"How Many Puppies?," asks Kit.

This is Kit and a belly full of pups this morning.

How many do you think she will have? If the ultrasound said at least 5 pups and she is this big about a week before her first possible due date, what would you estimate?

Lori, Kit's breeder, made an estimate, but I am not going to share that with you just yet. See what you think first. Feel free to post estimates as comments or just to keep to yourself and wait and see.

So, next Friday is Kit's first possible due date. This is calculated using the 63 day standard canine gestation schedule counted forward from the first day that a girl was bred. Kit was bred 5 days in a row and there is no way to tell which day she was most fertile, and she could be early in whelping or late in whelping, so it's anybody's guess what day she will have the pups.

As you can see, Kit has had a "beauty parlor" session (actually, about 6, because it is difficult for her to stand on the grooming table for long these days, so I did what I could until she seemed weary, then gave her a break and did some more over 3 evenings before dinner, which would add even more weight to carry for her).

Although Kit is an AKC conformation champion and has a lovely, harsh schnauzer coat, she is now mostly shaved to give her the schnauzer look. Because Kit is retired from the show ring, it is not necessary to keep up her hand-stripped, naturally correct schnauzer harsh coat. Most former show schnauzers of all 3 sizes are clipped/shaved after they retire because it is often easier on the dog and the human. When Kit was showing, her coat was not the light grey that it is now. Shaving cuts the black and white banded hairs before they have a chance to develop the characteristic Pepper and Salt coloration. What we are left with is grey, usually light, silvery, and the hair often becomes silky, rather than harsh, as a dog is shaved over time.

Notice that Kit's legs are trimmed fairly short? That's because both giving birth and raising pups is very hard on the longer leg hairs, called "furnishings." Normally, Kit would have a bit more length on her legs when groomed.

Another thing that pups are really, really hard on is the soft, fine, belly hair of a girl. Kit's belly has not yet been shaved (very gently and with extreme care!), but before she gives birth I will clear the belly and nipple regions of hair so that the pups do not give poor Kit lots of matted hair as they nurse and knead the teats to produce more milk.

"It's tough having pups," says Kit. But she looks awfully cute doing it, I say. Plus, Kit adores pups and you will see that she is a devoted and loving mother.