I should know better

It`s that time of year again, and I`m tied close to home with another litter.

Looking back on it, really I should have given firsst-time mother Camilla a good book on the subject, or asked her mother to have a word with her. Some ambitions should be discouraged, and an attempt to get into the Guinness Book of Records with theWorld`s Biggest Papillon Puppy is definitely one.

She started well (“Push, dear, push !”) but soon stopped and gazed at me helplessly. When I saw the size of the head sticking out I quailed. I`l spare you the details, but it helps to have small narrow fingers. I heaved him out, somehow, and had the devil`s own job getting him to decide to live. Then I got the scales. Seven and a quarter ounces. Camilla only weighs five pounds or so. She sat and regrded her rear end with amazement. Well yes…so did I.

And then the next puppy more or less fell out, the exit having been enlarged considerably by his brother. One look at him and I reached for the scales again.

Seven and three quarter ounces. Camilla was trying for the half-pound pup. Half a pound is about a tenth of her total bodyweight. Work it out, girls – how many of you would like to try it? I think it comes out as the equivalent of a fourteen pound baby….makes you cross your legs just to think of it.

But Camilla can`t do maths.

And Hercules and Goliath are both doing well