Puppy Report: Apple's Boys At 3 Days Old

Get a close-up look at newborn Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppies, and see where they spend time with their mother.

[@rylanblack8571]

You really demonstrate why quality dog breeders have the price tag they do. The amount of expertise and care you show your dogs and puppies is exemplary.

[@carmaarmstrong9743]

Charlie, I admire you for your dedication and knowledge of just what to do for Apple and her puppies. The puppies are precious and so is Apple! Thank you!!!

[@sandramerenda6603]

I loved seeing Apple Sherlock and Watson today …. Apple is such a loving mom … my heart is stolen . ❤

[@jayboyes3806]

Total Respect and Admiration for all members of Team Blackfire ! What a great team of people helping darling little Apple to become a mum. So impressed with how you used all that knowledge to give the puppies what they needed, when Apple was struggling to feed, etc. I know you must all be very tired - but you are showing how the application of experience, care and love can make all the difference. Really special. Thanks to all of you...

[@annamarsh]

Apple certainly loves her little boys. Very interesting to learn the dedication it takes to help her milk supply get established. She is a beautiful mother. With your kind, knowledgeable assistance she will continue to blossom along with her puppies. What a joy to be able to see all this happening!

[@francescrocker3878]

You are the best breeder ever! Apple looks great and so do are cute pups. She will be a fantastic mother!

[@debbieturk8339]

How beautiful they are. ❤thank you for sharing this experience and for all your hard work.

[@juliegroves4210]

Absolutely lovely to see the first update on the puppies! Apple is being such a protective mother over her babies but wouldn’t expect anything less from her. She has always been a darling! ❤

[@cathypearson1889]

I love Watson's 2 spots ❤ Both are sweet boys 😊

[@Elaine-nd9rn]

Looking forward to watching those baby boys grow ❤

[@Maggie4Veritas]

Thank you Charlie! Apple is a good mama. Hope her lactation improves. Bless all of you! 🙏🙏

[@user-sc4us3lg6j]

Beautiful mum and puppies

[@dogie1070]

Those little newborn puppy sounds, silky soft, and how they smell so sweet…❤❤❤

[@Elaine-nd9rn]

Such a wonderful mommy Apple is ❤

[@sharonwynn-dx9md]

So cute! Apple, you are a wonderful mother!🐾🐾🐾

[@janhankins911]

I'm going to enjoy watching Sherlock and Watson grow and develop. Thanks for sharing with us.

[@nashguy207]

I would be tired as well. I hope she starts producing more milk soon so you can get some rest. The puppies are adorable. Looks like Apple is doing a good job of taking care of them. Looking forward to more puppy reports. Thanks so much for sharing this with us!

[@user-rh5xt9xb6z]

Enjoy seeing these darlings Apple is the best

[@user-ke3cy4ri6i]

So informative, and so sweet with Apple and the puppies.

[@GabrielBadwolf]

Wasn’t Apple a puppy herself like 5 minutes ago? Time goes in too fast 💨 ❤😂

[@logirl1975]

Beautiful puppies. I look forward to more puppy reports. Apple, you're being a fantastic mom just like I knew you would. Good job and congrats to everyone.

[@ssmouse77]

Cuteness overload, loving it for sure.Thank you for all you are doing & sharing. 😇😇

[@dorothyrouse1647]

Beautiful Apple and adorable babies

[@mrslamb1807]

Thank you looking after Apple and her puppies. Can definitely feel the love ❤

[@kelsie_adams]

What an attentive momma. Apple is such a good girl.

[@susanjacobsen4567]

Thank you for the update. The boys are beautiful!

[@elliedesign8352]

Thank you for all of your puppy postings. It's good training for us viewers. You're a dedicated daddy! All the best to you, Apple and her pups.

[@sharonnash1901]

Thank you for showing Apple's adorable puppies

[@triciawillis1363]

Thank you for sharing Apple's update. So beautiful!

[@annademidchik631]

Watson took both kissing spots, his own and Sherlock's.

[@charleskletter8974]

Congratulations..please keep me in mind

[@SarahPearson2205]

Apple, top mum ❤🐾❤

[@thechanter_nightshade]

Her boys are beautiful, the love, care, and knowledge you show for the breed is unlike any other I've seen on KZbin. I've learned a lot from your videos. Thank you for sharing with the world!

[@jaykay3811]

Thank you for the reports!

[@markandmandyd7445]

Thanks Charlie for the update.. Exciting.. You all take care as well as Apple and Her Babies.. Looking forward to all updates..

[@user-zz4nk7fz2n]

You are such a good daddy taking care of Apple and her babies. So sorry for the complications with the stillborn puppy. 2 am feedings aside, heres to smooth sailing from this poing forward.

[@dewsalify]

So cute!

[@annaritabarile4893]

Oh😮 che gioia questi cuccioli❤❤!Sono un amore di cuccioli! Tutto l amore che gli hai dato!Ti assomigliano😂, hanno una dolcezza infinita !Oggi Charlie ti vedo più sereno !Ti voglio bene

[@vanessapettyjohn5628]

Cute!! Patoot!!!! I really wish I had time for a puppy

[@inessalevites8999]

OMG soo cuuute 😍😍🐶🐶🎉🥰

[@karencampbell8248]

I love watching all your videos and new puppies are just the very best & my favorite! Charlie, thank you for your dedication to the breed and for passing on your expertise to all of us. When Apple was giving birth, I have been wondering if Bootsie seemed more concerned/nervous than the other dogs? She & Apple are so tightly bonded, I wondered if that might be the case.

[@chaskat35]

It's hard to tell if one dog is more interested than the others, because the other dogs are always fascinated by new puppies. The one thing I can tell you is that it doesn't matter that Bootsie is her mother - she will still tell her off if she gets too close to the pups.

[@karencampbell8248]

@@chaskat35 Apple is in protective mommy mode! Hopefully Bootsie will get to spend time with the pups in a few weeks.

[@batisttarodrigo]

Lindos e abençoados

[@doctorberkowitz]

OMGEEEEEE they're so cute!!! No tris. : ( Apple is such a beauty!

[@chaskat35]

The stillborn pup was a tri, and looked to be nicely marked. A true loss.

[@doctorberkowitz]

@@chaskat35 Awww so sad.

[@thongsookviengkone7128]

❤❤❤

[@pilarmontesfrechina1032]

Estaba deseando otro vídeo con muchísima emoción!!! . Ahora te esperan días cansados Charlie 😂😂 . Te quería preguntar si Appel puede salir al jardín a tomar el sol o estirar las patas? . Me alegro muchísimo de ver a tus cachorros 😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘

[@chaskat35]

Apple sale a la calle con regularidad. A veces tenemos que obligarla a dejar a sus cachorros, pero al final se irá. Sin embargo, no permanece fuera mucho tiempo.

[@pilarmontesfrechina1032]

Gracias por contestar Charlie 😘😘

[@annettefertitta6868]

What breed are they? Are they King Charles spaniels? Are you a veterinarian or an experienced breeder?

[@chaskat35]

They are Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. The breed has been an integral part of our family for 45 years, and we have been breeding for about 30 years. I show my dogs in AKC and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club USA, and I judge specialty shows in the breed club. I'm not even close to being a vet, but I have lots of experience in breeding, care, and showing.

[@annettefertitta6868]

@@chaskat35 beautiful! Our friend had a Cavichon (sp?). He was an amazing dog.

[@jenniferdunford9896]

Who is the sire of that litter? I must have missed that episode.

[@chaskat35]

We did a dual-sired litter this time. We will have to do DNA testing to determine which puppy came from which sire, so we won't know for a few weeks. I think I'll do a video to explain fully, so watch for it.

[@jenniferdunford9896]

@@chaskat35 interesting... I'm looking forward to it.

[@CryBlueofZ]

Breaking News

[@nellie23102010]

With great respects, I do not understand why you immediately took those puppies away from Apple and started formula feeding? I don't think you are fully informed about how lactation works. If you left Apple and her puppies alone, they would have been suckling constantly (not to a 3 hour schedule.) They would have received the very precious colostrum that is the necessary 'first food' that gets their stomachs 'ready' for Apple's milk which does NOT come in for a few days! The colostrum is all the puppies need and is a powerful laxative that cleans out their intestines and enables the meconium to be passed easily. If the puppies are left to suckle continuously on and off and not separated from their mother, then they will quite naturally stimulate the production of prolactin (milk producing hormone) and oxytocin that enables the milk to be released from the milk ducts during the 'let down response.' The way more milk is made is through a process of supply and demand. The more often the pups suckle and stimulate the release of these homones the more milk will be made. If humans start interferring with nature and artificially feed babies or baby animals to a schedule with formula, then this is essentially starting a weaning process for the body of the mother. You have inadvertently messed up the natural process of lactation. Unless a pup is absolutely unable to latch due to a malformation, then bottle feeding should be avoided at all costs. I know all about lactation as I trained as a human lactation counsellor in Australia and I can guarentee that the principles would apply to animals. In the future, please leave mum and babies alone. Be confident that the lactation process will naturally unfold. The babies will not starve. As long as the mother is not stressed and has the whelping box like you have designed (which is perfect) she WILL be able to produce milk all by herself. No mammal produces milk at Day One. The baby is supposed to receive colostrum which prepares the baby for the fattier milk which comes in after a few days. There is no need to worry and interfere. Fingers crossed you can turn this around. I would reccomend stopping formula feeding altogether. Heat packs can help with the let down response. Good luck.

[@chaskat35]

Thank you for paying us respect. I would hope you would respect our three decades of breeding scores of puppies. I am well aware of everything you stated ... and a lot more. I suppose I should have made it more clear that this video was a 6-minute summary of what took place over a 3-day period, and a casual observer might think that our actions were not thoroughly thought out. Based on many previous litters, we knew that Apple's lactation was not normal, and that the pups were being deprived of nutrition. We made certain that they got the colostrum, but we knew they were not getting the quantity of milk they needed. We gave nature more than enough time to come around, but we stepped in when we knew we had to. At this point, we are taking every possible action to get nature back on track, and it is slowly coming around. Thank you in advance for your confidence in our ability to handle this situation.

[@nellie23102010]

@@chaskat35 My apologies I did not take into account that there had been a period of 3 days. I did mistakenly get the impression that you made the decision to supplement feed immediately. You have assured me this is not the case. Of course you are an experienced Breeder. My apologies once again. Too often we see humans intervening sooner than is necessary after the birth of a baby animal. This is not the case here I realise now. I wonder if the small litter had an influence on Apple's lactation? I guess with a litter of say 5 there would be perhaps two babies with very strong sucks that would be constantly ensuring that the let down response was occuring. These two pups may be slow or gentle suckers or even sleepy? If she had had a bigger litter, it might have been balanced out by a couple of voracious feeders. What are your theories on litter size influencing lactation?

[@chaskat35]

That's exactly my feeling about this. I've had singleton litters where the mother's lactation shut down completely; in those instances, if another lactating bitch wasn't available, the puppies were raised 100% on formula. The formula is a well-established homemade one, with wholesome ingredients (goat's milk, yogurt, egg, liver water, karo syrup, olive oil) and packed with calories. In this instance, we have 2 pups who are a bit on the small side (born at about 6 oz each), and I'm certain it was at least a contributing factor. The puppies still nurse regularly, but they are getting very little from their mother, so I'm supplementing with formula every 4 hours. I'm now trying Fenugreek to stimulate lactation.