Greta’s Puppies #2 – Page 9 – The Dackel Princess

Hello Big Belly!

I was talking to my cousin Janet on Thursday while I was photographing Greta and her enormous belly.

Janet suggested I put a tape measure around her waist, so I did. My only problem was that I couldn’t get it to stay put. Oh well, at least this gives you an idea of how her belly is popping out each day.

I took her outside in the afternoon and threw her ball around the back yard. She had so much fun running after it, and since I left the other dogs inside she had no competition for the ball.

I try to walk her around as much as I can, and then I let her rest. She also gets very tired now and needs more sleep than usual.

Tonight Mandy and M. are coming up for dinner. I’m planning a nice barbecued chicken and potato salad. It’ll be great to see them and to show them how big Greta is. After all it’s 18 days and counting until Greta’s puppies arrive! Wow!

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

Getting Bigger By The Second!

I get up every morning and after I rub the sleep from my eyes and drink my first cup of coffee, I look at Greta and my jaw drops! My goodness, she gets bigger by the second!

Of course, between now and her due date of September 1st she will be gaining weight each and every day. Considering a dogs gestational cycle is only about 62 days they do gain quickly, especially in the last few weeks.

You will notice that Greta is smiling. Coincidentally, the puppies were kicking her at that moment. I think she enjoys the feeling of her babies inside of her. It seemed to bother Anneliese, but Greta truly embraces being pregnant.

As you can see she is most happy on her back. I love that because then I can really see the changes she is going through. Anneliese lay on her tummy the entire time, thus making it difficult for me to gauge the changes.

We have one and a half weeks until the x-ray to determine how many little babies are in there. I can hardly wait for that. Leave your guesses and we will see who gets the closest. You can also leave your guess about what day she will deliver. Her due date is September 1st, but she could go early or late. Want to guess?

Also start thinking about German C names. This is my C-litter so I need some proper German names starting with the letter C.

Have a great day everyone!

Puppies, Kickers and Eyes

Monday was the first day I really could feel the puppies inside of Greta moving. There is one pup on the left side who is just kicking the heck out of her! A few days ago I could feel butterfly wings when I touched her. Today I felt a football kicker!

It’s the most amazing thing ever. I am so excited, but with Greta there is also a little bit of nervousness. You see, her last litter she had to have a cesarean birth and although it all went well, it also scared me. I love Greta more than anything, and I worry.

We will be having x-rays done on the 21st of August to be sure that all is well with her, that there are many puppies and not just one big one, and that she can deliver them naturally. Perhaps I will relax a little bit more after that.

Greta is so big and getting bigger by the moment! I almost look forward to waking up with her in the morning just so I can check out her expanding belly!

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Meanwhile, I will be going tomorrow to be fit for glasses. Since my second cataract surgery I have not had to wear glasses. This was so wonderful for me after a lifetime of glasses and/or contact lenses. However, with the advancing problem of scar tissue on my left eye, the doctor feels that I should get glasses to assist my right eye. You see, the left one has been losing vision and the right one is doing all the work. By using glasses I will ease the burden on the right eye.

I freely admit that I am just vain enough to not want to wear glasses. But I am “pulling up my boot straps”, (now there’s an idiom for you) and going in tomorrow for the exam and the fitting. I will post once I actually have the glasses in about a week or so.

It is Hot, Humid & Hazy here today. I have had the air conditioners on all day and Greta is most comfortable inside stretched out on the floor or my chair. It will be like this most of the week.

Make Your Own Kind of Music

Many years ago I tried to figure out what I really wanted to do with my life. I knew I wanted to get married, to have children, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do for a career.

Then in 1996 I met my first wire-haired dachshund, Shubi, and i knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to breed these wonderful creatures and share the love.

I learned to make my own music.

I started breeding 3 years ago and I have found that this is the music in my life. The thing that makes my soul sing! Seeing the birth of these babies, watching them grow, fills me with such joy, you wouldn’t believe it!

I had the pups to the Vet again today. Greta needed her IV out and the pups all got their lungs listened to. Everyone is in good shape. How great is that!