Birth Announcement: Vives les Puppies!

Golden Gate Lily whelped her "Bastille Day" litter of five little beauties--three boys and two girls--between 4:00 and 7:00 PM yesterday, July 14th.  (Our profound gratitude to lovely Lily for the non-wee hours timing of this endeavor--but it's probably only because it's her first litter and she didn't know any better!)

Lily took care of the whole whelping herself, with very little human intervention, enjoying two bowls of vanilla ice cream between puppies. (OK, I was sitting on my hands the whole time),

The puppies are gorgeous little chunky-monkeys in chocolate and apricot/cream and have been nursing busily all night. Lily is already exhibiting excellent mothering instincts, helping them eat, keeping them warm, and cleaning up after them. She is very uncomfortable leaving them, making rare dashes outside to do her business, after a thorough securing-of-the-perimeter to ensure none of the other dogs even get a peep at her babies.

There are two choco-boys, one choc girl, one apricot-cream girl and one apricot/cream boy.