Emerald's 2023 Puppy Journal

Emerald welcomed nine beautiful puppies on November 20, 2023, and this journal chronicles their first weeks of life in our home. Welcome to Emerald's 2023 litter journal! This is my first attempt at keeping a litter diary, so please forgive me if it isn't perfect or if updates are added later than planned. As you can imagine, caring for a litter of puppies keeps me very busy! This journal follows our journey from the first ultrasound and x-rays through whelping, puppy development, socialization, and the many milestones along the way. I wanted to document these special moments for family, friends, and future puppy owners, while also sharing a glimpse into the work, joy, and occasional sleepless nights that come with raising a litter. My hope is that the families who welcomed these puppies into their homes will continue to share updates, photos, and stories as they grow. It has been an incredible adventure watching each puppy develop its own personality, and I look forward to following their journeys for years to come. October 23 - Ultrasound to confirm pregnant, and an estimate of puppy count. We can feed Emerald 1½ more cups of food now. I started giving Emerald organic Chicken thighs with her meal in the a.m. Put it in the air fryer and added bacon fat just a small amount. November 17 - X-ray to get exact number of puppies showing 8 for sure and possibly 9. November 19 - Sunday - Taking temperature 3 times a day. Deb thinks her temperature dropped today. Now we watch for it to go back up. Deb thinks Monday or Tuesday she will whelp. Emerald is going behind Matt’s couch cushion on his couch (never does that) and also in the area in the yard by our tack room to dig a hole. November 20, Monday - Emerald slept on my bed most of the night with much panting. Moving pillows around in the morning. I prepared ice cream into individual cups so between puppies she can have a scoop. Temperatures listed on my phone notes. I went to take her temperature and her water broke. Called Deb and she said anywhere between now and a few hours. PUPPIES started arriving at 1:00p.m. Lucky us, to be whelping during the day. Thanks, Emerald! Last puppy arrived by surprise as Emerald jumped and I ran over and there was puppy #9. He arrived at 8:00p.m. and that is the aqua boy who we named Butterball. November 22 - Started to give Emerald mashed potatoes as all the placenta was giving her the runs. November 23 - As soon as the puppies make any noise, Emerald is right back in the whelping box attending to them. Weighing puppies morning and night and we want to see 30-50 grams gain per day. Charting it in Excel and sending to Deb to watch over it. November 24 - Dr. Bleifer removed the puppies dewclaws. Took Emerald with us and she stayed in the car with my mom in case she was needed to feed the puppies afterwards. Puppies slept there and back. When we got home, Emerald fed them. They seemed stressed so I called Dr. Bleifer’s office and she recommended Rescue Remedy. Boy, that helped so much! Thanks Dr. Bleifer, I will keep that around for other things. Emerald: I am feeding her 3-4 times per day, about 2 cups 2 times and 1-1½ cup for another time. Trying to order things for the new owners, their puppy bag. November 26 - we started Early Neurological Stimulation, also known as “ENS”. November 27 - 1 week, all gaining weight, Emerald very attentive and keeps them so clean. We follow “Puppy Culture,” it is a wonderful program that gives the puppies challenges and new things to acclimate to each day. Puppies theme is Thanksgiving Blessing: Birth order: White=Walter Wishbone Red=Cranberry Green=GreenBean Pink=Blessing Orange=Pumpkin Purple=Joy Yellow=Yam or Yammy Aqua=Butterball December 4 - 2 weeks, Blessing is showing eyes a bit, just a slit. December 5 - More eyes and back legs working! December 6 - Still using their noses a lot. December 8 - Deb and we agreed to take the pig rails and egg crate out. December 9 - Gave Joy and Yam a bit of Karo on their gums to help with constipation. December 10 - setting up larger area in the living room. December 11 - chicken puree with goats milk and 1 cooked organic chicken thigh. They will each get about 2 teaspoons to start, 1 time a day. Warmed and fed separately for each puppy. Most going poop in the potty area. Fed in order each one, and after Emerald fed them. This to done to teach them to lap first, mostly liquidy. December 18 - 4 weeks, they are simply adorable and wait for interaction with the adults and adore their mom, Emerald. December 20 - Puppies are getting teeth, interacting more with each other, personalities starting to be seen, more balance. A new toy is given to them each day. They have balls, a curved thing to climb on and a toy or two to teethe with. They are all going potty in the right area. Expansion to the area will be forthcoming. December 21 - Playing classical music to them at their morning meal. Music: Mozart. December 22 - Teaching manding (sitting). Many of them doing it. Music: Rachmaninoff. December 23 - Manding, they are doing so well. Even manding for me to pet them. Music: Somewhere in Time. December 24 - Trying to get all the puppies together, looking at the camera was challenging. I have many “outtake” pictures. January 4 - Working on quiet and sitting before meal time and also going outside from the living room area. Welcome to Emerald's 2023 litter journal! This is my first attempt at keeping a litter diary, so please forgive me if it isn't perfect or if updates are added later than planned. As you can imagine, caring for a litter of puppies keeps me very busy! This journal follows our journey from the first ultrasound and x-rays through whelping, puppy development, socialization, and the many milestones along the way. I wanted to document these special moments for family, friends, and future puppy owners, while also sharing a glimpse into the work, joy, and occasional sleepless nights that come with raising a litter. My hope is that the families who welcomed these puppies into their homes will continue to share updates, photos, and stories as they grow. It has been an incredible adventure watching each puppy develop its own personality, and I look forward to following their journeys for years to come.