The puppies are wiggeling and staggering in search of mummy. Peeping from hunger. Yatzie enters into the puppy box and they happily start to drink.

Just some lovely puppy pictures from the past days.

Still Yatzie does not want to go for any long walks. She runs back as soon as she is ready with her things and stands by the door waiting for me, peeping into the window - where are my little babies? She checks on them and if they are quiet takes a nice rest on our soft and cosy bed! Or in the puppy box. She is worth it! See how slim she is. Right after birth she was back to her normal 25 kg from 31,5 before birth. Her waist was 83 cm and now it is 70. She still has a few kg for the puppies to eat from. Yatzie was never a very thin dog and it feels good that she has enough for the coming few weeks when the puppies start needing more and more milk. Today I saw a change in her appetite, and she now eats her dry puppy food even without raw meat in it.

Time to start cutting the little claws! They have already grown long and are very sharp. They can hurt the sensitive skin around the bitch's nipples, since the puppies always push around the nipples with their paws to stimulate the milk to flow. Cutting the claws was easier than I had thought (this time - just wait til they are a bit older the pups!) I used a special puppy claw scissor. It was very good. The front paws I did as they were sleeping, the back paws while they were eating! In total 200 little claws were cut. Already one has to be careful not to cut into the pulp of the little claws.

These are the final names chosen för the puppies. The to-be-owners were able to choose from the list of around a hundred that I had from all of you readers! Thanks! But some had their own favourite champagne name and gave it to their new family member.

In this video Yatzie enters into the puppy box when the puppies are still sleeping. They are now 9 days old. She starts to clean them and they slowly wake up. Then they quickly hurry to get to their favourite nipple. Yes, already when they are 5 days old, the puppies have decided on their favourite! But then imagine two puppies having the same favourite!  Well, I sometimes see the stronger puppies pushing another off a nipple. Life in the puppy box is competitive! You can see how the puppies are already starting to push up with their legs.

When things are incredibly busy, you haven't had time to leave the house for a week due to 10 little puppies, but would still like to have some friends over for dinner - then home cook Chef Ed is a perfect solution! He plans the dinner, sends out the invitations, gets the ingredients, decorates and sets the table, cooks, serves (with a helper) a whole lot of plates, AND takes the dishes back home. We have never had such a relaxing get together with friends. I was back and forth in the puppy room but also had time to enjoy! Thanks ED! Need him? Send him a mail at edkookt@ziggo.nl. He serves in the area of Utrecht, Netherlands.

The puppies are getting more and more lively. Today they started to push up on their legs, not only crawling. They do not walk yet but it looks like it is coming soon. Yatzie, the milk bar, stays longer with them, then she rests to recover and produce more milk for them, to return again when she is ready for it. Most of the puppies have doubled their weight now!

From now and then there is total peace in the puppy box. Then you just sit there and look at the marvel. Yatzie is still restless from time to time, but can also relax in between the uncomfortable feelings she seems to have inside her uterus. She is after all doing fine.

We went to vet today and did an ultra sound. Yatzie has an inflammation in the uterus due to some materia left there after the birth. It is not unusual and her inflammation is not severe, but we are taking all necessary precautions to prevent any further negative development. She is on antibiotics as well as a homeopathic medicine. She is despite this most of the time in a good mood. Today she saw a her favourite coot in the canal and wanted to hunt it! But fortunately she was on a leash so I could stop her! Periodically she gets a bit restless, when there are after contractions in the uterus and she starts digging to prepare a new nest. I feel sorry for her then, give her sweet attention and mildly refer her back to the puppy box.

The puppies are always resting in between meals but also a mother needs a good rest! During the first week puppies sleep 90 % of the time and the rest of the time, 10 %, they eat.

"How cosy it is between mamas legs! Hold me tighter!"

Yesterday Yatzie developed a fever. The vet is coming soon. I am afraid it is an inflammation in the uterus. It can rather easily happen after the delivery. She is a bit restless. When the puppies are quiet she leaves the box and walks around digging here and there... Then she lays down to rest outside the box. But as soon as the puppies start making some noise she goes back to them. She is such a sweet mother. Let us hope she will get well quickly!

The last girl is not gaining weight as the others. She is drinking but she seems to have a weak method or is not able to get the plentifull nipples. I try to put her by the big nipples but I also sond feed her 5 times a day. The sterilised sond brings the puppy milk straight into the belly. This is a sure method to know that the puppy will get enough milk and develop well.

Just want to let you know that all the puppies are doing fine, also the last one is now eagerly drinking and slowly gaining weight! It has been very busy - I am serving Yatzie drink and food, Yatzie is serving the puppies 24 hours. She refuses to go out even for a pee, but has to of course. So I drag her out twice a day and she drags me back! Sometimes I see some desparation in her eyes, it is a lot for her. But this morning she kissed my face when she saw me, the way she always used to do. It was a sign to me that she is getting a little more back to herself and getting used to the new task as a mother of 10.

Late at night yet another puppy appeared! So the final result is 6-4 to the girls! The birthgiving took all together 9 ½ hours. The preparation time was also very long, so Yatzie and I stayed awake for 48 hours - from Friday morning until Sunday morning.  All the puppies are doing very well gaining weight already. Only the last girl is still not sucking perfectly. So she screams all the time poor thing. Yatzie gives her much attention, but sometimes it is too much for her and she tells her to shut up by standing up barking at her! But when I take her away to bottle feed her Yatzie is really concerned and tries to take her from my hand back into the rest of the family. Now we will both try to get some rest. Will post pictures of all the puppies soon! Two have white chests and one of those also has white sportsocks! 

Thanks everyone for all the good wishes!

On my birthday Yatzie gave birth to 9 puppies: 5 girls (3 black, 2 brown) and 4 boys (3 black and 1 brown). Yatzie is a wonderful mother, giving the puppies her full attention. She has a lot of milk in her 10 nipples. Well done Yatzie! What an unforgettable birthday!

Last night when Yatzie came up the stairs to sleep, she went to her puppy box and started digging. Then she got up on the bed beside me asking for attention. Bart asked: What is she telling you?  She told me the puppies will come very soon! I have been monitoring her temperature and this morning it went down 1 degree which is a sign that the puppies will probably come within 24 hours. If they are born Saturday it will be the most beautiful birthday present I could ever have imagined! I trimmed Yatzie's big puppy belly this morning - isn't it looking fantastic?

Yatzie is a hot dog. I mean, she gets very warm and can not stand the heat and the sun. Unlike our labrador, who loves to lie in front of the fireplace, Yatzie looks for windows and doors to keep cool. To  make her comfortable during the puppy period, and also for hygenic reasons, I shaved her yesterday. And as you can see the word hot dog has two meanings - she looks like a stuffed hot dog! Now you can clearly see the big belly that was hiding under the fur! She is in a very good mood, more active than ever, running, swimming. Maybe some happy mother-to-be hormones are at work!

Yatzie´s belly is like a balloon these days. But it is difficult to capture it on a photo. I try below but it does not come out so well. One can see the puppies moving now. They are very lively sometimes! We visited a new vet today that will be stand by during the delivery if assistance is needed. Yatzie is perfect in weight, 31 kg, and there is already plenty of milk! She measures 84 cm around her belly. Well done Yatzie! Last night I washed her but she already went for a swim in the not so clean canals of this country... But I like that she wants to swim so I allow her. Will wash her again before the delivery. 6 days to go!

The room for the puppies is ready, with the puppy box in a corner and a lot of space for the puppies to run around - before they invade the rest of the house! I left a desk with storage room in the room for the things needed for the delivery and the care of the puppies. There is also space enough for a matress. I will sleep there the first period. The floor is soft and warm, yet easy to keep clean. I put a thick, soft carpet underneath a rather solid vinyl carpet that reaches up the walls a bit, to prevent any water to ruin the wooden floor beneath. I am very happy with the result. It is light and harmonious but also practical. The puppy box I made from a book shelf we already had. I had a door cut out and screwed it on with hinges on the bottom so that it when it is open makes an exit/entrance ramp for the puppies. I will attach anti-sliding tape on it. I have also prepared a small gate for the main door opening that I will screw onto wooden logs that I attached to the wall. This is for the first few weeks after the puppies leave the puppy box and start moving. For the last period a higher gate will be used. Yatzie is if possible even bigger now... The belly is hard. She is doing very well. So joyfully running outside still. I have to keep her on a leash to prevent her from running after rabbits in her normal speed. Only 7 days left!

Minimum Margot and Yatzie cuddeling in the sofa. Yatzie's belly is getting bigger and bigger and it is easy to feel the tiny kicks in there. I weighed her at the vet again two days ago and she was then 29 kgs as compared to her normal 25. It is a normal weight gain on day 50. Yatzie is very well, alert when outside, sleeping and eating when inside. Today is day 52 - only 11 days to go! The puppy room is ready, just a few details left. Show you pictures soon!

Today I felt the little kicks from the puppies for the first time! WOW! So fantastic to experience. Since I can not take a photo of that I add one of the first I have of Yatzie as a puppy. So good to remember those days four years ago when she came into my life and turned it upside down! We have experienced so much together since that day; we have travelled many countries and made many new friends. Having fun as well as struggeling together, learning what dog training is all about. And we have spent hours and hours just enjoying each others company in love and respect from both sides. Big words maybe, but that is really how I feel with Yatzie. My star, my love, now entering a new phase of her life - the beautiful experience of being a mother!

We can hear the tiny heartbeats! One of the to-be puppy owners, who is a mid wife, lent us a professional foetal doppler with a special gel. It is fantastic how well one can hear the little hearts ticking in Yatzie's belly. Moving the doppler around I heard at least 4 different beats! Yatzies belly is so big - I wonder how many puppies there really are?! Click on the sound track below if you want to hear the heart beats.