Shih Tzu-Maltese Puppies

Just before Halloween my sister's dog, a Mal-Shi (Shih Tzu-Maltese mix) named Zoey, had a litter of three puppies.

My sister got Zoey about 2-1/2 years ago from a breeder in Missouri, because she wanted a small dog that would not shed and would be relatively hypoallergenic (her husband has allergies).

This Fall she decided to breed Zoey with a Maltese and the resulting puppies were just starting to take their wobbly first steps at 3 weeks old when I was visiting over Thanksgiving.

A Puppy Birthing Experience
Here's her explanation of why both she and Zoey were "freaked out" at the birth of the first puppy:

Because I wasn't expecting it so soon and she had it on the couch instead of the whelping box I'd prepared for her so I had to pick her up from the couch, with this sac hanging out of her and put her in the box (right next to the couch, luckily).

Then she didn't seem to know what to do and the pup looked like it may be dead (they don't move until the sac is removed and they are licked or rubbed to "wake them up" and stimulate breathing).

She didn't start licking, and I'd read you need to get them out within a minute, so I had to tear open the sac with my hands, use a bulb syringe to clear fluid from its mouth and nose and rub the pup's back with a towel.

Good thing I watched puppy birthing videos earlier this week in preparation!

Anyway, for each of the three pups, I was holding my breath until it "came alive" as I think stillborn pups are not all that uncommon. With the third one Zoey wanted to do it all herself but I couldn't see if she was getting the sac off quickly enough, so it was scary too, but all ended well.

Zoey As A Mommy
While I was there Zoey was a very attentive mother, nursing the puppies almost continually and alert to any whimpers from her babies even from the next room, and licking them often. She also ate their poop -- the theory I've heard is that mother dogs do this to keep the den clean and lessen the chance predators will find them.

Sad to say, motherhood has been hard on Zoey. She was noticeably thinner than prior to her pregnancy and her coat was less glossy as she had become much pickier about her diet.

More Pictures