We went through some exciting and exhausting days… Since Monday Opra showed signs of strong false labor, and fooled us and apparently herself as well, that delivery could start any moment.But nothing happened until December 1st some time in the afternoon, when she entered the whelping box, circling, scrabbling and sometimes rolling. We almost had to force her to leave the box for some relaxing short walkies in the garden.
But the first phase took longer than it ever did with any other of our litters. Later that evening bearing down pains started, and all of a sudden she came down with a pup (female, black & white, 464 g). Less than an hour later another gitl was born (red & white, 498 g). Actually, red & white was what we had hoped for.
Then, she took a break. The pups were big bundles of joy, and Opra is a tough, yet small female.
She suffered labor until before 3 am, when she came fown with another b/w female (480 g) and her firstborn son (490 g), a red & white.
Kira (JCh Zausel’s Red Rose), our foundation bitch, was the one to bring forth such fatties. I just hope Opra did not compete against her. Yet it took Opra until early morning, until her second son (black & white, 505 g) was born.
Even though she was exhausted by labor and sleep deprivation, she dedicated herself to caretaking, leaving the whelping box only being forced – by us! by nature! – and only for a couple of minutes…
Pups are suckling nicely, they are active and – yes! demanding. Opra is always hungry and thirsty (particularly for malt beer).
The H’babies are rocking the place!
A huge thankyou goes to our friends Simone Ebardt-Heidt and Anja Becker for their help through the night!
