I ain't birthing no babies!

Chloe, our shih tzu, was due today. She was mated with a toy poodle named Carson and has had an uneventful pregnancy. This is her first litter and my first experience with a pregnant dog! Saturday night we had company come for a cookout. Chloe was needy, wanting to be held and coddled. Nothing new really and I didn't think much of her panting and odd behavior of being right under my feet all day...just chalked it up to her pregnancy. I set up a 'maternity ward' for the big day. I think I covered the area pretty well and had all the supplies needed if she required my help. Around 10 PM, I brought Chloe to the 'birthing room' and sat with her while she panted, cried and demanded to be let out. I was determined to have her deliver the puppies in this covered and confined area.
Chloe had other plans and they involved my plaid chair in the TV room. I finally had to allow her out of the pen area as she was crying and carrying on and I felt like I was stressing her out. I thankfully covered the chair in a drop cloth and she made a beeline for it and took a long nap.

Later she did get banished back to the 'maternity ward' and she carried on with fussing over night. Finally after 2 hours of sleep, I let her out of the pen around 7:45 AM and again she bee lined it to the chair. I went to set up the supplies that may be needed (gauze, cotton balls, towels, boil some hot water....) and as I entered the kitchen I heard her yelp. I rushed back in only to find her lapping at a new little puppy!

After 15 minutes of mother son bonding and me in absolute awe, I moved them both into the maternity ward much to Chloe's displeasure.....
After an hour went by, she began contracting again and the next thing I know, here comes puppy #2. He was a little bigger than the first puppy and honey colored. So very cute! She again knew just what to do and I sat there thinking of the money I spent on birthing supplies that just went down the drain! I watched as she cleaned up her second son and I laughed to myself about the similarities of my own children at birth. P was born with jet black hair (that later fell out and came in blond) and S was my red head and a bigger baby than P. I just knew she'd have her girl next and I wasn't disappointed when she delivered a black little girl...hmm M was born with jet black hair like P. Chloe tended each of her puppies with such care....well except for the chewing of the umbilical cord when she picked them up by the cord and swung them around as she chewed! That was a sight to see. She then snuggled and nuzzled them, cleaning every inch of them until they were dry and nursing.

They are all doing well, have gained an ounce each already (weighing in at 6 oz for both black pups and 7 oz for the honey colored pup). Chloe is never from from them and when they cry, she races back to her box and lays down with them. Its an amazing thing to behold seeing this maternal love for her offspring.