Large litter leaves local couple with 10 puppies 11/14/2009 8:14 PM
By RACHEL JOHNSON Staff writer
An abnormally large birth took place in Windsor on Tuesday, leaving one home with a dozen Boston terriers.
It happened on the 10th day of the month with the 10th puppy being born at 10:10 p.m. Mike Gray was snoozing on his couch with his pregnant Boston terrier, Diamond, when she went into labor, delivering the first of 10 babies on the couch.
"We didn't even think she was pregnant for the first month, but the second month she just blew up. She looked like a brick house with her belly dragging the floor," he said.
Gray immediately called for his wife Brandace to come and help. Together they moved Diamond to the bedroom.
"It took awhile after the first one, and then they just started coming," said Brandace. "Every time she had one, she'd come and sit in my lap, and I would help her with her contractions."
The Grays expected Diamond to have around three or four puppies, the average litter size for Boston terriers; however, Diamond had other plans.
"She just kept spitting them out," said Gray.
The first puppy was born at 7:15 p.m. and was a girl; at 8:10 p.m. she gave birth to a male; and at 8:30 and 8:45 p.m. she gave birth to males. At 9:10 p.m. she had her second girl, and at 9:20 p.m. she had a male. The Grays were sure she was almost done but at 9:45 p.m. she birthed twin males, and at 10 p.m. she had another male. The last one, a male, arrived at 10:10 p.m. Brandace kept track of the birth times in her journal and never expected to write down so many.
"We called the veterinarian the next morning, and the first thing they asked was, 'Who did the C-section?' as Boston terriers typically have to have a C-section to give birth. Next they asked me, 'How many died?' and when I said, 'None, she gave birth to 10 healthy puppies,' they said, 'That's insane,'" said Gray.
Seeking additional information, Gray called three different vets who all responded similarly.
"Boston terriers usually have four or five puppies max. We have never heard of a litter that large in our years at Silver Bluff Animal Hospital," Renee Girardeau told the Aiken Standard on Friday.
The puppies were born to Diamond and Titan, both AKC and CKC registered Boston terriers. The Grays have their hands full as they must help Diamond with the feeding process since it is nearly impossible for her to produce enough milk to feed all of the puppies. Every two hours, they must keep track of and rotate the puppies from their mother's milk to supplemental milk, making sure each baby gets a portion of both.
The puppies will be ready for new homes the day before Christmas, and the Grays are actively looking to place the puppies as they both agree there is no way they can manage a dozen dogs.
For more information, call 642-3371 or e-mail bsoutherngyrle@aol.com.
Contact Rachel Johnson at rjohnson@aikenstandard.com.
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Comment Title: Good For You, Diamond
We have a Boston Terrier and these are the best dogs. The only beef I had with the breed was that man intervened so much to the point these poor mothers could no longer give birth naturally, which usually messes with the mother's hormones and tendency to care for the pups. Thank you for showing us Nature Always Finds A Way. I'm totally going to share this with my International Cesarean Awareness Network!
Posted by: On: 11/17/2009
Comment Title:
".. they both agree there is no way they can manage 12 dogs". I'm quite sure they planned on selling all of the puppies in the first place. That's why backyard breeders breed their dogs in the first place. If they weren't interested in pimping their dogs for profit, they would already be spayed/neutered (unless they are show dogs, which I highly doubt), or would have monitored the female when she was in heat. That's going to be a healthy paycheck.
Posted by: On: 11/16/2009
Comment Title: Christmas Money!
WOW - what a windfall, and just in time for Christmas shopping! What's an AKC Boston pup going for these days, about $350 a pop? Good for you!
Posted by: who cares; just saying the truth On: 11/16/2009
Comment Title: newsworthy? YES
" Disgusted On: 11/15/2009 Comment Title: Aiken SUBstandard How is this newsworthy?" Perhaps some of us are sick of reading about all the sick things in the news, Nice loving story...Nice Change.
Posted by: On: 11/15/2009
Comment Title: Awesome !!! Diamond....
Such a large number for one litter of Boston's is rare, and will be a challenge for Diamond and her family in the coming weeks. But hopefully it will also be an opportunity for 10 more families to enjoy the blessing of adapting a Boston when they are ready.
Posted by: On: 11/15/2009
Comment Title:
I think "math" is on Meth.
Posted by: Disgusted On: 11/15/2009
Comment Title: Aiken SUBstandard
How is this newsworthy? More animals contributing to overpopulation. Go adopt a Boston Terrier, there are plenty out there that need homes. If you love the breed, you rescue them you don't make more. Ignorant people.
Posted by: On: 11/15/2009
Comment Title: Math
You need to read the article close. They are counting the mother and father also. Ten babies plus Mom and Dad = 12
Posted by: brandace On: 11/15/2009
Comment Title: blessed
we are so blessed that diamond is healthy and doing wonderful! we are also blessed we have 10 beautiful healthy pupies! Thank you so very much rachel for the amazing article! 12 is including the mom and dad lol!
Posted by: On: 11/15/2009
Comment Title: Comment to Math
!0 PUPPIES + 2 ADULT DOGS EQUALS ONE DOZEN DOGS! Why didn't you READ the article? looks to me like you need help with your Math and Reading skills!
Posted by: Educated on Animal Overpopulation On: 11/15/2009
Comment Title: No More Puppies!
SPAY AND NEUTER YOUR PETS!! Don't breed or buy while shelter pets die!
Comment Title: In Response to "Math"
Ten puppies plus two parents....ummmm...sounds like a dozen dogs to me!
Posted by: On: 11/15/2009
Comment Title: RE: Math
they are counting the parents of the dogs as well- 10 puppies + 2 parents= 12
Posted by: Sandee On: 11/15/2009
Comment Title: Correct Math
A dozen dogs... 10 puppies and the mom and dad dogs = a dozen dogs altogether.
Posted by: On: 11/15/2009
Comment Title:
The writer was correct; 1 mom + 1 dad + 10 puppies = 12 (aka a dozen)
Posted by: mama with a diploma On: 11/15/2009
Comment Title: WHERE IS YOUR MATH?
10 puppies and 1 mama and 1 daddy makes what? in my count i get a dozen. maybe you can recheck your math.
Posted by: who cares; just saying the truth On: 11/15/2009
Comment Title: ATT: Math
10+2= 12 You forgot the mama and papa dog.
Posted by: On: 11/15/2009
Comment Title: TERRIERS
Dear Math, you must be using the new math. 10 puppies and 2 adults under the old math equals 12 in anybodies book. To the new parents good luck and I hope they all make it.
Posted by: On: 11/15/2009
Comment Title: Response to Math
I think the writer meant all together they had a dozen after the birth, because they had 2 parents and then the 10 puppies.
Posted by: On: 11/15/2009
Comment Title: math!
the dozen meant including the mother and father!:)
Posted by: On: 11/15/2009
Comment Title:
the writter wrote a dozen becuz 10 puppies a momma and a daddy dog.
Posted by: On: 11/15/2009
Comment Title: dozen...
They are including the parents.. 10 puppies and the mom and dad ..which leaves them with a dozen Boston terriers in the household, as the story says
Posted by: brandace On: 11/15/2009
Comment Title: miracles
these puppies are miracle babies and i am thankful to heavenly father for letting my diamond survive and be so healthy and no c section! I am so happy and thank you so much mrs johnson for your wonderful article truely blessed ,brandace
Posted by: Math teacher On: 11/15/2009
Comment Title: Math = reading more carefully.
The article indicates that two dogs had ten puppies, leaving the owners with 12 dogs. It is a word problem; I know they can be tough. It then becomes simple math, 2+10=12. Gotta watch those word problems!
Posted by: On: 11/15/2009
Comment Title: answer
10 puppies and 2 dogs.....
Posted by: Annonymous On: 11/15/2009
Comment Title: Large Litter Leaves Couple With 10 Puppies
I think the writer was counting the mother and father as well as the ten puppies. That makes a dozen!
Posted by: Math On: 11/15/2009
Comment Title: Where is your math?
The writer needs to know that a dozen is twelve and not ten?
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