Chronicles of Newborn Puppies—My Atypical Sunday Viewing

On the night of October 4, 2009, I was staring at the boob tube as I switched channels in search for an entertaining show.

6:30 pm

Then I noticed something was moving in circle and making sounds of anxiety. IC, my pregnant dog, has become suddenly antsy. The last time I saw her restless was when she gave birth to three cute puppies 7 months ago. Then I did the math, dog pregnancy only takes about two months; then laboring will ensue.

7:00 pm

IC was becoming more and more anxious; then she lay down on the floor—showing evident signs of a dog giving birth. I can only pat her on the head, say comforting words, and look the other way for I can’t stand seeing her in pain. The first time she had newborn puppies, wasn’t easy for her, and for me, though I wasn’t the one laboring.

Moments later, there was something with spots of white and brown moving beside IC, the eldest puppy. This one came out easily. I did hope the rest, if any, would come out likewise.

7:15 pm

Still there was only one peewee puppy alongside IC. In my observation, she still looked like a pregnant dog, having a big tummy; I wondered if there were more to come.

7:30 pm

I saw more spots other than white and brown. The second puppy is much larger than the eldest; this one has white and black spots all over her body, similar to a cow.

Dog labor takes some time. I hardly understand what I’m watching on TV anymore. My eyes were on the screen but my mind was thinking if she’ll have a handful trio, yet adorable, just like before.

8:00 pm

Finally, a masked puppy joined the masquerade. Dark brown dominated his color, but his feet are white as if he’s wearing socks. This one came last, but he’s definitely the first when it comes to size; he’s the biggest among IC’s offspring.

It was definitely not my typical Sunday night. While there eyes are still closed and there legs are not that sturdy yet, I can have peaceful Sunday and the rest of the week, for more than a month. After that, we’ll be busy feeding, cleaning up their mess, and chasing them in the yard.

No more dog giving birth for now; however, I’ll be preoccupied of thinking of dog names. Should I name them with only two letters of the alphabet, just like their mother? AI, ID, or EQ sounds too familiar and weird; I could shudder at the thought—better think harder then.