Funny how so much has changed over the past several weeks. For me, this quarantine bs has not altered a lot of my work and going to and fro. Anyone that knows me, knows I prefer being home and my life and work fit quite scrumptiously within the bounds of hermitage. What has changed in my realm is the number of bodies in my home, daily. All day. It’s amazing how a few people around the house every day, in odd hours, can throw an entire day off! Even when anticipating change, those changes can slop the scales until you’re teetering on the edge. …but, that is why God made dogs. Right? To take that edge off?

Yes, I am talking about bodies of the two-legged variety. We’re still waiting for the multiplication of the four-legged kind 😉 So, yeah. Lots of change for everyone. The change in my dog, on the other hand, has not been so quick or exhilarating!

So long, little signs

The anticipation of dog pregnancy has had me bonkers in the midst of already crazy circumstances. It’s been so long since the last time I was involved in any sort of breeding program with dogs that I keep finding myself at a loss. My “logical” mind tells me that since their gestation periods are so much shorter than us two-leggers (between 58 and 63 days), then signs ought to be visible a lot sooner. Makes sense, right? I found myself checking and double-checking, often triple-checking, videos and other sources to size up my bitch with similar pregnant dogs week after week. Many times, day after day.

Lots of the information I found, Hanani matched spot on. Yet, with all the discourse in my home with this invasion of people daily under the national lock down, I found myself second (and yes, triple) guessing each and every sign she showed. Ug! I was driving myself nuts! For instance, early on I read that after a couple weeks the bitch’s gums will periodically look lighter (or whiter) than normal. This is due to the change in blood flow to the developing embryos and, later, fetuses. Seems simple, right? Well, I was looking at her gums several times a day. Then we have the fact that their teats will be more pronounced and gradually (catch that? *gradually) enlarge in preparation for feeding the pups once they arrive.

…gosh. I cannot count the number of times I have checked my dog’s nipples. What’s more is, having folks around all day you can imagine their pain while I riddle them with endless questions as to whether or not they see any change! <smh> And constantly feeling Hanani’s belly…which, thankfully, she loves. Gosh. I have been pathetic!

Give her a blood test, you say? What would be the fun in that? !!! Sometimes anticipation and wonder keeps a soul in check–particularly when we are in wonder of God’s awesome creation 🙂

Today, Day 41

Tomorrow will be May 6th (2020) and marks the end of week 6 of Hanani’s pregnancy. I found this really cool chart that helped calm my mind on this topic. At Woofdog.com you can find a nifty timeline that concisely spells out what is going on inside your dog as those babies grow. For example, here at week 6 marks the end of Stage 2 and the chart simply states, “…here is where it all starts to speed up.” It also provides details as to the actual growth of the fetuses, such as the fact that the skeleton starts to become solid and weight increases.

Now that tells me what I needed to know! There are so many charts, videos, photo arrays (which are usually just stock photos) and other media that claim to educate (or, as in my case, re-educate) folks on dog gestation. Most of them I found useless. This one at Woof Dog is fabulous, though. Check it out:

Now, for you more visual folks…

If you’re like me, you need an equal amount of visual to go with that fabulous dose of those concise illustrations. Obviously, my bitch is a large dog, but I hope this gives novelists an idea enough to calm the quirks so as to make the wait more enjoyable. Here are a couple photos taken just last week (week 5/day 35) of Hanani’s pregnancy. You’ll see what I mean by how the anticipation has driven me nuts, because there does not seem to be any substantial change. I mean, c’mon! 5 weeks!! Take a looksie…

Seriously! Five whole weeks of anticipation and this is the best shot I can get that gives any idea of littles growing within! …of course, my brain goes, “Or am I just feeding her too much?”

See what I mean? Here she is sitting and there does not appear to be much change.

Now, thankfully, I still have my faculties enough to recall that my girl here was fit. She was tucked and tight. So, any slack in the skin tells me her body is making necessary changes to prepare to feed puppies.

Sure, it’s a tiny change, but I’ll take it!

We have also had the famed “morning sickness”, clingy, even whiny at times. In fact, more of the signs have been behavioral with this gal–and that is exactly what I was hoping for 😉

 

 

 

Not an expert

I have mentioned repeatedly that I am no expert, but I have a fairly intelligent mind and sound logical base. I hope to be an example that anyone can learn to sift through loads of information, filter out the propaganda and poison, and come to an educated understanding of things. Anything, really. But we’re talking about dogs, and more specifically pregnancy, here. I’m sure you all recall the behavior issues I wrote about ad-nausium last year (“fear-aggression”, etc). One of the several reasons I decided to breed Hanani was to test a theory.

*Disclaimer*: Any who feel the need to bash or otherwise “school” me in how wrong they think I am to do this, piss off.

I hope to be an example that anyone can, by God’s grace, learn to sift through “information” and find the necessary tools to become confident in that about which they are passionate. 

Now then… There are lots of studies I found relating to the chemical and hormonal changes that pregnancy, whelping and rearing pups brings about. I can say, at this point, my theory is working. Hanani is much more calm and amiable–even in situations that obviously stress her. Sure, part of that is due to the endless training and the fact that she is now 3 years old. But the actual changes I am experiencing with her did not fully evolve until these past six weeks since we bred her.

Stay tuned!

You have my word, folks! I will definitely be more diligent in keeping you all updated on Hanani’s pregnancy. Since everyone is finally getting back to work (and out of my house!!) my days should return to at least fairly normal enough to be more consistent in posting here. I’ll definitely throw in some more tips, tricks and topics of interest beyond pregnancy as well, but mark your calendars:

DUE DATE IS BETWEEN

MAY 25TH – 27TH!!