Helpless

10 days old and pups are still with eyes closed and not responding to sound. Alec can watch Keraang on the TV without any problem (except for truffles disdain)

Paws and noses have turned black

The Weigh In

A week old today and so we have a weigh in

Week 1
ROCKY 770g
ROLO 746g
FLOPSY 650g
FLECK 658g
MOLLIE 708g
POGLE 692g
WOMBLE 714g

Whelping Box

We had an old box that had been used for Sable and Domino's Puppies (Black Labradors) but for some reason it was too small for Truffle.

After two nights of living on a rug it was clear that something was needed.

The puppies left on their own will just squirm off in the direction they are pointing so they can end up anywhere

A few minutes research on the web throws up some cardboard whelping boxes at £50 but also some designs for DIY.

A piece of piping for the "pig bar" so puppies don't get squashed in the corners. Some old shelves made the sides and a plastic sheet provides the floor. Truffle is very happy with this!

Naming them

The vet who delivered the pups said that she had never seen a litter of this size all the girls.
What are we going to call the puppies ?
For their Kennel names a classical answer was offered and Google quickly gave the details
The Seven Sisters - the seven stars
Pleiades
Halcyon - `queen who wards off evil '
Asterope - `lightning', `twinkling', `sun-face',
Celæno - `swarthy'
Electra `amber', `shining', `bright'
Maia - `grandmother', `mother'
Merope - `eloquent',
Taygeta - `long-necked'

How do we know which one is which? Amelia's collection of garish nail varnish provided the answer- painting the tips of their tails

As for their actual names we were not short of suggestions. Naming of the puppies has been a constant topic of conversation in the house for the last two years.
ROCKY - with Light blue
ROLO- with Dark Blue (the two largest who Rock and Roll around)
FLOPSY - with Glitter Red (the smallest)
FLECK - with Light Pink
MOLLIE - with Dark Pink
POGLE - with Silver
WOMBLE Plain

New Arrivals

1AM call from the vet: "Congratulations - 7 healthy girls"

2AM drive up to the vets to pick up mother and pups

This is more expensive than having human babies

8AM call from credit card company - "we had a suspicious transaction at 2am this morning. Did you make a transaction at this time"

Its amazing right from the conception the Truffle just knows what to do.
No mother visiting to provide advice

The waiting is over

Well after a few weeks confinement (no walkies) and feeling a bit tired the puppies started to arrive at 4pm on Friday

No further changes at 7pm when the local Vets surgery closed for the weekend so at 8pm we went off to the 24 Hour vet in Farnham.

A jab to induce had no further luck so we left Truffle to go for a C-section and went to get a chinese takeaway