Over three weeks ago, our German Shorthair Labrador puppies arrived. We were anticipating no more than six pups, but eight puppies made their debut.
 

10 days old...

(For more info on these hybrid retrievers look here. Ours are 50-50 AKC-registered German Shorthair Pointer and AKC-registered Labrador Retriever)

Number seven arrived in the front seat of Joe's pick up, as Lilah was on her way to the vet. Joe turned around, as the vet's office is very close to our home, and number eight was born pretty soon after. (I had lost track of a placenta when I had to help remove pup five who was born feet first and a little stuck.  I didn't see anything extra with pup six, which we believed to be the last puppy. Whether the dam ingests the placentas or they are discarded, you have to know they have all passed out of the mother, since retaining a placenta can lead to a deadly infection.) You've probably guessed that I am not squeamish at all.  This is good, because Lilah really didn't pick up on the get-the-puppy-out-of-the-sac-and-clean-the-puppy part until pup six, so that was my job. Joe helped with cutting and tying off the umbilical cords, as that part required more hands than I have.  (he's not squeamish either.) However, my kids are squeamish, which made the whole puppy delivery process so much easier, as they stayed well clear after just one glimpse of a sac/cord/placenta. 

We realized very quickly that Lilah isn't maternal, so there have been challenges.  This was intended to be Lilah's only litter of puppies from the start, so this okay.  We love our Lilah Bean.  Luckily, I'm maternal, and determined. 

I slept next to the whelping box the first week, and with the use of the baby monitor I fortuitously still had, moved to the couch in the adjoining room the next week. I've been there since.  Newborn pups need to be kept warm, need to eat every 1.5-3 hours depending on their age, need to be cleaned and cleaned up after.  Newborn pups are rather fragile so for the first 3 weeks handling is limited to feeding, cleaning up after, and toileting. Puppies cannot void on their own at first, and they are born with their eyes and ears closed.  (The insides of their ears look so cool, like closed petals of a flower.)

  Look at that ear! 

We aren't out of the woods yet.  But, so far, we haven't lost any of the eight pups, and their birthweight has tripled.

Having kept them alive for more than the past three weeks, I am finding it utterly impossible for me not to share their complete warthoggy cuteness.   

Sleep deprivation has moved past critical to comical.  For example, I decided to make a pot roast for dinner, first, defrosting the roast in our microwave.  Three hours later, I noticed that I didn't smell anything roasting.  Perhaps the oven is broken?  Maybe I forgot to turn said oven on? No, I never put the roast into the oven.  I never put the roast into a roasting pan. I never even took the pot roast out of the microwave.  Hmmm.

Editiorial note:  While I don't owe anyone an explanation, this litter of puppies was intentionally bred. Lilah will be spayed as soon as appropriate for her health, as we never intended to continue to breed her.  Our previous dogs were spayed and/or neutered and never bred.   

Comments

[chrissy]

For whatever reason, that litter is gorgeous.. A rich chocolate color!... Precious, simply precious!.

[Renee]

They are so adorable! I can only imagine how exhausting it must be, though.

[Christine Kalina]

Oh my goodness! Sweetness! Congratulations to Lilah and all of you! Our yellow lab Mis Maggie extends her congrats as well.

[Barbara]

Beautiful puppies!

[Tina]

That's the best story I've read in a looong time. Adorable pups and funniest sleep deprivation story I've ever heard! Laughed so hard I had tears. Tanner wanted to cuddle the pups up with him wrapped in a blanket.

[Briana]

Wow, LK! What an amazing experience you are having. I really love how you said that you are maternal, and I love how that translates to the special care of any tiny being, even puppies. Of course puppies are adorable, but as you said, there's so much work to be done for them, especially if Lilah isn't helping as much as she could. Thank you for doing what you do and being who you are. Hope all goes well and all eight pups grow to be healthy and strong.

[john]

There's nothing as cute as a newborn puppy...congratulations to Lilah and the whole Ludwig family

[Debbie L]

Your pups are precious! You ARE one determined mommy cause that has to be a ton of work! Hope they are growing up with big fat bellies (cause big puppy bellies are so cute!) My best to you and yours.

[lk ludwig]

I miss you!!  How are things?!!!  

xoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxocxoxoxoxo