Knowing that our Poodle litter was due about the time that I would be delivering the first of Rosie’s puppies, I asked my husband, “Do you want to deliver the puppies to Spokane or babysit the dog at home?” He gladly offered to stay home and watch the dog since he’s not much of a social person. So that was our plan.

Until Saturday rolled around and he asked me who was watching the dog. (What?!! ) “You are! You told me you’d be here to watch her.” And he replied, “I’m doing hay.” And that’s what happens when you live in the country. You cut, rake and bale hay when it’s ready and the weather cooperates, not when you want to. And he was doing it for my horses, so who could argue. 😉

Thankfully, I had been taking her temperature the previous couple days and it was still in the normal range. I mean “normal, normal”; not even the week before whelping range (which is lower than normal, but not super low like right before whelping.) If you’re as  confused as I am by now (:P), here’s a blog post that explains what I’m trying to say https://pinewoodcavapoos.com/2014/11/07/temperature-before-whelping-questions/

Plus she wasn’t very big, so I figured she was still a ways away and had probably not gotten pregnant on the first try.

So I took her temperature Sunday morning. It was now lower, but just finally in the “week before” range. Allie (the other “soon-to-be” mom) due about a week or so later was also at about the same temperature. Nothing to worry about. I told my husband, we’re fine, no worries.

I set the girls up together in a huge crate with a sheepskin bed, food and water and went on my merry way to deliver puppies in Spokane.

Spokane is a good two hour drive from our house and one of our sons lives there. So when I go, I usually stop to visit him and also make a couple other stops (Costco, etc)

I had a couple texts from my husband during the day about the hay, but that was it. (He was doing hay a few miles down the road from home, so only stopped in at the house a couple times).

So I did my visiting and shopping then headed for home in the evening. As I was driving home I thought; I’ll just get home, change my clothes, let the dogs out to potty and check on everyone then go help him with the hay.

I pulled into the driveway, hopped out and went in the house to be greeted by a bunch of wiggly, happy dogs ready to go outside. And that’s when I looked across the room at the big crate (it’s a wire one so you can see inside) where Allie and Flower were and thought, “What’s all that stuff in there?” I got closer and realized that “stuff” was puppies!!!

Oh my, I haven’t been that shocked in a while. I totally did not expect her to deliver that day. She sure didn’t read the delivery textbook! 😉 And here she was in a crate with another dog,  and it was her first ever litter! That crate was so clean, you wouldn’t have known that a litter of puppies had been born in it. Thankfully, Allie is an experienced mother herself. And knowing Allie, she was probably right in the thick of things “coaching” Flower through the delivery and helping to clean the puppies as they arrived. <3

So, not only did I get to deliver puppies to their new owners that day, get my hay baled (that’s a big deal around here), but I came home to a beautiful surprise “bouquet” of fresh Flowers! <3