The Dekklet Diaries.....

[Dekka]

I figured I would just keep this to one thread and update it as we go along. (for those who care lol)

She was bred for the first time on April the 11th and for the last time on April the 15th... so now we are just wondering....

[Zoom]

Ok, that made me laugh...

[noludoru]

WIN! Bwahahahaaa!

[Izzy's Valkyrie]

Teehee, I'm sure a lot of us on Chaz care! I'm excited for you

[naturesgift]

congrats!!! I cant wait to see pics of lil Dekklets!!!

[MericoX]

Hahahahaha!!!!

I hope she's gravid... er.... been looking at geckos too much. LOL

[Dekka]

LOL MP and I have been asking her if she has Dekklets inside... so that pic was a natural

The goal for this breeding... I hope to improve on Dekka's lack of angulation front and rear. Her neck looks short.. but its not, if she had a better shoulder angle it would appear longer. It also tends to make her back look long because she holds her neck out vs up due to the shoulder neck assembly.

I also hope to get some better chests. Dekka has a very small chest.. even easier to span than other dogs her size.. but its oval (or keel) shaped if you took it in cross section. It should be round (hole shaped) I hope to keep her good coat (its better than Dad's) I hope they have a little less edge than her Dam's line does but keeps the hardness and desire to work for humans.

Whilst Dekka isn't overly fast herself I hope for fast puppies. Snip (Dekka's littermate) has won lots of reserve and champion in racing and his sister Trix who no longer races is even faster. I expect a litter of all unders (less than 12.5 inches) and hope for most under 12.

Week One

Feeding changes
This is my first soley raw litter. The last one (pretty much 4 years ago) I fed kibble in the AM and raw at night...
Dekka is not getting fed any more than usual. But as my current feeding scheme is balance over time I felt I needed to change things. Dogs are pregnant for such a short time and critical development periods go so swiftly I am doing more of a balance by day.

I also added things on the recommendation of people who have been raising dogs on raw for over 20 years. So I made up a "mush mix" for Dekka to get daily along with a raw meaty bone. In the mush mix is..

Ground lamb (bone in)
Ground beef offal
Raw goats milk
Omega eggs (with shell)
Kelp meal
Arctic vigour (a oil from arctic fish)

Right now Dekka only gets a table spoon or so of this at night. But she LOVES it and thinks its the most wonderful food ever. As she progresses she will get more and more of the mush. I am also making sure she gets a variety of protein sources (she has no issues with any protein so far). Right now as I type she is mowing down on a pork neck. I also have chicken frames and necks, and turkey. Will have to grab some bison or venison neck bones at the market in the next week or two.

Behaviour Changes
She is cranky and needy. Not sure if the neediness is from being abandoned at a strangers house (tho she quite liked Ken and Kate) She got in a fight with Bounce, and whilst Dekka didn't start it she actually poked holes which isn't something she normally does in a fight. Snip (the one with paws) gets snarked at when he is in the bed at night. I told Dekka she shouldn't' be guarding the bed as she is NOT whelping her Dekklets there anyway.

Physical Changes
None. I measured her belly and got 31.5cm. I will be measuring it on a weekly basis just out of curiosity.

What is (hopefully) happening in there
The fertilized eggs have migrated down the obiducts and into the uterine horns. The eggs should now be blastocystes.

[vanillasugar]

*dances* Oh I hope she took!!!

So exciting

[Izzy's Valkyrie]

Ohhhh I love the scientific description of what is hopefully happening

[xpaeanx]

@ the dekklets inside pic!!!!

I hope she took! I'll eagerly be following this thread!!!