Puppies!!!!

When I got home from the hunt on Saturday and took one look at Reno, I knew that I would not be at the Sunday morning hunt. Most likley I'd be up most of Saturday night checking on her. Couple that  with the stomach bug that wouldnt quit, and you get a slim chance that I would be ready to run my hounds at George's Branch at 5am. ( which really means, 4:30am, since Freddy AND Jeff would be already running by 5).

When I saw the overnight forecast, I really didnt mind missing out on the hunt.  The low was to be only 70 degrees F, almost 10 degrees warmer than our low for Saturday morning..  And the air was sticky and heavy , not cool and crisp as before.  Nope. My girls could have some liberty in the exercise yard to work out the kinks from yesterday's run, and that's good enough for me. The more hounds there are, the longer the guys are gonna let them run....(What IS it about the male ego that takes control over good common sense in these situations ,anyway???) lol. Deep inside those cornfields, the air is dead and hot. More than and hour can cook a hound, fry their brains. Nu-uh, not worth it.

I checked on Reno at 10pm -no puppies yet, but it was obvious she would be whelping tonight. I checked again at  midnight. DAMN. She had had 3, but one was stillborn.  Still warm to the touch, but she had made no effort to chew off the membrane.  I felt bad,  If I had checked only a few minutes sooner.... .Called Bobby and he told me to go to bed and  leave her alone.  I checked her  again at 2am-there were  two more pups squiggling around and  Reno seemed to be doning fine. I went back to bed.

I guess the stomach bug really hit me harder than I realized, cause I didnt wake up again until almost 5:30. Shoot. I had wanted to check her every couple of hours. I was too late again. ....

Reno whelped 6 squirming, squealing puppies: 4 males and 2 females. Even though I get the pick of the litter, my choice has been narrowed to one of the two females. PLEASE, Reno, dont squash either one of them.

Checking to see whos' what.

One of the two females!