The Initial Shock

On Monday, August 10, our vet told us that Cobie was pregnant. To say we were surprised is an understatement. We had noticed Cobie going into hear around June 18, but the heat appeared to have stopped, and Snowball wasn't showing any special interest, but Cobie's growing belly brought us to the vet. Our vacation for the end of August became to an abrupt end, as did our scheduled "Coton Bar-B-Q".

The Preparation

We estimated the delivery date as being on or before August 24. Over the next week I found and read everything I could fine on dog whelping. Our friend gave us a whelping box, and my dining room became a kennel. Never having breed animals before (except for hamsters), the anxiety kicked in. Colleen says I wasn't even this nervous when my own kids were born, but then I wasn't hearing about cutting the cord (me), eating the placenta (Cobie), etc.

Cobie was clearly uncomfortable sleeping, and didn't even try to run around the yard with Snowball. We closed off all access to under our beds, and got ready.

The Labor

In everything I had read, the standing joke was that, in all likelihood, the pups would be born in the middle of the night, and probably on a night when I had to get up early the next day. I guess Cobie had heard the joke too.

Colleen had just gone to bed around midnight, and had to be in work at 7 am. I was working on the computer, and was getting ready to turn in. Cobie and Snowball were in their beds in our bedroom. Then it started.

At around 1 am Cobie started to "dig" in her bed and on the rug. She had been doing this "nesting" for a day or so, but now she seemed determined. When she was done, she lay in the bed, and began panting heavily and apparently having contractions. It was now 1:15 and I wasn't going through this alone, so I woke up Colleen. I tried waking my son Matthew, but in typical 13 year old fashion, he said "I'll see the puppies in the morning", and rolled over to go back to sleep.

We picked up Cobie, bed and all, and placed her in the whelping box. Snowball began pacing like the expectant father that he was, and we placed him outside. Of course, when he started to bark we were afraid he'd wake up the neighbors and brought him into Matthew's room.

The Birth

Cobie's rest was short-lived. Contractions started again within minutes, and by 2:34 the second pup was born. There was no yelping in pain by Cobie, but she seemed surprised, and went into high-speed. As soon as the pup was out, she had the cord cut and sack open. She ate the placenta so fast that we never saw it. We were afraid in her haste she would hurt the first puppy, so we tried to move her slightly to keep her from stepping on the first pup.

Now there were two pups nursing, the second being all white. Within minutes however, contractions started again, and the third pup, also all white, was born almost unnoticed at 2:48 am. By now, Cobie had this mother thing down pat, and quickly and gently cleaned up the third pup. We had tried to move the first two pups out of Cobie's way just before the third was born, but she became very nervous and started to cry and whine so we put the pups back.

When we had taken Cobie to the vet a week before, he said the x-rays showed two pups clearly, and a possible third. He also said not to be surprised if a fourth was there but couldn't be seen, so when Cobie went into contractions for a fourth time, we were not surprised.

Although Cobie again yelped in pain before the fourth was delivered, once it popped out at 3:04 am, Cobie again had things well in hand (or mouth as the case may be). In short order, all four pups were clean and nursing ... three all white and one with brown spots. If anyone has watched bugs bunny cartoons and remembers the Martian, with his ears sticking straight out horizontally from his head, that's what the puppies looked like. Slightly oversized hamsters with Martian ears.

As for their sexes, I did look right after they were born, and they all looked like males. However, now in the light of day it would seem that what I saw was just their umbilical cord. After a closer look today it would appear there are two white females, one white male, and one spotted male.

Then something strange happened

But when all the deliveries were over, Snowball came up to the side of the box and poked his nose through. Cobie, who had not moved from the nursing position, stood up, walked to the side of the box, licked Snowball's nose, and then returned to nursing. A guess that was their way of saying "a job well done".