Day 1
Winnie has been rejecting her puppies. This sometimes happens with small litters - the usual big rush of oxytocin (the mummy hormone) isn't released, and the maternal instinct doesn't automatically kick in. Add a Caesarian birth to that and you have one sore, grumpy new mum who isn't interested in her pups in the slightest.
We've been spraying replacement oxytocin on Winnie's nose and giving her lots of treats when she feeds the puppies. We can't leave her alone with them so everyone's pitching in!
Day 3
Winnie is now allowing the puppies to feed without being revolted by them. All this 1-2 hourly feeding is bringing her milk down and the little guys have now had their extremely important colostrum needed for their immunity. Being mammals, dogs are very much like humans in their physiology and sentience.
We’re now trying to encourage Winnie to look at her puppies and allow them near her head without causing her to jump up and move away. Lots of patting and reassurance - we’re with them every minute of the day and night.
Day 4.
Winnie still needs to be led into the box to feed the boys. They’re packing on the weight. She looks at them occasionally and has sniffed them once or twice. She’s reluctantly allowing them to climb over and around her without moving away every time. We’re still on a 24hr roster.
Because Winnie has not taken on all of her maternal doggy duties, I’m helping her out until the oxytocin hormone kicks in and fills her with love - by helping the puppies go to the toilet!
Normally, mum licks her puppies to stimulate the autonomic nervous system causing them to wee. This stimulation sends a message towards the brain (quick as lightning) but before little Sunny’s brain has worked out what’s going on, the 2IC (spinal cord) has it all sorted.
Just like our knee kicks out when whacked (front leg muscles contract, back leg muscles relax), so does our bladder muscles (contract) and urethra muscles(relax). This is called a reflex. Simple, huh? Reflex arcs sit in our spinal cord just waiting to help the boss brain by dealing with simple jobs like peeing and pooing (and the occasional kick up the bum!).
As much as the science of these insanely cute boys is interesting, it will be a delight to see Winnie’s innate mothering come to fruition.
Day 5
Winnie sniffed and nudged Sunny! Another step forward for She Who Would Have Nothing To Do With Those Two Aliens. I think we’ll see her lick them by day’s end.
Isn’t nature, in its purest, primal form, wonderful?
Winnie didn’t know she was pregnant - she still looked like the Elle McPherson of the dog world the day before the boys were born. She didn’t go into labour because the tiny litter size didn’t kick-off an oxytocin hormone release. We humans intervened with science and she was hit with anaesthetic and a C-section and, voilà, she’s told she’s got a family to raise. Still, with patience, encouragement and NO lessons, she is finally starting to look after her boys in the exact way her innate instructions planned her to. Here, Winnie is licking her puppy’s tummy, causing him to wee and poo (eww, gross!) and clean it (not with baby wipes). You just don’t teach this stuff. It just happens - evolution - those who don’t do this, lose the babies and don’t pass on their genes.
Day 6
6 days old. The milk is gooood! Winnie walks into her whelping bowl without any coaxing (most times) and takes her hygiene duties quite seriously.
Banji the Major Mitchell sits close by and is learning to say "puppy!"
Day 7
We made it to a week and we’ve gone from a new doggy mum being revolted by these two aliens that suddenly dropped into her life, to... a real bond and love.
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