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Current Litter

The three puppies in the current 2010 litter of AKC registered, pedigreed, standard poodles have all been sold.  The next litter is planned for this winter.

For the current 2010 litter, I have bred our wonderful dam, Greta, a.k.a. Can Champion Cadbury's "The Garbo Mystique", with Tees Me Vindicator also known as "Vinnie".

The puppies arrived on June 26, 2010. We'll be updating this tab frequently with details on the individual puppies as they grow. Also, don't forget to check the news pages and individual puppy pages for current updates and photos!

This pregnancy was a very different one for our family of humans and dogs.  Greta had been live bred  a year and a half and the pregnancy didn't take.  She was bred 6 months later using frozen semen with a surgical insemination and that breeding didn't take either.  As a precaution I'd also bred her mother one last time using the same dog to be assured we'd have puppies for those waiting.  Minute and Garnett had a beautiful litter of puppies in 2009 (see 2009 litter for photos) and I set out determined to get Greta bred successfully this year..

After breeding Greta and her not getting pregnant last year, our favorite and long time breeding vet Dr. Chris Holenstein suggested we see a Theriogenologist- a vet who specializes in reproduction.  Dr. Ray Calkins, who I use for all my Penn Hip and OFA testing, has Dr. Cheryl Lopate right in his practice who is just such a specialist.  She is one of only a handful in the northwest and the only one currently in practice that works with canines.

I began taking Greta in after her last missed pregnancy and before her next cycle to get tests done to determine if there was anything preventing her from getting pregnant.  Dr. Lopate ran tests, took sample, including uterine fluid and biopsy and determined that Greta should be able to get pregnant and that it might have simply been not precise enough timing on her breedings, or possibly an incompatibility issue of egg and semen.  She suggested that we do very precise progesterone testing on Greta when she came into season to be certain she ovulated and then to breed her live on days 1, 3 and 5.  I was to use a different male as well.  I combed the surrounding states and found one brown male that met my criteria for breeding – stellar temperament, beautiful sound form, and healthy who had sired a litter before.

Greta went in for her ultrasound and it appeared she had 5 puppies.  On her repeat ultrasound we found that one of them was not alive and we worried that it might complicate her whelping, as it wouldn't be able to be completely absorbed at this late date.  Additionally and very unfortunately there was a pup with a diaphragmatic hernia and we were unsure if the pup would require any additional help at birth or if it would live through whelping.  We were lucky to find this out in the thorough ultrasound that Dr. Lopate did.  We decided to schedule a C section based on when Greta would normally whelp, using progesterone testing to determine the date.  Dogs, unlike humans, recover very quickly from C-Sections as they don't walk upright, making their stomach muscles much less used.  Vaginal birth after Cesarian is very normal for dogs, as the whole uterus is taken out of the dog while in surgery and the pups removed through a small incision, then the site carefully sewn back up and tucked back in.

Greta always likes to roll over and show off her belly and while pregnant she enjoyed this even more.   People would congratulate her on getting pregnant and rub her tummy telling her what a good mommy she is going to be.  I love watching an animal's instincts kick in and kick hers did as she began preparing a nest in our backyard for her babies.  She didn't care that we have other plans, she was  going to make sure and get things ready.  Soon after her progesterone dropped and we schedule her Cesarian for the next day.

My youngest daughter, Lucinda attended the birth with me, and I'm very happy to have had her share the new knowledge and experience.

Greta's belly was shaved and cleansed in preparation for the surgery.  She was put under and soon after Dr. Lopate and her assistant began.  She made an incision through the skin and under layers and then lifted out the uterus.  We could see the pups inside.  Then carefully she made a small cut and began bringing out the babies.

There were 4 other veterinary assistants on hand.  Each in turn was given a pup and they then set about cleaning out it's mouth, rubbed it down to get it to breath, and then tying off the umbilical cord.  Lucinda and I watched in amazement.   The still baby was half dissolved and looked little like a puppy.  The baby with the hernia we could also see had it's intestines coming out of it's umbilical area and it didn't make it.  As soon as it was not being supported by Greta's body – her heart beat, her placenta - the puppies heart rate dropped and it was euthanizes with an injection.  Dr. Lopate assured us that this was just one of those things... through no fault or anyone's nor cause of any thing.  It was just how it happened and it was unfortunate.  I recalled having miscarried my first baby during the early weeks of the 2nd trimester of my pregnancy.  “Just a blighted ovum” they told us, after examining the non baby.  Simply put “not a good egg and sperm match up.  Try again.”  We did and have two lovely lively daughters, but it was at this point in the Veterinarian's care I was especially glad we decided to do a c-section rather than a home delivery.

After all the babies were delivered they were placed in an incubator where they could wait a bit until Greta came out form under her anesthesia.  They crawled around  good deal.  Lucinda and I were both very surprised at this.  Greta was stitched up good as new and brought to rest in a kennel near by the puppies.  As she woke we all pet her and kissed her and assured her.  We put the puppies to her to nurse and she immediately started licking and cleaning them and nuzzling them.  Everyone was able to latch on and nurse and it was a happy day for all as we were sent home with our instructions.  My husband and older daughter, Osanna, waited for us at home and welcomed us all in that afternoon, so happy for our little litter.

My husband, Dow, helped my youngest bury the baby that didn't make it.  We are looking forward to helping those that did bloom and grow.  We named them after wildflowers.