Before I post about the GIGANTOR puppies, I have to take a moment to write a quick memorial to "Sydney" Ch. Aegis Going For Gold, JC, HIC.

The year was 2000. On April 18th, I gave birth to my first child. Just weeks later, with baby and poodles in tow, we (Rob and I) drove Kinley to Sacramento, CA. for a meet up with "Deion" Ch. Kimani's Walk On The Wildside. The resulting pregnancy and birth of puppies was a fantastic experience and the 10 years since have been the most memorable. This entire litter far exceeded our expectations in everyway, leading Kinley to an easy R.O.M., but most noteworthy.....TEMPERAMENTS! Wow, you take good and you make GREAT! This litter was Sydney, Aspen, Arete, Annie, Kaz, Aziwah and (of course) Leroy! Tell me you EVER, EVER, EVEN ONCE met one of these greats and weren't immediately enamored with the pure joy for life, kids, food, and love and I will tell you straight up.......You are an effing idiot!

Sydney burrowed her way into the hearts and bed of Jillyn and Don in Portland and stayed there, physically, until yesterday. She was taken by a disease I hate only second to Alzheimer's......Degenerative Myleopathy. A degeneration of the nerve sheath that causes paralysis in the hind end. It hits a beautiful, healthy, powerful, athletic dog like a train and drags it down the tracks. Sydney fought it every step of the way. Joining her brother, Leroy, in the field of dreams, we hated to see them go, but with Dignity, they rest.

Luckily, there is now a genetic marker test for this aweful disease and hopefully it can easily be erradicated from Ridgebacks. Unfortunately for my father, his mother and perhaps, me......Alzheimer's is still winning.

Suck it up............read on.

Mr. Light Green hit 3 pounds last night. Amazing. Geddie is eating 10 cups of PUPPY food a day. She craps 100 times a day and farts 3000 times an hour........but damn, the milk must be rich because these puppies are growing like wildfire!

Speaking of temperaments.........Geddie was stellar for her visitors yesterday. Greeting them at the door, showing them her prizes, yet keeping a watchful eye. A true testament to the Aegis pack. Zero held the couch down, basking in the sun (which is far more important than visitors), London had to be put outside....see, she forgot to read the "aloof with strangers" part of the RR standard and can get annoying like a Retriever. Silly Ridgebacks.

Last night's weigh in proved ALL puppies over 2 pounds now. It is becoming difficult to pick them up with one hand (woman's hand). I hate to say it, but I can't wait for them to get bigger! I love interacting with the puppies and watching their skills develope. Right now they just lay around sleeping with their tongues hanging out or eating. It's cute, just not exciting.

If I can find my computer attachment today, I will take individual pictures and post them.

Lastly, we have a few rescues available in Utah. 2 older females with great temperaments and ridges and one ridgeless female 3 years old that needs a firm owner and a stable pack to learn doggie etiquette. Let me know if you'd like me to refer you to the people with their info. Check our Rescues page for more info and pictures.

If human babies are born without original sin, what about puppies? Ridgeback puppies?

NOT!

Bold statement? mmmmhmmmm. Read on.

On Saturday afternoon, my son asks if he can hold Mr. Purple. I allow him to, if he sits on the dog bed with his legs crossed. Geddie joins he and the puppy on the dog bed. She knows I am busy and wants to keep a watchful eye. Well, yes, I am busy and forget about the child, dog and puppy. A bit later, I go to check on the situation. I find, only, Geddie and puppy on the dog bed, the rest of the brood is asleep in the whelping box. Mr. Purple has HIT THE MOTHERLODE! What I see can only be described as Gluttony. A 9 day old puppy that has had MORE than his fill at the milk bar and resembles a Blood Engorged Tick about to fall off its host.

Doesn't nature tell the puppy to stop drinking when full?

Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, I ask you this, "Have you EVER encountered a Rhodesian Ridgeback that stops eating when they are full?" I say that is about as rare as the sightings of the Loc Ness Monster.

Mr. Purple stands accused of the act of Gluttony and is found GUILTY by the scale.
On Friday he weighed in an average 1 lb. 14 oz. Saturday.......2 POUNDS 6 OUNCES!!!
I think I just heard him quote Montey Python "Somebody get me a Bucket!

On Sunday, he had stayed the same weight. The rest are catching up. All but two puppies have exceeded the 2 pound mark. Everyone showed a glimmer of eyeball and Miss Lavender's opened completely, overnight.

They seem to be able to regulate their own body temperatures much better now and no longer scramble to spend all day under the heat lamp.

I am off to stuff as much food in my face as possible before my next class...........oh, I wonder where that comes from?

While the puppies continue to only sleep, eat, sleep, poop, eat, pee, sleep..... they also get cuter by the minute! They are round little rollie pollies. Yesterday met two puppies reaching or passing the 2 pound mark. Mr. Light Green at 2.1 lbs. and Miss Lavender at 2.0 lbs. Both weighed in at 14 oz. at birth a week ago........wow.

Here is Mr. Purple enjoying a snuggle in my neice Lily's crisscross applesauce lap.

And my "not puppy related" report from Kansas.........MERRITT TAKES RESERVE TO THE MAJOR................ for only the 901st time..........grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
London came into heat 3 months early. Not sure what that's all about, but Zero is excited. This means that Merritt will soon be in heat at well and she will get to have a try at motherhood. She will be 4 years old next month.

Happy Saturday!

Well, I am feeling a bit more like a human than an Ogre today. I am sure my students are appreciative. I have chewed a few heads off at school this week.

The puppies can go a few extra hours without eating now (about 3), so I don't feel as bad leaving Geddie crated until I have a break to run home. Luckily, I only teach 6 miles from my house. I will head there in a minute to let puppies nurse, feed Geddie (again), and then play puppy doctor. I put diaper rash ointment on their little behinds and Otomax on their dew claw sites. My vet had me use that, instead of Neosporin, because Otomax has an anti-inflamatory agent in it. The puppies don't care either way.

I have been worried about their ability to stay warm, but not too warm, while I am away. My friend Betty lent me a heat disk. You heat it up in the microwave for about 4-5 minutes and it stays warm for many hours. It comes with fluffy cover, but I put it inside a pillowcase too. The puppies then get heat from below and above! Pretty cool.

Off to play Puppy Nanny.

I will take picture later..........most of the puppies will be at 2 pounds today........that means they GAINED A POUND IN A WEEK!!!! Talk about chubby.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Poor Geddie just can't seem to get the puppies clean enough! Sadly, they are suffering for it. She obsesses over them so compulsively that they now have RAW behinds and I have to treat where their dew claws were removed with Neosporin. Also, I had to take her away from the puppies when I am not there to stop the licking. My sanity is wavering. While I did get a bit more sleep last night, I finally put Geddie in her crate to stop hearing the licking and to let the puppies rest. She bugs them the whole time they are nursing and this lively bunch complains about it the whole time.

The last time I had such a noisy bunch of puppies was my litter 6 years ago out of Mokey x Annie and they are talkers to this day! Bing's dam is Annie's sister and Geddie's dam is Mokey's 3/4 sister. OH NO!!!!

So, here is my disclaimer. Your Bing x Geddie puppy will be a smart mouth! They will talk back when reprimanded and talk jibber jabber when happy.

I took some funny video Monday night, but am not sure I can upload it to the blog. Check my facebook later tonight.

Really? Really?
Went to bed Friday night and all was well. Woke up Saturday morning in HELL! I rode the storm for many hours until finally I pulled my head out of the sand and said "Enough!" Something was wrong with Steady Geddie. She was agitated, uncomfortable, panting too much and really annoyed by the puppies and wanting to mouth them. So, I sent my vet. a text "My bitch is having a meltdown. It is either cramping or Eclampsia. Her temp. is 102" he responded (I have the BEST vet. by the way) "Is she trembling?" and I responded "No, just acts like her RR head is going to explode and she wants to pick up sleeping puppies." Of course the clinic was closed on a Saturday afternoon, so one of his fabulous techs. went to the clinic, picked up 3 cc's of Calcium Glutamate and met me at her house! AMEN and Hallelujiah!
Oh, but it gets better.............
My minivan starts to overheat on the way home, so I pull into the Maverick Store and proceed to LOCK MY KEYS IN MY VAN! Yes, Geddie was inside and it was 40 degrees outside.(so glad I left the puppies home in the warmth) Had to call a locksmith, blah, blah, blah. Limp the minivan until is dies completely, get a ride home, blah, blah, blah.
The evening ends well with Geddie resting and puppies nursing.
4 A.M. MELTDOWN!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOO, PLEASE, NOOOOOO!
Needless to say, Easter Sunday sucked.

Today, Monday, is better. Geddie calmed down, took puppies in for dew claw removal. Geddie's blood calcium levels are normal and the vet. removed, 32 toes.....That's 9 sets of fronts and 7 sets of rears..........wait THEY MISSED SOME! Poor Mr. Yellow has to go back for his rears off. Later Gater, gotta take my minivan in to the shop first.

Next time you want to be a breeder.......hahahahaha

Erin
p.s. the puppies are great! Fat and Sassy! Their mother and their breeder may have lost their minds........but the milk is good ; )

So, the excitement started at 4:17 April 1, 2010! April Fool's Day! No foolin'!
8 puppies pumped out by 9:35 A.M. Then we sat there, and sat there, then called the vet and planned to head out at 1:30. Betty came over to save me from my stink (nothing like placenta under the finger nails to start the day) and WAALAAA, puppy #9 at 1:38. She always saves me!
(A quick story about Betty saving me. 6 years ago, Kinley was whelping puppies and I had to go to work, so Betty came over. I was beside myself because she had popped out 4 ridgeless in A ROW!!! I told Betty she was not allowed to deliver anymore ridgeless while I was gone. Well, 5 more PERFECTLY RIDGED puppies came ; ) Betty to the Rescue!!! Woohoo!)
So, we both feel confident that there is a 10th puppy inside and it is 4:20, so we head to the vet before they close. Ultrasound shows a ton of fluid and the placentas she hadn't passed yet, but no more puppies. So, a shot of calcium and oxytocin and home we go. Thank doG there wasn't another puppy in there because she never had another contraction. She passed the placentas and slept the night away.
We have some gassy belly's, otherwise their weights are holding and anything soft and fleshy gets nursed on (that includes momma's private area!). The ridges are slowly morphing into fluff (the coat stands out for the next few weeks hiding the ridge a bit), so we will re-evaluate later. For now, Geddie is protective and attentive and I am tired and bitchy. London wants to come lay on the bed and Tailor has diarrhea. Mandy, the Mastiff, just wants a little love. The kids are trying to master hand stands and pissing me off.

Life is good ; )

So, I probably missed the drop in temp.
Did you know a dog's temperature can drop 3 or more degrees? Cool, huh? When this happens, labor is eminent within 12 to 24 hours. Geddie's was 98.9 at 1:00 today. Since I rushed out without taking it this morning, I don't know if that was on the way down or on the way up. Either way doesn't matter, Geddie is getting ready. She is not yet in Stage 1 Labor (unless her's does not include panting). She is only interested in staying in her whelping box and resting. Have you seen your dog get "THAT" look? 3rd eyelid showing, sighs and moans? This would be Geddie. But, the jingle of food hitting the bowl? She could do a triathlon in the Olympics ; ) Every book you can read says that your bitch will go off her food. PULLEEEZ! They haven't owned a Ridgeback! I haven't EVER had a Ridgeback bitch go off of her food for puppies. In fact, they are happy to eat inbetween each whelp! This is good, though, because you can get them to keep eating calcium rich foods to keep labor progressing. I bought a big container of cottage cheese today (my personal favorite).

I am sure tomorrow's update will include how many and what kind, so keep watch....but not too early. I am predicting a 2 A.M. start time with a Noon finish. Wanna put some money on it? All I care is that she waits until AFTER American Idol ; )

Wanna know my Labor cheer? (Old Cheerleaders never die)
"Push 'em back, Push 'em back, Waaaaay back!"

We are close, oh so close. Geddie was restless last night with a bit of nesting (first for her). I remember the last weeks of pregnancy.....Huge, uncomfortable, grumpy and THE SNORING! Lucky for me, Geddie has skipped the snoring ; ) She is having a hard time getting comfortable and really she just wants to eat and know where I am every second. This IS the sweetest dog ever and I suspect she will be a kind, gentle momma dog with lots of patience.

Friday's X-ray revealed, easily seen, 8 puppies, with a shadow of a possible 9th. Geddie is very short coupled so the puppies are all jammed in a smaller area than you would expect for a female her size. She is 27+ inches and was 81 pounds pre-puppy. She weighed 99 pounds last Friday and I am sure she has packed 2 more puppy pounds on since. She is very lean, so this is ALL puppy weight. On Friday she had some Adema in her rear teets, but it is gone now, whew! I can't get her to lay with her feet propped up ; )

I was feeling sorry for Geddie yesterday, until I went for a visit with friend Roxanne (to pick up Lincoln). See, this wonderful person is pregnant......WITH TWINS!!! Identical BOYS! And is scheduled for a c-section on April 13th. Both babies already weigh close to 6 pounds, EACH. She actually looks fantastic, but her small frame is wavering.

Enjoy these, potentially, last pregnant pics of Geddie. My Flip Video batteries died last night. I wanted to video the Aliens jumping around inside her.....so trippy.