The Two-Sire Litter Is Here!
Nazli was intentionally bred to both Capar and Duman.
Puppies to be DNA tested to determine sire of each in order to acquire accurate registration papers.
GUESS THE SIRE OF EACH PUP!
DNA results to be posted here on the blog
with easy instructions to figure out parentage!
3 fawn females born, followed by 2 brindle males. Full story below.
This litter was quite an experience. So exciting planning it, ordering a zillion DNA kits, waiting to see if we would be able to guess who sired which puppy. Pat Hastings (famous show judge and author) told me two-sire litters were always (in her experience) either all from one sire OR an unbalanced mix of one or two puppies from one sire and all the rest from the other sire, that it was never even close to half and half from each sire.
Initially, we were in for a huge disappointment. The ultrasound at 4 weeks gestation resulted in the conclusion of NO pregnancy. Disbelief. After all those ties and with TWO males! Vet offered a second ultrasound to be done 2 weeks later, saying that if the puppies were maybe half a week younger than we thought, then maybe there could be a puppy in there. Second ultrasound . . . yep . . . one puppy, possibly two. Waiting for the birth . . . thinking that with only one puppy the possibility of a live birth was shaky . . . knowing that sometimes it isn't enough to trigger the mother to go into labor. Preparing ourselves for no live puppies.
Last night the barn monitor was on, had been on for a week. Woke to Nazli whining, digging, and rearranging the straw at 3:30 and again at 4:48 a.m. Woke again at 6:00 and heard the faint contented sound of one puppy. Listened carefully to see if I could hear 2, but no, it was only one pup. I was sure. Whelping was over and I at least had one pup. Glad the birth was born natural (no C-section needed) and the pup was alive.
Got to the whelping area. WHAT?! There were TWO puppies! YES! Feeling very THANKFUL as I did the morning chores.
Checked on Nazli and pups after chores. NO WAY!! THREE puppies! Brought tears to my eyes. Amazed and very happy. The impossible had happened. There were 3 fawn females. I was walking around shaking my head and repeating "three puppies!" in my mind, convincing myself I had three. Since Nazli refused to whelp in the whelping box (new trial of indoor/outdoor carpet per another breeder recommendation) and whelped in the straw outside the box, I tried to move the puppies into the whelping box. Uh, bad idea! She grabbed the first one and when I blocked her way out of the whelping box, she almost jumped OVER the whelping box with pup in mouth.
"Okay, alright, have the puppies where you want."
My son moved the heat lamp.
A bit later checked on mother and puppies . . . must be a vision, mirage, trick of some sort! FIVE puppies! Can't be! Complete shock! No. YES! No. YES! Impossible!!! Went running into the house yelling there were FIVE puppies out there, cracking my son up (I don't usually . . . ever . . . act like that).
Had to call the vet and tell him I was so happy he was wrong!
Lesson: Ultrasound results are not fail-proof.
Shepherds Rest Farm was a very happy place today!
Puppies to be DNA tested to determine sire of each in order to acquire accurate registration papers.
GUESS THE SIRE OF EACH PUP!
DNA results to be posted here on the blog
with easy instructions to figure out parentage!
3 fawn females born, followed by 2 brindle males. Full story below.
This litter was quite an experience. So exciting planning it, ordering a zillion DNA kits, waiting to see if we would be able to guess who sired which puppy. Pat Hastings (famous show judge and author) told me two-sire litters were always (in her experience) either all from one sire OR an unbalanced mix of one or two puppies from one sire and all the rest from the other sire, that it was never even close to half and half from each sire.
Initially, we were in for a huge disappointment. The ultrasound at 4 weeks gestation resulted in the conclusion of NO pregnancy. Disbelief. After all those ties and with TWO males! Vet offered a second ultrasound to be done 2 weeks later, saying that if the puppies were maybe half a week younger than we thought, then maybe there could be a puppy in there. Second ultrasound . . . yep . . . one puppy, possibly two. Waiting for the birth . . . thinking that with only one puppy the possibility of a live birth was shaky . . . knowing that sometimes it isn't enough to trigger the mother to go into labor. Preparing ourselves for no live puppies.
Last night the barn monitor was on, had been on for a week. Woke to Nazli whining, digging, and rearranging the straw at 3:30 and again at 4:48 a.m. Woke again at 6:00 and heard the faint contented sound of one puppy. Listened carefully to see if I could hear 2, but no, it was only one pup. I was sure. Whelping was over and I at least had one pup. Glad the birth was born natural (no C-section needed) and the pup was alive.
Got to the whelping area. WHAT?! There were TWO puppies! YES! Feeling very THANKFUL as I did the morning chores.
Checked on Nazli and pups after chores. NO WAY!! THREE puppies! Brought tears to my eyes. Amazed and very happy. The impossible had happened. There were 3 fawn females. I was walking around shaking my head and repeating "three puppies!" in my mind, convincing myself I had three. Since Nazli refused to whelp in the whelping box (new trial of indoor/outdoor carpet per another breeder recommendation) and whelped in the straw outside the box, I tried to move the puppies into the whelping box. Uh, bad idea! She grabbed the first one and when I blocked her way out of the whelping box, she almost jumped OVER the whelping box with pup in mouth.
"Okay, alright, have the puppies where you want."
My son moved the heat lamp.
A bit later checked on mother and puppies . . . must be a vision, mirage, trick of some sort! FIVE puppies! Can't be! Complete shock! No. YES! No. YES! Impossible!!! Went running into the house yelling there were FIVE puppies out there, cracking my son up (I don't usually . . . ever . . . act like that).
Had to call the vet and tell him I was so happy he was wrong!
Lesson: Ultrasound results are not fail-proof.
Shepherds Rest Farm was a very happy place today!
posted by Shepherds Rest Farm | 3/09/2012 09:54:00 PM
1 Comments:
WOW... I am thankful along with you that the Lord blessed you with puppies... live and healthy and looks like momma is doing well too!
CONGRATs from up north in Canada - Andra and pack
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