What Santa brought my family... aka Puppy Pics!!!

[sumbride]

My family had been so distracted by life events lately they, um, neglected to notice that my niece''s American Bulldog was expecting... The "Christmas Miracle" occurred right after breakfast, and on into the night as Bossy delivered TEN puppies!!! Seven boys and three girls.

 

[sumbride]

They did notice, eventually... about two weeks before Christmas. Bossy was so wide it would have been impossible to not notice by that point! When I arrived home, she was incapable of sitting without groaning and my niece and I spent a lot of time watching the puppy feet (all 40 of them) kick out from their mama. It was fascinating.

Here''s what the puppy feet look like on this side of the belly!

 

[door knob solitaire]

Awhhh the puppiness.

Awhhh the newness.

Awhhh the miracle.

More images please!!

 

[sumbride]

Though this litter wasn''t exactly planned, the daddy is a catahoula hound so though they are a mix, they are the perfect blend for being cowdogs. This litter is already spoken for because the parents are such good dogs! The daddy, Snoopy, howled the entire time Bossy was in labor. It was eerie.

We had to move the puppies to change the bedding and Bossy did not like being away from her babies for a minute! I think she''s counting them here.

 

[Dee*Jay]

O.
M.
G.
!!!

SO CUTE!!!

The HH has been hinting about Oscar and The Weiner (aka, The Demon) needing a brother "Meyer" and you''re not helping my resolve any...

 

[sumbride]

I''m kind of hoping they will keep one though... this little girl with the dot on her head won my heart as soon as she was born! My sister and my neice call her their favorite too. I imagine she''ll stay.

 

[sumbride]

this one is a little blurry but I love the puppy paw on the puppy butt with the puppy tail... ah... puppies!!!

 

[DiamanteBlu]

OMG! How precious!!!

 

[sumbride]

Last one for now... here''s the proud and EXHAUSTED mama, somewhere between puppies 5 and 6. She was not quite sure what was going on, but her instincts were strong and she is an excellent mama!

I''m sad I had to leave the puppies and come home but I''ve begged to get some photo updates so I will hopefully be able to update this thread!

 

[sumbride]

Date: 12/27/2007 5:21:27 PM
Author: Dee*Jay

The HH has been hinting about Oscar and The Weiner (aka, The Demon) needing a brother ''Meyer'' and you''re not helping my resolve any...

Meyer! Love it!! Yeah, you definitely need a third...

 

[Ellen]

Awwww, they are just adorable!!

 

[LadyAmythyst69]

That is some tempting puppies cuteness! And I''ve already got four dogs!!

 

[ang3199]

How adorable! What little lovelies!

 

[bee*]

awww they''re gorgeous!! Such sweet puppies!

 

[ChargerGrrl]

oh what a treat- puppy pics!

here''s to Bossy and her pups

i''d luv to see update pics

 

[Libster]

Sumbride,
I''m just

Sooooooooooooooooo precious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would have had a hard time leaving those little ones, too. Can''t wait to see updates.

 

[sumbride]

Thanks everyone!!! I''ve been away from them for a day and I''m totally going through withdrawal. I kind of want to book another ticket home in a few weeks when they''ll be running around with their eyes open... and I would do it if it didn''t cost $450 to get there!!!

DH was a little worried that I would want one, but these are going to be especially large dogs... Bossy is about 75 pounds of solid muscle... and Snoopy is very tall... so I don''t think one of them would really fit our city rowhouse lifestyle... they will need room to run! alas... must just enjoy the puppy goodness and then let them be the working dogs they are meant to be.

Funny thing, my niece (she''s 16) really wanted to keep the puppies in her room, but after 2 nights, they have been relocated to an extra bathroom. Bossy is happier to have a more enclosed environment that she can guard better, and my niece can get more sleep! These little babies were born with the ability to BARK as well as squeal!!! Who knew that a 3 hour old puppy could say "ruff"? So now the baby gate is up in the bathroom and everyone is happier!

 

[aljdewey]

Juuuuuuuuuuust adorable!

 

[gailrmv]

aaaaawwwwww, so cute! I almost adopted a catahoula once - what a striking breed. I am glad the puppies are happy and healthy!
The former animal shelter volunteer in me feels compelled to say, though, that your niece''s family may want to have Bossy spayed to prevent future unexpected litters especially if there is an intact male around!

 

[Linda W]

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW, there is nothing in the world like brand new puppies

. These are so darn adorable.

I would not want to leave them either. Just want to kiss those little itty bitty heads of theirs.

Linda

 

[sumbride]

Date: 12/27/2007 11:13:59 PM
Author: TanDogMom
aaaaawwwwww, so cute! I almost adopted a catahoula once - what a striking breed. I am glad the puppies are happy and healthy!

The former animal shelter volunteer in me feels compelled to say, though, that your niece''s family may want to have Bossy spayed to prevent future unexpected litters especially if there is an intact male around!

I know! I''ve repeated that to them ad nauseum. They did plan to breed Bossy eventually, but my sister was under an incorrect assumption that Snoopy, who has been hit by a car, stomped by a cow, and shot by a neighbor, wasn''t physically able to breed her since he''s been patched back together so many times. Umm, yeah, like that ever got in the way.....

She did say that Bossy will be spayed as soon as possible now. I''ll believe it when I see it. Considering that these are working dogs and the market is good for them, I wouldn''t be surprised if they went for another litter before they spayed her. It''s hard to get good cow dogs unless you train them from puppies. I''m still going to pressure them though!

Catahoulas are awesome dogs... not for everyone, for sure, but I''ve just always loved them. We had dozens of them at a time when I was a kid (cow dogs) and I''m completely entranced by them. They are so loyal and family oriented, as long as you have several acres for them to run! Snoopy had to move from the ranch to the suburbs now after all his accidents, and it has been a little hard on him. My dad put wire under the edges of his pen so he dug a huge hole in the center of the pen! I think he''s tunneling out. When he is let out to run, he runs at top speed for an hour before passing out, usually in a figure-8 pattern.

 

[gailrmv]

Date: 12/27/2007 11:28:41 PM
Author: sumbride

Date: 12/27/2007 11:13:59 PM
Author: TanDogMom
aaaaawwwwww, so cute! I almost adopted a catahoula once - what a striking breed. I am glad the puppies are happy and healthy!

The former animal shelter volunteer in me feels compelled to say, though, that your niece''s family may want to have Bossy spayed to prevent future unexpected litters especially if there is an intact male around!

I know! I''ve repeated that to them ad nauseum. They did plan to breed Bossy eventually, but my sister was under an incorrect assumption that Snoopy, who has been hit by a car, stomped by a cow, and shot by a neighbor, wasn''t physically able to breed her since he''s been patched back together so many times. Umm, yeah, like that ever got in the way.....

She did say that Bossy will be spayed as soon as possible now. I''ll believe it when I see it. Considering that these are working dogs and the market is good for them, I wouldn''t be surprised if they went for another litter before they spayed her. It''s hard to get good cow dogs unless you train them from puppies. I''m still going to pressure them though!

Catahoulas are awesome dogs... not for everyone, for sure, but I''ve just always loved them. We had dozens of them at a time when I was a kid (cow dogs) and I''m completely entranced by them. They are so loyal and family oriented, as long as you have several acres for them to run! Snoopy had to move from the ranch to the suburbs now after all his accidents, and it has been a little hard on him. My dad put wire under the edges of his pen so he dug a huge hole in the center of the pen! I think he''s tunneling out. When he is let out to run, he runs at top speed for an hour before passing out, usually in a figure-8 pattern.

I''m glad I didn''t offend you re: the spaying! I hope they will consider it.
The Catahoula I almost adopted was SO sweet and beautiful, but I realized I didn''t have the room for her to get the exercise she needed. She went to a very good owner, and I adopted a great "tan dog" (heinz 57) who I love dearly!

 

[Deelight]

Date: 12/27/2007 5:21:27 PM
Author: Dee*Jay
O.

M.

G.

!!!

I think I said that about 10 times looking at those pictures OMG they are soooo cute and tiny and lovable and awww and the mammma puppy is just beautiful What an awesome Christmas surprise

 

[Sha]

Awww.. what a miracle! I love the way they snuggle up against each other when sleeping. So cute!! I love puppies!!

 

[zoebartlett]

They''re sooooooo adorable!!!

 

[sap483]

Awww, they''re adorable. I think I would have had a hard time resisting sneaking one home with me hehe.

 

[sumbride]

Date: 12/28/2007 12:23:27 AM
Author: TanDogMom
I''m glad I didn''t offend you re: the spaying! I hope they will consider it.

Not at all! It''s kind of a mixed bag... as in YAY! Puppies!! Boo to an oops litter! But luckily this cross is a known quantity in the dog world so not quite as much of a mutt as was possible. Catahoula Bulldogs won''t become the new Labradoodles, but they are great working dogs.

My mom says they are growing right in front of her eyes and are very needy and demanding of their mother! I guess that''s what happens when you have TEN babies!!

 

[Dee*Jay]

Date: 12/27/2007 5:27:10 PM
Author: sumbride

Last one for now... here's the proud and EXHAUSTED mama, somewhere between puppies 5 and 6. She was not quite sure what was going on, but her instincts were strong and she is an excellent mama!

When I look at her face all I can think is that she's begging for a epi-doggy-dural!!!

 

[flutterby]

what beautiful puppies!!! I want one!!!

 

[sumbride]

Date: 12/28/2007 1:46:51 PM
Author: Dee*Jay

Date: 12/27/2007 5:27:10 PM

Author: sumbride


Last one for now... here''s the proud and EXHAUSTED mama, somewhere between puppies 5 and 6. She was not quite sure what was going on, but her instincts were strong and she is an excellent mama!

When I look at her face all I can think is that she''s begging for a epi-doggy-dural!!!

Ha, I don''t think she would have turned it down. In between each puppy, I had to hold the water bowl up to her so she could drink. My sister fed her scraps from the roast beef we had for Christmas dinner because it took almost 12 hours for her to have all her puppies and she was SO hungry... Dogs in labor usually won''t eat until they are done, but TWELVE hours and roast beef held up to her nose was just too much for her to ignore. She ate happily, but I do think that made number 10 take longer.

My nephew, who has just turned 7, was determined to see a puppy born and I warned him that the whole process was rather gross... what I didn''t realize was that he had no concept of birth beforehand... and he has a little sister. His parents were sort of shocked at the questions he was asking and what he learned from his two aunts, my sister and I. We taught him some basic anatomy and biology and then Bossy taught him the rest. He admitted to me later that yes, it was pretty gross, but it was REALLY COOL too... how it went from a bag of goo to looking like a puppy. Bossy put up with him being just a few feet from her the whole time. She''s really good with kids. I imagine his teacher is going to hear all about it next week! Luckily he''s in a science magnet elementary so it will be a little more welcome. He''s been calling to check on the puppies every few hours.