Farm Puppies & Recipe for New Dog Moms

Lucy, our wonderful Labrador mix, had her puppies last night and early this morning. It was an amazing experience to be a dog midwife for a night. I did not get much sleep, but the exhilaration of the birth gave me a lot of energy.
Everything went incredibly smooth and Lucy knew just how to be a mother. She is patient, careful, and responsive. When a puppy cries, she quickly assesses the situation. She licks them continuously to keep them clean and stimulate a bowl movement. She washes each and every one, which is no small feat! There are 12 puppies! 7 females and 5 males. Having 12 puppies for 2 months is like having one child for two years! Lucy is busy. She seems to enjoy her new job and she watches visitors very carefully.
The dad, "Yo Bear" Yohimbe, also a Lab mix, is unusually quiet and is giving Lucy and the pups lots of space. He sniffed vigorously in the air for about a minute above Lucy and the babies during the birth and then quietly lied down in the next room. Today he is very mellow.
For the occasion, I am including some dog food recipes. We are fussing over Lucy to see that she gets lots of good food and plenty of water.

To follow the puppies as they grow or to purchase one ($100) check out our blog at http://www.lucyhaspuppies.blogspot.com/
You can contact me at: esme365@gmail.com

Pregnant and Lactating Mama Dog Tea: Yes, dogs like tea too! Add to your dog's kibble or mix in with meat

3 TBS Raspberry Leaf
1/2 TBS Fennel seed (use with caution, can increase milk supply very quickly)

Place herbs in a tea strainer and pour 1 to 1 1/2 quarts of water over. Seep for 30 minutes to 3 hours. The longer you seep the herbs, the stronger the tea, use accordingly.

Energy Shake for Birthing Mama Dogs: This is excellent for before, during and after the birth (s). Offer every 1 to 2 hours during birth

One egg
1 1/2 cup raspberry leaf tea (warm) or warm water

Mix egg into water/tea, offer to the new mom. She may refuse, just put aside and offer in an hour or so.