Not Four - FIVE!

[rpcrowe]

Cookie is a Shihtsu + Maltese mix who was very-very pregnant. Our vet did an X-ray which showed four puppies in line, ready to enter the world...





BTW: those dark areas on her belly are her natural coloring!

Cookie went into labor at 10:30 last night and by 2:30 AM this morning her fourth puppy came into the world... Three girls and a boy. Judy, my wife (who happens to be a retired RN whose specialty was labor and delivery); cleaned up Cookie and her new pups and went to sleep.

When we woke up this morning, Judy took Cookie out to go potty. I looked at the puppies and counted FIVE

Cookie had another puppy after she gave birth to the fourth pup. The score is now FOUR girls and ONE boy.

The boy is black with white feet perfect for the name, "Oreo". We will name the girls, other cookie names such as Macaroon, Ginger Snap, and Lorna Doone...

I will get images of the pups and mom in a little while. I just want Cookie to relax for a couple of hours before I intrude upon her with my camera after her labor of love.

We now have Candy who is pregnant; we will give her pups names like Lollipop, Cadbury, Jelly Bean and Snickers...

[bnnrcn]

Can't wait to see the babies

[rpcrowe]

Can't wait to see the babies

Here they are... The black one is the smallest and the only male...





All shades, from cream to black

[lovelife65]

Cutn as!

[Shadowman]

Nice shots.

[Urbanflyer]

What fun to follow your canine adventures! Thanks for sharing!

[rpcrowe]

I set up a "photo studio" for the pups. I cut one side out of a cardboard box and covered the three-sided box with a piece of fleece fabric. I will have my wife place the pups in the "studio" one by one and shoot them with my 100mm macro lens and a Yongnuo ring light at a 1:3 lighting ratio. We should be able to shoot the five puppies while mom is outside on her potty break...

This is my test shot...



The lighting will be better tomorrow. The shadows beneath the stuffed toy come from a ceiling light which also throws off the color a bit. Our bedroom has a sliding glass door with North light. I will also be shooting from quite a bit closer...

The reason I am using the Macro lens and ring light is strategic - it gives me a chance to justify that purchase to my wife...

BTW: It is really a luxury to have a mom living with us and getting used to us for a couple of weeks before she gives birth. Cookie has no problems with us picking up her puppies. I had a Chihuahua mom with five puppies chew up my hand quite a bit as I tried to get mom and the pups out of a crate in which I had brought them home. It was a week or two before that mom would let me touch her puppies.

[bnnrcn]

So, lovely

Here they are... The black one is the smallest and the only male...





All shades, from cream to black

[John 2]

Cookie obviously knows that odd numbers make better compositions.

[rpcrowe]

I will repeat this later today. Cookie got upset when we took the puppies from her and I had to shoot too quickly...

[rpcrowe]

Cookies puppies at one week old...





They will open their eyes at about two weeks old...

[rpcrowe]

Cookie is a great mom and takes excellent care of her five puppies...

[bnnrcn]

So beautiful

Cookies puppies at one week old...





They will open their eyes at about two weeks old...

[bnnrcn]

She looks healthy and happy

Cookie is a great mom and takes excellent care of her five puppies...

[rpcrowe]

Except for an early bout of loose stool (which is not at all unusual with new mama-dogs) Cookie has been thriving. Her pups are growing fat and beginning to move around. In approximately a week, we will remove the puppy box from the pen and the pups will be able to move around in the much larger pen.
She had an episode of not letting any other dog near her pups. They all learned to keep clear of Cookie's puppy pen. Even our 55-pound Golden Doodle will not venture near Cookie's pups. She is now a bit more comfortable and will only warn off the other dogs if they venture too close to her puppies.
We once rescued an eight-pound rescue terrier who was found defending her puppies from a group of much larger pit bulls. Mothers are fierce in defense of their litters.

[Cantab]

Richard, I always enjoy seeing these photos and have news updates. I don't remember whether it was Cookie or Candy who was originally apprehensive about your handling her puppies but Cookie appears to be comfortable in the photo (I think!).

[rpcrowe]

Candy has given birth to one small puppy - typical Maltese size.

Both Candy and Cookie are comfortable with us handling their babies. That is because we had the luxury of having these girls with us for a couple of weeks before they became moms. They were able to get used to us and to trust us...

[ST1]

Nice series Richard, keep up the good work

[rpcrowe]

The puppies now have more freedom. They are in a larger area. But, they still sleep 20 hours a day...



Their eyes are just about open and I will shoot individual portraits this weekend... Cookie's female puppies are named: Brownie, Macaroon, Snickerdoodle, and Lorna Doone. Her little black and white boy has been named Oreo

[Cantab]

Nice photo. I'm curious about the name Lorna Doone for one of the girls. Is there a Lorna Doone cookie in the US?