10 Puppies!

The last week has been eventful!  It started with our pregnant black lab, Zoe not eating.  Labradors typically eat as if their last meal had been days ago not simply hours ago.  Labradors eat everything and anything, that they are allowed to gobble up.  Zoe was huge (large, giant) and resembling a pot-bellied pig more than a lab, so I was worried about this big Mama not eating, especially with a whole week left to go until her due date.  Zoe would gobble up scrabbled eggs.  She was quite partial to farm fresh, free range eggs, lightly scrambled, so I obliged…all week.

The first pup came after a restless night at 5:30 am, born on our bathroom floor.  Born exactly on her due date a little girl, black with a white blaze.  We quickly moved mom and baby into the whelping area, relieved and nervous that things were finally underway.

2, 3, 4, 5 came quickly…and then there were 7, 5 black 2 yellow, all wiggly, wet and ready to eat.  Mama Zoe then took a long break, which really, can you blame her?  I spent the rest of the day, counting little pups, and hand feeding anything Zoe would eat, fresh turkey, sliced ham and left over steak (that My Loving Spouse thought would be his dinner when he got home).  Every time I checked, they looked the same, a lot of puppies on the teets.  It took a second look to often spot another new-born pup.

8 another yellow!

9 another yellow!

After a long day, I was sure she was done.  Zoe hoped she was done.  Number Two Son came home and counted…10.  10!  We counted again, black legs, black pups, tired humans…it took a few tries, and sure enough…10.Zoe is still being a picky eater.  We are catering to her.  Under the circumstance, this is fair as she is eating for 11.  Canned dog food (stinky) mixed with high protein puppy food is her current fare.  The pups…all getting rounder by the day, each one cuter than the next.7 girls, 3 boys…

Puppy love!