Rio's puppies to Luta

Page 1: Pregnancy, birth and first week

 

 

Casyka's Ituha "LUTA"(left) Goldmali Believe "RIO" (right)

Rio and Luta met and mated on Tuesday the 24th of August 2010.

Rio has of course had a litter before, but this was the first time Luta was to become a dad. We imported him from Holland in December 2009 together with our very good friend Thea Jellicoe, and Luta lives with Thea in Wales.

 

To start with we weren't sure whether Rio was pregnant or not as this time she showed no obvious signs. However a scan at 5 weeks showed there was most definitely puppies on the go -"More than 7", said the vet.

Rio enjoyed spending time with the little dogs and did not look or act pregnant as you can see!

("Look me in the eyes and I will hypnotise you" says Peanut to Rio.

"Dad, your ears need a wash!" says Monty!)

And then 7 weeks into the pregnancy all of a sudden Rio started to get really big, and really tired.

10 days before the pups were born Rio's stomach looked like this

2 days before the pups were born. 59 days pregnant and we realised she'd probably not go the full 63 days as she was getting so big.

Sure enough, in the evening of day 60 Rio started panting and nesting and decided to check out the whelping box.

It was to be a looong night.

It took until 11.55 am the next day before the first pup arrived. A dog. Here Rio is removing the membranes.

Getting that first pup clean

12.05 pm the second pup arrived, a bitch

The first two pups, still wet

12.17 another bitch arrived

Ginny was very interested and no doubt longed for the time when she had a pup of her own. Her son Peanut is now adult.

The fourth puppy, a dog, was born 13.08 so Rio had almost an hour to rest a bit

"Have you got a spare one for me?"

With 4 pups

Pups number 5 and 6 arrived together, both bitches, 13.50 and 13.51.

Number 7, a bitch again, was born 14.40.

Rio reckons this is getting to be very hard work indeed. Pup number 8 arrived 14.45, a dog.

The eighth pup

8 puppies

The ninth and final pup was born 15.12 and that was a bitch.

Grand total: 6 bitches and 3 dogs.

Rio and the pups got clean bedding.

"It's hard to keep track of all this lot!"

"That's better. All in a neat row."

All the pups 1 day old

Suckling

I always think Malinois pups look like moles at this age, when they are still so dark!

Rio and pups one day old

3 days old, in a catbed whilst the box is being cleaned

3 days old

5 days old and growing bigger

6 days old in the cat bed

Note the bitch at front has a ridge on her nose just like her uncle Fionn in Ireland (Goldmali By Your Side)

It won't stop her being shown

Comfortable puppy

A blurry face 6 days old

6 days old

 

 

 

NEXT: One week old