to post tomorrow! God bless!