Breeding /  Birth

Breeding / Birth / After Birth


.....We`re having puppies.....

Alot takes place before hand. Our bitches aren`t mated with before their second year. Just before their cycle begins, they are given a wormcure and we check whether they need their annual injections. As soon as the cycle begins, they have a general checkup at the vets. Then we give them a antibiotic cure for 5 days to make sure there aren`t any vaginal bacteria which is also better voor the dog we want to use. We have before hand chosen the dog we want to use and hope that this is possible. The right day for the mating is on an average of the thirteenth day but that can differ.

Before we choose a stud, we first look at the bitch we want to breed with

    But take care!!!!!!!

                                                                                      Breeding remains a gamble!!!!!!

 

As we work with nature, we will have a total surprise from time to time.  Even if we do our utmost to do it right

 

It is not only the NEW parents that matter Many generations before them, whom we know little or nothing about,                                play an important part
It is very easy to blame the breeder..... Also the stud often gets the blame.  It is really  a matter of 50%-50%

 

It is only AFTER de pup is born that we may realise that the combination male/bitch is not quite what we had hoped for.
No breeder will succeed in breeding just showdogs.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  If  one set of parents has 10 children, they will all be different, with different hair, different character, different height, different intelligence, etc. etc.     It is the same with dogs                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                             But, OK, one has to start somewhere On the "our dogs"  and "litter" pages of our site, there is a lot of information about our own dogs  and the dogs bred by us

These are our colours,

  Onze Sables                            Our Sable
                   Lichte Gold Sable                                               Orange Sable                                                      Mahonie Sable
                      Pure for Sable                                                   Pure for Sable                                                        Dark Sable
 
Tri -Faktor Sable                             Bi- Faktor Sable                                            Bi -Sable  met White Faktor
Sable met drie kleur                        Sable met Zwart/wit                             WF.duidelijk  te zien aan de achterpoot
                Faktor                                          Faktor                                              een  witte streep hoog op getrokken
 
Onze andere kleuren                                AOAC colors
Tri-Color                                                                    Bi- Color                                                   Bi- BLue Merle
 Drie Kleur                                                                   Zwart/wit                                                   Blue zonder Tan
 
1. Which colour has the bitch. And which colour would we like to end up .(see colour chart
2. What about the size? At shows one  prefers 37 cm for a male, and 35,5 cm for a bitch / USA (13-16 inc) But as long as the size. . .   does not exceed 2,5 cm above or below, it wil not be considered a fault.(see growth chart)
3. What about the teeth (see chart)
4. What about the eyes. Is the bitch not CEA/CH free. Look for a stud who is.
.   Maybe she is troubled by extra eyelashes  (distichias) ?    ( see chart )
5. Hips? When it has been tested, it will be written on the pedigree (sometimes of many generations back) ?? explanation Hips  (see chart)
6. MDR 1 tested? Some medicines can be very dangerous for shelties (see chart
    And then ofcourse the way the dog is built ...
    The characters have to be super
    Many shelties still have the herding instinct .
    For some people very importend.   

And then the big moment.......when is my little girl... in the MOOD...

We always try two matings 

You want to be sure for the right moment ?
Special for people who has to travel try Progesteron test [ bloodtest]
Celsey 1X  mated on the 15 -16 day ,  2X  13 -14 -15 - day
Nayna  1X  mated on the  17 -18 day  but also once on the 22st day.
Tess    1X  mated on the 13 -14 - day.   1x 10 day  3 puppies and also 1 x 16-17-18 day. 4 puppies.
We always try two matings to heighten our chances.

When do you define whether they are ready.
Our dogs are always openly and very very much in.......Love.......
Always showing off their behinds and the tail to one side. If they stand still when the dog is ready to mate,then we know it`s time.
Up until now everything has happened in a natural way for our dogs and I hope it stays that way.I don`t like forced or manipulated matings and haven`t had to have a bloed test done. Maybe we`ve just been lucky up until now.
Then it`s time for the Blinddate,

 

Has the mating been a success? We talk about a successfull mating if the dogs have coupled but that is not a certainty that pups will come out of this coupling. Then the uncertainty begins, are puppies going to be born, how many, what colour, male or female.
From the 59th day they can arrive but usually it`s around the 63rd day.
Our experience: 1x 62 day  2x 63 day  3x 64th day   1x 65 th day..
Usually ,we`re too curious te wait so long and have an
Ultra sound done between the 28th and 32nd day.

Thanks:   Veterinary clinic Twente te Enschede

 

 

If you can see the embryos with a beating heart, we have life but again not the certainty that this pup will be born alive. Exactly how many pups can be expected is also difficult te determine, there is often alot of movement in the abdomen.
1x  saw 3 but 4 were born,  2x  saw 3, 2 days later again a dead pup again 4 were born , 3x  saw 2 with alot of effort but 4 were born.
1x   echo was made at 7 weeks, 2 were seen and 3 were born
Nayna x Santos were a complete surprise.
Ultra sound was made, could find nothing and  5 healthy pups were born.

 

 

At 7 weeks,it was obvious that Nayna was
expecting. She was wel rounded.
 

  Also at 7 weeks, you can hear the puppies hearts
beating, feel and see movement.
 

I consider this a wonder everytime and thoroughly enjoy it. Then the day arrives that the pups should announce themselves.Make sure that the room temperature is about 24 degrees. The birth usually starts with alot of panting and digging a nest and looking for comfort with me.

 

Tess`s whelping box was ready and waiting

 

but she had other ideas about how it should look

Then the first pup arrives: Normal Birth!!

 

 

watersack is visible

 

head now emerging

 

 

pup is born

 

still half in the embryoticsack

 

 

pup with placenta

 

umbilicle cord is cut

 

 

lovingly the pups are looked after by mum

 

our proud teenage mum with her 4 pups.

 

            Ooooh! I`m starting to grow!
 

When the pups have all been born, it`s possible that one can be very small and need extra feeding by us to help it along. This happened to us in a litter from Celsey x Impy. Pups under 150 grams at birth get our extra attention, especially if they lose weight.
Our Joya was only 82 grams at birth. She wasn`t sick or weak, just too small to suckle from her mum so we gave her tube feeds first every 3 hours dag and night and later bottle feeds.

 

 

Joya at birth only 82 grams.

 

Tube and bottle fed to help her along.

 

 
To keep a check on their growth, we weigh the pups everyday.The heaviest pup at birth we`ve had was
336 grams. A male from Tess and Mitch.
  We also clip the claws every week to avoid hurting mum while they are drinking.

 

 

Thet get their wurmcures at 2-4-6-8 weeks.

 

At 3.5 weeks old, we give them porridge.


 
At 6 weeks, the first puppy injection and Health Research
Thanks :Veterinary clinic Voortman in Goor Hof v Twente
 
                 
 
Check:  Microchip-  Ears - Eyes [ Not ACVO or CERF test }  Belly buton -,Coat- Weight ,Teaths
Check male for Christmas balls LOL  Heart  -Longs       I've everything is checkt and in Good Health
                                                   We got our first puppyshot. !!       with 9 and 12 weeks another shots.
Kennelcaugh  only when we go to show or Puppy training ...  Rabbies with 6 mon. or earlier for traveling
 
 
 
and from de 5th week on, the chipper can be expected from the Dutch Kennel Club and litter controle .

 

 

Left: Injection and microchip
 

Right: microchip

 

   

Disinfectant

 

administering the chip

 

reading the chip

 

The eyes are tested at about 6-7 weeks old for  CEA [collie eye anomaly] click here for Pfoto's eyetesting.

 and Distichiasis [ extra eyelashes]   can often be seen at this age.
Around 9 weeks old, when all the tests have been done and the pups are healthy, they can join their new owners.

....................

....Interesting to know....
 

   

before the pups, a full coat

 

after the pups, she sheds her whole coat

 

 

Between the 10 -14 day, the eyes begin to open

 

The ears also slowly open

 

 

The teeth begin to appear 

 

If all goes well, they grow very quickly
pup 2 days old and pup 3,5 weeks old

 

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Something I`d like to say...........
 

Please look at this photo. This is Tess looking for reassurance just before her pups were born. Tess had a difficult delivery.
Through the whole process of the birth, you`re allowed to be with her, allowed to touch her pups, she trusts me fully for 100%
Each time I experience the birth as a wonder but one that comes with alot of stress and sleepless nights
What I don`t understand is that alot of breeders after having a few litters from a bitch can turn around and say "Right! That`s it! We`ve had some nice pups from you but it`s over and you can spend your old age with someone else.
My feelings don`t allow me to do this and I don`t want to be one of those breeders.
You share the good and bad together. Til death us do part.....
 

 ....I suppose every breeder does it in his or her own way....

 


For whatever reason the bitch doesn`t produce a litter anymore, the best solution is sterilisation especially if she is amongst males.That`s what we decided for our Nayna.

Well, here I lie in a stupid suit in a baby playpen....how embarassing! Betsy thought I was falling in love too much with handsome men and decided to end it all. How`s that for appreciation!!! I`ve given her three beautiful daughters but I suppose she`s right. I`m going on pension now but will remain here to enjoy my old age and stay the "big boss" for a long time to come. First my bloed was tested to see whether my liver and kidneys were working properly and also my sugar and protein count were checked. Thankfully I`m in tip top condition except the men haven`t got a clue what`s going on and are keeping me company.

 

 

my bodyguards

 

scar about  6cm.

 

Nayna is doing well but we hope she doesn`t get too fat because that`s a risk you take with sterilisation. My vet and I are against sterilisation before the first cycle. Why??? Firstly, the anesthetic for a pup weighs much heavier in my mind than for a fully grown dog. Secondly, you have no idea when the pup is coming into heat so the process of changes in her body could already be taking place meaning that the uterus is growing and blood vessels swelling up bringing extra risks. Our advise is ,wait at least until the first cycle has occured and then about 10 weeks after that.Then her body and hormones should be back to normal. I prefer only the removal of the ovaries but after the age of three most vets advise the removal of the uterus as well.
Behind the saying, take everything out then she can`t get cancer there, I found ridiculous.Of course she can`t get cancer there anymore but it seems as if all dogs are getting cancer of the uterus. Consider that her charakter can change, sometimes for better but also sometimes for worse, weight problems, weak bladder and not all dogs coats thrive from this. Some have been known to lose their glow and feel like rope.
My feelings for having such a young pup sterilised also come from within. Let the pup be a pup.Her character and coat haven`t even been formed yet.
In a couple of years ,you`ll be able to buy a pup with or without uterus in America because there they are already sometimes sterilising at the age of 12 weeks.
My stomach turns everytime I think about it!

 

 

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