Cricket has blessed us with a beautiful litter of 7 sables.

The weeks leading up to a litter of puppies are full of excitement and anticipation. The breakfast table is usually filled with chatter about what the theme for litter names will be, and guesses about how many puppies there will be or what colors we will get. It is a busy time for me as I try to wrap up other projects and be prepared to devote my attention to the next 8-10 weeks of Puppy Culture conditioning. This spring I have also been scrambling madly to complete my contribution in a much-needed DIY renovation of a couple of bedrooms. The clock has been swiftly racing toward that red circle around June 10th on the calendar. I am sure my kids have lost track of the number of times they heard me say, “Come on guys, we need to get this done before puppies arrive.” That’s okay, I have a new phrase now.

Saturday afternoon (June 4th) I noticed some slight shifts in Cricket’s behavior. She was a little hesitant to go outside, preferring to stay close by my side, and she wasn’t interested in food. All clues leading up to whelping, but also very subtle compared to the behavior Willow would typically display even 2 weeks prior to labor. By all appearances, her behavior seemed right on track for several days prior to whelping. Cricket’s temperature checks were also consistent with my records of Willow’s temperature readings at 50-55 days gestation. Charting dog behaviors and patterns is one of my habits, and I was feeling pleased that Cricket had read What to Expect When Your Dog is Expecting and was following all the rules for a typical pregnancy. However, my gut kept telling me I should lay down my paint brush and set up the whelping box.

Cricket was very pleased with my decision. She happily hopped in her freshly constructed den and took a nap. No digging or nesting behavior. No heavy panting or pacing. No wandering about the house looking for “dens” under tables or beds. Just a content, relaxed mama-to-be.

Later, she found her favorite stuffy and took it into the box with her. After compressing each squeaker in her toy to be sure they were all accounted for, she curled up in the corner. Hmm, relaxed says we still have time, but collecting “babies” puts a different spin on things. Once again, intuition whispered. It may be wise to set up the video monitor so I could keep an eye on her overnight.

Willow, who is not so subtle about her readiness for labor, would spend a week or two trying to find the ideal whelping spot. She would dig in the closet, dig under the table, sneak behind the curtains, and scratch in the crate and whelping box in the dining room. I would toss piles of blankets and towels in her crate so she could go in at will and thrash about. Day after day of preparation left no doubt that she was making plans to whelp. Predictably, she would begin restless pacing and pant heavily almost 24 hours before the first pup arrived. She wanted lots of tummy rubs and ear massages. She would nudge me in the leg to let me know where she wanted me to sit and wait as the process began. She had developed a very recognizable performance to let me know I needed drop all other activities and get down to the business of a midwife. We had a wonderful rhythm during whelping. She would pace in circles and contract, pausing in front of me to let me guide each new little creature gently to the floor. Then she would lie down and use her masterful skills to cut the cord while I removed the sac from the puppy’s nose and mouth. As I finished my task, she would vigorously lick the puppy’s face, rousing it to gasp for its first breath of life. Nursing the ever-growing cluster, she would lie with them as long as she could until the next round of contractions became strong enough to bring her to her feet and begin all over again. When she felt the contractions increase, she would give me a look that signaled it was time for me to gather up the bundle of damp puppies and move them to the warming nest so she could focus on bringing forth the latest arrival. The bond and communication we have developed over the years created a harmonious dance of partnership as we welcomed each litter.

Cricket and I were attempting to perform this dance of life together for the first time. I was curious to see how she would respond to all the new sensations that whelping would bring and how much she would want me to join in. More easygoing than Willow, Cricket’s daily demeanor is playful and she defers to the older pack members to resolve any drama on the farm. She is their number one cheerleader, but also the number one tattle tale when she thinks anyone else is out of line. She isn’t vigilant to announce every suspicious noise or movement the way Willow can be. So I wondered how this laid back girl, currently resting so quietly in the whelping box, would communicate her needs to me over the next few days. When she barks she is usually alerting me to a pressing need or issue. She is vocal about wanting to go potty and barks when she wants to go out to play, so I felt confident that we were developing a good line of communication.

I watched the video monitor by my bed until 1 a.m. At 2, I crept down the stairs to peek in on her as she lay stretched out, fast asleep, in the whelping box. The sight of her blissful dreaming made me thankful that I still had a couple of days to finish painting and move furniture back in the rooms.

The next time I woke to check on her I was met with the squeaks of some wet, wiggly, bodies that she had adeptly delivered in silence and cleaned up on her own! No alert barks to let me know that labor and delivery were in full swing! Wow, Cricket! But time for me to get to work. I rallied my kids out of bed to come pull out supplies and begin making records of each puppies arrival. We work as a team on whelping day.

I rushed into the whelping box with Cricket and began giving account of the gender, colors, and markings of the puppies as Natalie rapidly scratched all the information into the whelping record book. Carter and Jenna rustled through the supply tote to gather the suction catheter, warm cloths, iodine, scissors, and the colostrum supplement gel to have at the ready. It wasn’t long before the next round of contractions began to ripple through Cricket’s body. I gently collected up her damp little sucklings to place them in the warmer so she could stand up. But, she remained in place, calmly looking about as if to say, “What is all the fuss about?” As she lay peacefully riding the waves of contractions, the next warm puppy bubble emerged and she went to work cutting the cord with her teeth. I cleaned off the sweet little face amidst the chatter of questions that flooded the room. “What color is it?” “Is it a boy or a girl?” “Is the placenta out yet?” “Does it have a blaze?” In the flurry of excitement, I was able to breathe in deep and exhale the mounting anticipation that had been building for weeks. Today was whelping day, there were healthy, vigorous puppies arriving in rapid succession, and Cricket was easily handling it like a seasoned pro. That positive pregnancy test was just a hint of the 7 beautiful sable puppies we welcomed on June 5th. Six stout brothers and their lively sister.

Even though my prediction of the whelping date and Cricket’s internal clock were not in sync, we managed to have a successful dance of communication as we both fawned over these new creations. Her body awareness and care with her puppies is impressive. She is a natural mama. Her cues may be more subtle than Willow’s, but I learned we will still be creating joyful choreography to the lovely melody of Cricket’s serenade.

My kids will have to report whether my new phrase is more annoying than the one they have heard for the last 6 weeks.; “We can do it guys. We need to get this done before the puppies start walking!”