Sunday, June 20, 2010

Aww - Little guy can't get out the door

Seti on Film

Seti loves riding the boat and loves her master (ben)


Seti is amazed by the water


Seti are you Hungry?


Ears of interest become overwhelmed

8 weeks to go!!!!!!!




I just can't wait!!
without the cheesy music... god that's bad!
shut to volume off

How to deliver a puppy - helping my mom out with her poodle puppies

Here's a collection of videos to help inform me what to do to help her with her litter.


This is going to be weird seeing Poodle puppies have hair....   I'm a dober-girl - but because they are all the same species  - I think we're gonna be o.k.
Time to put my biology skills to work

Help from the Vet



This one I found helpful because they say what they are doing in it... and well, it's a doberman!!! love those dobes. (because they are Excellent)








Wiki How says :  (this is taken from this site - cut and paste, not me!!! I did not write this!!"
http://www.wikihow.com/Help-Your-Dog-Whelp-or-Deliver-Puppies
"
"  Most often, a dog's natural instincts will take over when labor begins. Depending on your relationship with your dog, however, it may be more comforting if you are able to attend the birthing process. Domesticated animals can have less confidence in birthing, and certain pure breeds are well-known to have particular problems with whelping (a dog-specific term for birthing). Talking to your vet about any potential problems before your dog whelps is always a good idea!

edit Steps


  1. 1
    Predict when and how it will happen. The gestation period (length of pregnancy) for most dogs is about 60 to 64 days from the last day of their heat. As with all pregnancies, this is not an exact science, but you can guess the due date roughly by this scale.

    5 Day Puppy Housebreaking

    Stop Inside Peeing & Pooping Fast Housebreaking Your Puppy In 5 Days
    HousebreakingMyPuppy.com

  2. 2
    Start keeping a close eye on your dog around the due date. She'll likely start dragging clothes or towels to a dark location hidden and away from traffic and noise. It'll be harder to help her through the whelping process or to keep an eye on the pups if she's hidden, so prepare a "whelping box" with washable items as lining (towels and old baby blankets) and at least 6- to 8-inch-tall sides. A closet clear of debris or a cupboard may be ideal so that your dog can get in and out easily. Dogs generally prefer dark and quiet to birth, which is probably why most births happen at night. Respect her need for this environment when moving her to a protected whelping box.

  3. 3
    Start checking her temperature rectally on a daily basis once she reaches seven to eight weeks of pregnancy. When her temperature drops to below 100 (usually closer to 99), labor will start within the next eight to twelve hours.

  4. 4
    Be prepared for between two and six hours of labor. This is not a hard-and-fast rule, but if it goes on longer than eight, you probably want to talk to a vet immediately.
    • Labor begins in earnest when your dog becomes restless consistently. She will be restless and then take short naps to begin with, but the "big show" will be marked by a distinct discharge from the vulva (she will likely work hard at licking this away) and regular contractions. You won't necessarily be able to see the contractions as you can with human women, but her lower belly will feel like a solid rock under your hand.
    • Dogs usually follow their instincts during birth, so you should only have to assist her if there appears to be something going wrong or if she starts panicking. Keep the birthed puppies away from her feet as she will move around during the process. Words of encouragement and soft sounds will help her get through the process as well.
    • Examples of moments that might need your assistance include a lodged pup (gently grasp the pup and pull carefully, possibly having to twist slightly), a delay in removal of the amniotic sac (the bag of waters the pup is often born in - give Mom about a minute to chew it off before helping), or needing to cut the umbilical cords (about two inches from the pup's belly).
    • The process of birthing will usually involve a pup often still inside the amniotic sac followed by a placenta. Occasionally, the placenta of one pup will come out with the next. It is natural and necessary for the dog to consume the amniotic sacs and placenta after (and during) the birth - this replenishes a lot of the nutrients and energy they lose during birth.

  5. 5
    Keep a separate clean towel handy with which to handle the pups if you need to. Neonatal mortality (stillbirths and lifespans of only a few hours or days) are relatively normal for most littered mammals, so be prepared for this eventuality, but in some cases you can help your pups live by giving them gentle massages if you see them having problems breathing or moving around. It's also nice to have a little store-bought puppy milk in case the mother does not produce enough milk.

  6. 6
    Once the pups are born, make sure that your dog has plenty of access to her own food, and make sure there is always food in her bowl. Provide lots of water and, if necessary, house-training pads for potty breaks.












Malteese Puppies part 1


Malteese Puppies being born Part 2


Final - Part 3



actual birth






Taken  from the Site: How cast -->.  http://www.howcast.com/videos/218038-How-To-Deliver-Puppies



"Take the dog to a veterinarian if it is more than 69 days past conception, the mother strains for over an hour without producing another pup, or if labor goes on longer than eight hours.

Step 1: Anticipate labor

Anticipate when your dog is likely to go into labor. Most dogs whelp – or give birth – about 63 days after mating.

Step 2: Choose a whelping spot

Designate a quiet, dark, and warm place, like a bathroom, for the whelping. The room temperature should be about 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a sturdy box or plastic container with 6- to 8-inch-high sides and line it with clean towels, rags, and blankets. This is where your dog will give birth.

Step 3: Recognize when labor begins

Recognize when labor starts. The dog may pace, shiver, pant, whine, vomit, or refuse to eat. All these signs indicate that she is beginning to have contractions and her cervix is dilating. Labor can last anywhere from six to 20 hours.

Step 4: Take the dog to her nest

Once you confirm the dog is in labor, take her to the whelping area you have already prepared. Let her stay there until after she gives birth.

Step 5: Let nature take its course

The mother will birth the pups one by one, and the delivery usually takes one to two hours. Allow the mother to push her pups out. You’ll be able to tell she’s pushing because her tail will lift. As she births each puppy, she’ll lick open its birth sac, sever the umbilical cords, and lick or eat the afterbirth for nourishment.

Step 6: Stimulate respiration

If the mother doesn’t tear the birth sac open, stimulate respiration. Wearing latex gloves, tear it manually and clear all fluid away from the puppy’s nose and mouth. Then vigorously rub the pup with a towel.
If you hear coughing or choking that does not quickly resolve, suck fluid from the puppy’s mouth with the bulb syringe.

Step 7: Cut the umbilical cord

If the mother doesn’t sever the umbilical cord, tie dental floss or thread around it, – about an inch from the puppy’s belly button, and cut the cord on the mother’s side of the knot with sterilized scissors.

Step 8: Help deliver stuck puppies

If a puppy is being delivered feet-first, or breach, assist the puppy out of the birth canal by gently pulling it downward and rearward from the mother’s vagina.

Step 9: Ensure nourishment

Make sure that your dog has constant access to food and water after giving birth. Her babies need her to be strong. After all, she’s earned it!
It takes three weeks for a puppy to develop its senses of smell, sight, and hearing."




And One more for good measure
this one was Taken Directly From - I did NO WRITING HERE.  I am coping and pasting.
Credit is given to :  http://www.2ndchance.info/caninelaborstages.htm

The Stages of Canine Labor
When Your Dog Is About To Gives Birth




Ron Hines DVM PhD
Try not to worry - over ninety-eight percent of all dogs deliver their puppies without assistance or complications. But when it's your pet that is set to deliver puppies it is comforting to know that things are proceeding without hitches and on schedule. Here are some of the things that should happen as your dog begins to deliver her puppies.
Just Before Labor Begins:
Pregnancy in dogs last approximately 63 days (56-69 days). Toy breeds may deliver a week earlier while large breeds often deliver later. Two weeks before your dog’s due date, begin to take its temperature at noon. Purchase a rectal or oral thermometer but use it rectally. You can lubricate it with margarine or KY jelly and insert it about an inch. Leave it in place for three minutes. Your dog’s temperature should be between 101 and 102.5 Fahrenheit. When the pet’s temperature drops below 100F she should deliver the pups in less than twenty-four hours.
Stage One of Labor:
During the first stage of labor the cervix begins to dilate and uterine contractions begin. These contractions are painful and perplexing to the dog. She will appear quite uncomfortable and restless - pacing, shivering and panting. She probably will not eat and she may even vomit. Some dogs whine persistently. Others occupy themselves building a nest. Uterine contractions, although occurring, are not as easy to see as in humans. This is the longest stage of labor. It generally lasts six to eighteen hours. By the end of this period the dog’s cervix will have completely dilated for the puppies to pass. During this period keep the mother’s environment quiet and calm. I usually shut them off in a darkened area such as the bathroom.
Stage Two of Labor:
During the second stage of labor, uterine contractions begin in force. As this stage progresses the placental water sacks break and a straw-colored fluid is passed. Placentas are expelled after each puppy or sporadically during labor. Pups usually appear every half-hour or so after ten to thirty minutes of forceful straining. As the pups deliver, the mother will lick the puppy clean and bite off the umbilical cord. It is important to let the mother do this, if she will, because through this process she bonds with her puppies and learns to recognize them as her own. The rough licking of the mother stimulates the puppies to breathe and improves their circulation. The mother will probably eat some of the afterbirths. If the bitch does not tear away the sac and lick the pups to stimulate respiration, the owner should tear the sac open, clear all fluid away from the pup's nose and mouth, and vigorously rub the pup to stimulate breathing.

It is not uncommon, however, for the mother to take rests during labor and up to four hours can pass between some puppies. If more than four hours have passed without a puppy and you are certain more puppies are present take the dog to a veterinary hospital. Also seek assistance if the mother strains forcefully for over an hour without producing another pup. If you see the rear legs of a puppy protruding from the dog’s vagina you can assist the mother by gently pulling the puppy in a downward and rearward arcing motion. You must do this very gently because puppies are fragile and easily hurt. It is normal for many puppies to be born rear feet first or breach. When a mother dog is stuck in incomplete labor the first thing I do is administer oxytocin and calcium to stimulate uterine contractions. If the puppies are too big to pass through the birth canal or the oxytocin fails to induce successful labor, I perform a cesarean section on the dog.
Stage Three of Labor:
The concept of a third stage of labor is borrowed from human labor terms. It is a very indistinct period in dogs. Once all the puppies have been born the dog enters this third stage of labor during which time the uterus contracts fully, expelling any remaining placenta, blood and fluid.
Midwifery:
After thirty-two days of pregnancy the mother’s appetite will begin to increase. She should begin to eat about twice as much as she used to. When the puppies come and she is producing milk, her food consumption should be about three times as much as it was before her pregnancy.
Purchase a name brand puppy chow to feed her with during these periods. If you do so, there is no need to give her supplements of any kind. There is no need to restrict the mother’s normal exercise but intensive exercise or work training should be curtailed.
Around the forty-fifth day, bring the pet in to be examined by a veterinarian. At this time the vet
will be able to palpate the puppies and give you an indication of how many to expect. If you need to know earlier, then have an ultrasound examination performed about the twenty-fifth day.
Blood progesterone levels can be tested about day 34 to confirm pregnancy.
The puppies will be born still covered by their amniotic membrane. This membrane must be removed from the puppy’s face in order for it to breathe. Most momma dogs are very attentive to the newborn puppy and lick and tear the membrane off. If they are not or you just don’t have the patience to wait, assist the dog in doing this. Peel the membrane away and remove mucous from the puppy’s mouth and nose with a soft towel. Tie a piece of dental floss or thread around the umbilical cord about an inch from the puppy’s belly button and cut the cord distal to the knot.

Serious Problems:
If the mother fails to go into labor within twenty-four hours after her body temperature drops to below 100F you should take the dog to a veterinarian. Do this also if you have calculated that more than 69 days have passed since the dog was bred.
Some dogs will suffer milk failure or insufficient milk before their puppies are weaned. This occurs in older dogs as well as dogs that have another concurrent health problem such as eclampsia, mastitis or systemic disease. These dogs need to be taken directly to a veterinarian the puppies supplemented or raised by hand. Signs that milk is inadequate are thin or lean puppies that cry consistently suck objects around them (or each other) and do not sleep.
It is normal for the mother to run a low fever during the two days after giving birth. I become concerned if the fever is over 102.8, if the dog is drinking excessive water or if she is depressed. These may all be signs of a retained placenta (or puppy) or a uterine infection.
It is normal for the dog to have a vaginal discharge following birthing. This discharge normally has rusty reddish or greenish brown appearance. I become concerned when the discharge is pus-like or has a strong odor. This can also be a sign of retained placenta and uterine infection (metritis). Normal cleansing of the uterus can last as long as eight weeks.
Normal mother dogs are bright, alert and attentive to their puppies. She should have a ravenous appetite as she converts metabolites to milk. I become concerned if the mother shows any signs of listlessness or depression. She also needs to visit a veterinarian if she is not attentive to her puppies.

Check the mother’s milk flow. It should flow with only the slightest of finger pressure.

Eclampsia or Milk Fever:
Eclampsia is actually a glandular problem in which the parathyroid gland does not secrete sufficient calcium-releasing hormone. When it does occur, this problem happens just before or within 3-4 weeks after welping. Milk fever is an acute, life-threatening condition. It is most common in small breeds with large litters. Mother dogs become disoriented, stiff, nervous and restless. They loose interest in her puppies. In severe cases they will have muscle spasms, seizures and be unable to walk. The mother may run a fever and have a rapid heart rate. . This problem results from low blood calcium as the mother’s body prepares to produce calcium-rich milk. I treat it by administering intravenous 10% calcium gluconate at 0.25-0.75ml/pound/hour. Affected dogs return to normal in fifteen minutes or less. Then I either wean the puppies or place the mother on a calcium supplement for the remainder of their lactation. Giving calcium supplements during pregnancy is not helpful and may actually cause the problem to reoccur during future pregnancies.
Mastitis or Breast Infection:
The normal canine breasts of mother dogs are soft, warm and enlarged. They should never be red, hot, painful and hard. Hard painful breasts are signs of infection. Dogs with this condition are reluctant to let the puppies nurse and when they do little milk is produced. As soon as I identify a dog with this condition I remove the puppies and hand feed them. Hot packs on the affected breasts help draw down the infection. I place the mother dog on antibiotics and limit her water supply to dry up her milk as quickly as possible.
Hypoglycemia or Low Blood Sugar:
This condition is easily confused with eclampsia. It is primarily a problem in small breeds. The signs are disorientation, weakness, subnormal temperature and low blood sugar analysis. I treat it by administering intravenous dextrose solution. Recovery is very rapid. I often give some dextrose at the same time I treat with intravenous calcium for eclampsia since the two problems often occur together."

Taken from http://www.2ndchance.info/caninelaborstages.htm


Not to fear if it comes out Feet First - Mom will know what to do



Something in the End for mom to look forward to
Good luck mom! i love you.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Our Baby was born today!!

Introducing......

well - we don't know yet!










Odessa










Rosalind













Laika
 - First dog in outerspace!!!  - and paved the way for the rest of us

 









Darcone  (*misheard the Lyric talking about "Dog Clone" - and Ben loves it)







A litter of 3 girls (all girls) was born this morning, and Terri called me and let me know.
I am a ball of joy.
they are coming from Kings Ransom Dobermans!!   Which is where we got our Lovely Seti from 6+ years ago.  You can see her in the Testimonial's Section.  Here you can see what a goofball she is.  All the other dobermans  - strong, smart
After 5 different rescue groups, daily searches on Pet Finder,  Animal Shelter, and everything else...
 we are very happy to say that the end is in reach.  We've been thinking and talking about this since Christmas - too bad we couldn't have grabbed one of those little guys (*below) - but we needed time to find the right thing


the little noodle will look something like this:
  ADORABLE!!!

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Why Seti is so awesome - so excellent



















































Another attempted adoption

I was totally ready to adopt Naomi - but no cats
:( 
She just - her face.  I was in love

Doberman on vacation























Seti has been doing quite a bit of lounging around
She'd much rather be playing with the kitties and or other people. 

We're watching the Dog whisperer again. 
She doesn't like it - it means we're on to her.

silly girl

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

looking for a friend for our funny Valentine














Still patiently waiting for a friend for Seti. 
Ideally  - hoping to get a puppy.  that would be wonderful
But we;re trying rescue, shelters, everything.

6 months of search and no luck.
But we have started a dober-fund for the new little guy.  We have $1291.00 to go.   Saving our change.  We're (Ben and I are artists and freelance workers.  I teach, Ben does installs)

we love our girl so much... hope to find her a buddy soon.  Her best friend Remi (the min-pin next door) - is moving and she'll be all alone.

let me know if you have any contacts.

Ideally - we just want a Seti clone.... one just like her.  She is the light of my life















Doberman's almost adopted




this was Ruby... we loved her so much
but something wasn't right.
I see this picture and my heart is broken because i love her all over again,
but  - it just wasn't a match.
I just had to let it be

Ruby has been adopted and is in an awesome home

It was a rescue lady who couldn't even get her to the meet and greet because she was so perfect
Like I said - I believe in getting the RIGHT dog, not just any dog.
it didn't feel right
Seti is all personality and then some
more than anything - we need a dog that matches Seti's personality
This is not about a doberman
it's finding a doberman like Seti
because she is the light of my life!

Doberman in her non-native suburbia

Seti and I are on vacation, in Indiana... well not really vacation  -Ben's little brother is getting married.  Seti hopes to be in the wedding - but needs an outfit of course.  Suberbia is weird... this thing called grass is pretty weird.

We're also experiencing cable for the first time.  on now - the dog whisperer.























Big Yawn from the doberlady