D - Day?

Well it's time to restart the blog - I think we're within 24 hours of puppies.  Cali is feeling rather "broody" today.  She is very laid back and is doing her nesting thing this morning.  Her temperature has been down: 98.8, 99.1 and 98.9 the last three times we've taken it.  A normal temperature for a dog is about 101 and a sustained drop in temperature is a pretty good indicator puppies will make an appearance in about 24 hours. 

So today, I am home from work to keep an eye on things.  Cali has quite taken over Ava's crate (who has been in the front of the house because she's been in season and we've had to keep her away from Brighton who thinks all the girls in the house are part of his harem!)  I think she likes it because it's covered and makes it seem like her den.  She can enjoy it all she likes for now but once puppies come she'll be moved to the wading pool for the delivery.  We do have a nice whelping box Alan built but it's much easier to have her deliver the puppies in the pool.  It's plastic and easy to clean, low sides so easy to get to her and puppies and it's mobile.  I've been known to rotate it as needed to get the angle on things that a situation may require. 

The Maternity Ward (AKA as our dining room/kitchen area) is prepared.  The pool has been scrubbed clean and lined with newspapers and we have more newspapers ready to go as needed.  We have lots of clean towels ready to "catch" puppies and get them dry quickly.  We have a heat lamp ready to go in case things feel cool in the house (puppies can't sustain their own body heat for the first 10 of their lives on their own.  Normally, mom and siblings keep each other warm but since it's January, we'll supplement with a heat lamp as needed).  And of course lots of colored rickrack so I can "color code" the babies.  Since Dalmatians are born pure white (except for a patched puppy) we use the rickrack so we know who's who until their spots develop and we can more easily tell them apart.  I don't want to have to guess who is who; we weigh them daily so I want to know who is gaining weight and who may not be.  The rickrack allows us to know exactly which puppy is which and how they're progressing in their development. 

Now we just wait.  The rest of this is all up to Cali and the kids.  There probably won't be any more blog updates until after everyone is here but we'll be back then with news and photos of the new family.