Sayly

Yep! Going down with 5 dogs and coming back with 3. Hoping to title the male Aussie Shepherd I show, fingers crossed. We were going to camp but got an offer to stay with another Aussie Shepherd person! Camped a couple of years back when it was bloody freezing!

We had Ringies living in our big old gum out the front for a while, I like both. ;) Baby brushies are gorgeous though! My OH's parents have one living in their roof above their laundry/pantry. Whenever he gets up at night their two terriers race around barking and growling. The possum has lived there for yonks, doesn't seem to mind the noise.

KitKat - wow I'm surprised the cat didn't eat it! What a good girl! Must have been cute. BC4ME - how cute! Was it a ring tail? The one we took off Holly looks like a brushy. We just rescued baby possum again! This time from Poppy's mouth! I brought her in so she can sleep on the bed and she brought the possum with her and dropped it just inside the backdoor when I saw it and yelled. I thought it was dead for sure but there wasn't a mark on it. It's 11pm here so we brought all the dogs in from outside and put the possum back in it's hollow. Mum's going to ring some friends tomorrow, they are fauna rescuers and run Wombat Rise Sanctuary and see what they say. It was so cute! Poor thing must be so scared.

I know! Very proud of my little girl. She was such a mother type with her 1/2 siblings, I think she would make a lovely mother. She's so gentle and loving. Very cute! Maybe Sparky taught her? :p Maizie can be naughty... She's stubborn as and can be a snob. She doesn't like Mum or James, but loves me, Dad and my brother. She WON'T go to Mum at all UNLESS no one else is around. Usually the dogs adore Mum. Little wench. Oh OT, I have some Maizie pics loading, will put them in the Aussie thread! As if they are 5 months!!!

Half sis Maizie didn't seem too interested in eating it Dotty! Even Ruby didn't seem to want to eat him/her. Poppy and Gracie didn't notice it. I can't get over it's cuteness and how wonderful Holly was! Trust Holly to get a cling-on!

Today Holly played foster mum to the cutest of babies... Mum went outside for something else and Holly came up to her sort of looking at her side. Mum initially thought she'd ripped her side open! She called her over and had a closer look and the baby possum is what she found latched on to Holly's side. We saw mum possum with two babies in one of our trees last night, baby must have fallen out of the log this arvo. It must have just latched on to the first furry thing it found - which happened to be Holly! Poor thing, Mum said it was so scared. Holly was such a good girl, didn't try to eat it, just came up to Mum like "Uh... can you get it off...?" Somehow the poor thing managed to keep away from the terriers! If Gracie or Poppy had found it, it would have been dead in a couple of seconds. I'm very proud of Ms Holly not trying to eat it. Mum took it off and got Dad to take the pictures, then popped it back in the hollow where it's mum and sibling were. Hope it's ok and the dogs' and Mum's scent don't make it smell too much for the mum to continue looking after.

Baby Borders are uber cute!

Thanks for all the input guys! Very much appreciated. I think we will try without the vet bed for our first litter, or may get one and see what we think, and perhaps slowly purchase a few more vet beds. Lots of 2nd hand towels, some old nappies and some cheap hand towels all set, I will get a few more though. Dad can get bucket loads of newspapers from work, so that's a bonus.

BIS is the Scottie! Ch Roundtown Mercedes Of Maryscot - Sadie

Herding Group winner - Puli Ch Cordmaker Field Of Dreams "Conrad" - he also won Group in 2009 http://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/profile.asp?dog=8599

Aww cute Whippet pups! I am getting a hydrobath systems whelping box. One of my mentors has one and loves it.

We have enough polar fleece here that I may just try that instead of the vet bed for our first litter. If we aren't happy with it, then I'll get some vet beds. Thanks Ellz.

But postage will likely be more!

That's the cheapest I've been able to find too. For 4 vet beds the right size, I'm looking at $162 plus about $25 for postage.

Thanks everyone. We probably will end up going with the vet bed, there doesn't seem to be anything as good. Will look into the sherpa though.

Thaks everyone. Nothing wrong with vet beds except the price! Was just interested in what others use, and what might be suitable without the price tag.

Other than Vet Beds, what are good options for the bottom of the whelping box? What do you use?

Thanks everyone. The stud dog owner is an experienced breeder and only expects payment once the pregnancy is confirmed. Any bitches from now on will be bred much earlier than these girls, it just hasn't worked with these two ladies as we didn't expect to breed Ruby initially and Holly has been a toss up on if we will breed from her or not.

I've heard of a couple of Aussie litters were one or two pups er litter had rear dew claws.

My *p*didnt stand for puking Ok! riesenhaft - hopefully I don't need some of what is on the list. Won't be surprised if I don't use much of it, but I'd rather have it in case I do.

I haven't bought alot, just making a list so I can do it slowly. I've helped with whelpings before and been pretty hands on (got to deliver 1/2 the litter) but I didn't find the smell stayed on my hands? I found alot of it went under my nails though and I spent ages getting it out later, even though my nails are short. :D I have a bed about 1/2 a metre from where the whelping box will be. I have just picked up some nice cheap hand towels that are white which I can nappysan.

Thank you. I'm getting excited but it's still months off. whippets - what things don't you have?

Thanks. The eski is a really good idea! Wouldn't have thought of that. I have two terry towelling nappies left over from when my brother was born but Dad's used the rest! I think I'll grab another pack. Sounds stupid but places like Big W and Target would sell them in the baby department wouldn't they? Never had anything to do with babies of the human kind. I have a small box already, it's got the start of my whelping kit in it at the moment. Still need heating pads/hot water bottles. Will add a couple more haemostats to the list. Will add a bucket to the list. Bit sad if I puked, I'm studying to be a vet.

Thanks again Ozstar. Evap milk sounds easier and may well be better then. Thanks. SpikesPuppy - where I plan on having the whelping box is right next to a desk I can use. I forgot to add the blankets for the pups if travelling, already have those. Thanks.