Born to Win

Of course here we are barely hours away from Christmas and I’m wondering to where the last year disappeared. It was just moments ago I was waiting impatiently for Halo’s Christmas litter to arrive. It would be a year ago today that the litter was born … well, technically. They were born the Monday before Christmas which was Christmas Eve last year.

She went into first stage labour at about 10pm on the Sunday evening. I felt sort of bad because we’d gone for a Fat Momma walk that day. Granted it wasn’t exactly a fast walk but she stretched her legs and got some fresh air – the weather was considerably different! Petal appreciated the slower pace I’m sure and Raimi bounded around us like a 9 month old puppy would.

I remember looking at her sitting next to me on the couch earlier that evening. She had arranged her bulk in her usual spot on the couch and just … sat. Looking at nothing and yet looking inwardly at everything. She sort of spaced out and if you said “Halo” she would snap out of it for a moment, give you a second of attention, and then internalize again.

Eventually she started with low grade contractions which can go on for hours. We prepared for bed in the dog room, everyone lay down and I tried to get some rest. Halo was up and down quite a bit and every time she was restless I’d wake from a light sleep. She’d lay down again for another 20 minutes and then be up tearing paper, re-arranging towels, and generally nesting. The behaviour gradually increased in intensity as the night wore on.

She asked to go out to pee once or twice and she waddled around the backyard without peeing so I knew we were close. I called her in and told her no puppies were to be born in the yard! Strong contractions began at about 7am and around 8am on Monday morning Christmas Eve 2007 the first puppy arrived. It was a long day with puppy after puppy about every 45 minutes, some faster, some slower but they just kept coming. And coming. And coming. I was exhausted, Halo was exhausted and Raimi could NOT understand why he was not allowed in the room! Petal just slept on my bed.

It’s not technically the Christmas Eve litter’s birthday today but it is exactly a year ago, per week count, they were born. And here we are again waiting for the next Halo litter to be conceived, waiting for the first sign of heat and waiting, always waiting, to see what beautiful Ridgebacks we will get. It’s a never ending cycle to keep the breed alive, to improve what already exists and to find forever homes for the babies you so carefully create.