Ethical Breeding- Part 11: Nov. 08, 2022

The Good, the Bad & the Ugly

Okay- actually, the correct order will be the ugly, the bad & the good.

Taking stock of the breeding process we've gone through, we wanted to reassess to make sure next time will go a bit more simply.

The only real ugly part was my reaction to Phoebe's delay in having the first one. To put it simply- I panicked. Those around me (specifically my wife & daughter) managed to remain calm- I did not, and this is rather embarrassing for a person with my background. The truth is- I was just afraid something might happen to Phoebe. The reason why, after 40 years of having dogs, we FINALLY decided to have a litter was because she is just so amazing; everything anyone could ever want in a small dog. I love her to pieces. The prospect of possibly losing her freaked me out.

The bad was what caused the ugly. When you enter into something you have NO experience in, any challenges to your pre-conceived notions about how it's going to go can throw the whole process into chaos. Sometimes, the internet DOESN'T prepare you for anything; as a matter of fact, sometimes it leads you in the wrong direction. Lesson learned- it's going to happen the way it's going to happen. I'm glad we didn't take her for a shot of oxytocin. Natural is ALWAYS better, and I can't help but think hauling her off to the vet would not be great for her stress levels- or the puppies.

The good- well, almost all of it. It's been an incredible experience. The preparations we made and the things we bought were spot-on. The Artemis whelping box is excellent- and super easy to assemble. I can barely hammer a nail, so building my own was really never much of an option. It also comes with a waterproof pad that it sits on- and we bought a second so we can swap them out every day and wash them.

The list we found for required items was just about exactly right, too- although, as someone mentioned, we did not need the hemostat. We opted for ceramic heat lamps rather than the tradition red light type, which we like- bit darker for Feebs at night and, when combined with the pet heating pad, gave the puppies all the heat they needed, as well as enough space to get away if they became overheated (they never did...).

We had TONS of latex (nitrile) gloves- all XL, which is a good idea for quick on/ off. I'm guessing that between the three of us that night, we went through 30-50 pairs.

The aspirator, clamps and medical scissors were all used with every puppy. We also had a large supply of towels on hand, and, as Phoebe had no interest in doing so, we had to rub the bejabbers out of each pup to piss it off enough to get it to breathe.

The rectal thermometer was a real bonus- not just because we used it a lot in the two days leading up to the whelping. When we went to use it for the first time, Mrs. K grabbed some Vaseline- I said I didn't need it, and popped the tip into my mouth. The fleeting moment of horror on her face until she realized it hadn't been previously used was perfection. She was kind enough to advise me that perhaps, in the future, I should use the Vaseline...

Having good, experienced people on hand for advice was, of course, fabulous. I know I'm ALWAYS going to rely on their expertise going forward. And- of course- Cyndy (wife) and Meg (daughter) were outstanding.

Women know about birth. Who knew.

Reggie lurking under the pig rail.