From Impatience to Anticipation
December 3, 2022
Breeding dogs requires patience. Not just requiring the ability to wait 58-64 days of gestation, there are other aspects that require tolerance, composure, diligence and good ol’ staying power. I consider myself a very impatient person. This dog breeding adventure of ours has presented challenges I couldn’t have foreseen. But I would say that the rewards are worth it. I am learning patience through the entire process.
We are expecting a healthy litter of puppies in less than a week. I am eager to see a dozen wiggling, colorful, furry newborns; and hear squeals, yelps and the first “Awoooo.” There is nothing that brings joy like a whelping box of nursing puppies and a content and healthy mama. Much persistence, research, and energy has brought us to this “Whelping Eve.”
It’s A Lifestyle
Auggie, the father, and Luna the mother were adopted as 8 week old puppies. They have been raised for two years as members of our family. Twice a day feedings, training, routine veterinary care, cleaning, exercising and more are all part of this very busy lifestyle. 
More than a hobby or a business, our care for the dogs drives every day. We have nurtured this couple, Auggie and Luna, for two years. And now we anticipate the fun of a litter of puppies from this pair we felt worthy of breeding. They have clean genetics and beautiful conformations and personalities. I am proud of our dogs. I am proud that I took the time and energy to search for the best breeding stock and considered not only personality and conformation, but researched further to determine genetic compatibility. All of that took an exhaustive amount of patience. Waiting for puppies to be potty trained, waiting for responses to obedience training, waiting for vaccinations, waiting for the first heat. . . and the second and third, waiting for genetic and orthopedic test results.
Anticipation is Better than Waiting
So much waiting. I am uncomfortable with waiting. But I realized today when I counted only 6 days until Luna’s due date, that my waiting now has become anticipation.
I feel like a child waiting for Christmas or a bride before her wedding. This waiting is deliciously exciting. I am finding such pleasure in this hopeful anticipation and I know we will find such joy in the memory of Luna and Auggie’s first litter!
Click on this link to see a short video of Augie as a pup. Check out that tail wag. So cute.
