From Woo to Whelp: The Bump Debut

This week marks a clear turning point in Poppet’s pregnancy. Her belly is visibly rounding, and she’s moving with a new kind of grace. Her usual lakeside romps have been replaced by slow, thoughtful strolls, with plenty of time for sniffing every blade of grass. She’s also showing a softer side, becoming gentler and more affectionate.

She’s resting more, eating selectively, and showing all the signs of a mother preparing for the next stage.

She’s now starring in the maternal masterpiece:
“Yes, I’m Pregnant. You May Only Touch the Belly with the Most Utmost Care.”

Foetal development is accelerating:

• Physical features: The foetuses now resemble puppies, with individual digits, claws, and whiskers formed

• Skeletal development: Bones and claws are beginning to harden through ossification

• Organ development: Major internal organs are now fully formed

• Size and growth: From this point forward, growth becomes the primary focus

• Movement: Subtle fetal movements may be felt by placing a flat hand on her relaxed abdomen

Inside her Y-shaped uterus, each puppy is nestled in a fluid-filled sac, growing steadily and preparing for life outside the womb.

How I Support Poppet

• Companionship: Poppet’s becoming clingier—she likes to stay close, especially during naps. I offer quiet company without overstimulation. Belly admiration is silent, respectful, and strictly from a distance.

• Meals: Her appetite is growing, but with puppies pressing on her stomach, we’ve switched to smaller, more frequent meals. She’s now transitioning to a high-quality puppy food to meet her nutritional needs.

• Environment: She’s sleeping more, so I’ve made sure there are cozy napping zones throughout the house. Her top picks? My bed (with the electric blanket on during cold snaps) and her crate tucked under the desk in the home office—her private retreat.

· Exercise

The highlight of Poppet’s day is still her morning walk. She sniffs every blade of grass with purpose and greets the neighbourhood dogs (and their humans) with enthusiastic tail wags.

Because it’s snake season, she’s kept on lead—so our walks are gentler now, more about exploration than the full-on romps she usually enjoys. It’s a slower pace, but she still gets her daily dose of fresh air, movement, and social charm.

• Day Spa: This week included a pampering session at Sandy’s Grooming Tails: a gentle wash, blow-dry, and style, plus a mani-pedi. She left looking radiant and smelling like she had rolled in a flower garden.

What’s Going on Inside

What I’m Noticing

• Her belly is noticeably larger and firmer

• Her nipples are more prominent and pinker, with early signs of colostrum production

• The hair on her belly is thinning in preparation for nursing

• She’s stretching more deliberately and seeking quiet, secluded spots

• Her energy levels are lower, and she’s resting more

• She’s urinating more frequently due to increased pressure on her bladder

• A clear, odorless vaginal discharge is present—normal for this stage

She’s not just pregnant. She’s radiant, focused, and quietly preparing.

Preparations: Operation Puppy Incoming

With Poppet’s pregnancy officially confirmed, the countdown is on—just five weeks until puppy paws hit the ground! That means it’s time to switch from “watch and wait” to “prep and plan.”

There’s a to-do list forming faster than a puppy pile:

• Paperwork and health records? Getting sorted.

• Whelping and neonatal care notes? Getting a refresher.

• Whelping area? About to become the coziest maternity suite in town.

• Supplies? Being checked, double-checked, and topped up.

And since these pups are due right before Christmas, I’m also factoring in holiday visitors, festive chaos, and the general jingle-jangle of the holiday season. A little extra planning now means a lot more peace and quiet later—for everyone.

The goal? A calm, clean, well-oiled puppy-welcoming machine. Let the nesting (on my end) begin!

For Future Families

Week Six is when pregnancy becomes unmistakable. If your future puppy is growing inside Poppet, they’re now fully formed in structure and rapidly growing in size. Their organs are developed, their skeletons are hardening, and their personalities are beginning to take shape.

We’re entering the second trimester with clarity, care and quiet anticipation.

An ultrasound this week suggests three—possibly four—puppies. But as with all things guided by Mother Nature, numbers can shift. Some puppies may be tucked too deep to detect, and others may not continue developing. We hold space for both possibilities with patience.

Each pup is growing in their own fluid-filled sac, preparing for life with gentle precision. If one of them is destined for your family, this is the week their heartbeat begins to echo into your future.