Bernedoodle puppies are here! I admit I was quite nervous preparing for Coco's first litter. Would something go wrong? Would Coco be up to the task? I watched so many dog birth videos, and I'm glad I did because they really prepared me.
Coco started panting heavily around 4 pm on March 31st. Her temperature had dropped for the second time, and I thought, "Here we go." She panted heavily throughout the night. I tried to keep her in her whelping box. My son offered to stay up all night to watch her, while I tried to catch some sleep on the couch. That didn't work out, as Coco kept getting out of her crate to nuzzle her butt in my face.
Around 5 am, I noticed that she might be having contractions. When she pushed the first puppy out, she yelped loudly, and I had to chase after her because the puppy's tail was still inside. Once the puppy was completely out, Coco ran and hid on the couch. She kept running away from her baby! I was stressed, thinking she was rejecting the puppy. We managed to calm her down and brought the puppy to her abdomen. She began to relax, and we were able to get them both back to the whelping box.
She birthed all 6 pups within 3 and a half hours. It was pretty complication-free, although I was worried about the last pup. It was smaller and motionless at birth. After I wiped its face and suctioned its mouth, it sprang to life.
All the puppies are thriving now. Coco has been reluctant to leave the whelping box, so I've had to put her leash on to take her outside for potty breaks and showers to clean her up. I also make sure to hold her food and water close to her in the crate so she eats. She's developed a preference for fresh dog food now. Go figure.
Here's the crew!
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