Seeing Red for the First Time

When Lil Red landed at our feet on the kitchen floor rug, both Jalapeño and I stared at her in confusion. Two months of intense preparation, physical on her part, mental on mine, and here we were both getting ready to blow it.

Lil Red

Rewind five minutes and I had just taken Piña's temperature. It had gone up. She got up from her whelping box for the first time in hours and ran into the kitchen. I was getting up to follow her when I heard the sliding glass door open. "Shut the door. Don't let her out" I shouted and the door was immediately slammed shut. I ran into the kitchen right as Piña squatted down and Lil Red came shooting out of her like shiny, grey missile. It was Tuesday night, 12 hours earlier than I expected the puppies to be born! Darn temperature charts!

I froze. Jalapeño froze. My preparation and her instincts failed us both for several seconds.

A cute picture of Red to ease the drama of the narrative.

"You know what to do" a loud voice hollered in my ear. And I did. I was shaking with shock, ashamed that I had frozen rather than reacting like a calm rational person, and terrified that I would not be able to make this cold little creature in my hands breath.

I ran into the bedroom as I tore the sac open and exposed Lil Red to the world for the first time. She was not breathing. I quickly put her in a hand towel and started to rub her vigorously. She still was not breathing so I used the bulb syringe and aspirated her mouth and nose. It was surprisingly easy to do. I rubbed her a couple of seconds more and she twitched, took a breath and started to cry. The relief and joy I felt was indescribable.

Cute from every angle.

Here is her first crawl.




Jalapeño had followed me into the bedroom and was in the whelping box. I sat down next to her and gave her her puppy. She licked her lovingly and laid down so Lil Red could nurse. It took a while but she finally latched on to a nipple. I inexpertly tied her umbilical cord with dental floss. Several times. It was much, much harder to do than it looks on any video on YouTube. The cord is slimy and slippery and my hands were shaking really hard. I finally managed to get it tied tight enough. I did it well enough that now she has a cute little belly button.

Piña's composure returned more quickly than mine did.

My friend Michelle came over and helped with the rest of the deliveries. Jalapeño also became increasingly involved. Lil Red was all me though. Maybe that is why she is my favorite. Maybe its because her poses are the best of the bunch. She has cute down in spades and she takes after my sister in that she is not only pretty, but also incredibly photogenic. Maybe it is because she is our most affectionate pup. From minute one she has chosen to snuggle in her mother's chest, between her paws or with another puppy rather than crawling away. I'm not sure why, but Lil Red has my heart.

Lil Red never dines and dashes.

Much like me, she likes to be at the end of the bar.

Snugglin' with Mama.

Snugglin' with One-Eye Blue.

And cuddling with One-Eye Blue.

Cuddlin' with Mama's foot.

With Mr. Black.

Against Mama's elbow.

By her leg....as long as she can feel Mama, she's happy.

So she is happy, all the time.

Here we have a clip of Lil Red working out in her sleep. Crunch!



Here she is chowing down.



And here she is blabbering in her sleep.



Meanwhile, Jalapeño endures...

So tired...

And worries...

What now?

And sleeps when she can.

So need that beauty rest.