When it comes to due dates, apparently dogs and humans have something in common: they are rarely correct. We already had an inkling about that, since our dog, Honeybee, had delivered neither of her previous two litters when she was “supposed” to. But that had hardly mattered to us, since we’d already delivered her to the breeder who kept her from several days before the due date to several days after. Not so this time. For her third, and final, litter, Honeybee was scheduled to have a c-section at a vet near our home. The plan was that we’d take her over there the morning of December 1st, and fetch her and her little bundles of joy later that afternoon.

Apparently, Honeybee had different plans. Early the morning of November 30th, she began behaving strangely – like, very strangely. Soon she was having rhythmic shaking fits. I’d never seen a dog in labor before, but I was beginning to get a sneaking suspicion. I quickly contacted the breeder, who contacted the vet. The verdict: yep, it was the early stages of labor. The vet said it wasn’t too late to zip Honeybee over to them; they’d probably even be able to perform the c-section before labor really got going.

Katy had other ideas.

Before I go on, let me say that one of the absolute best things about our unschooling journey has been the many mentors my children have had over the years. Judy, owner of Snug Harbor Cobberdogs, had been an amazing mentor to Katy since 2018, when we got our first Cobberdog, Oatmeal (that’s a story for another day). It was Judy who had suggested we become guardians for one of her breeding dogs, Honeybee, which meant, among other things, that we would have the option of raising Honeybee’s puppies for their first five weeks. We’d already done this twice, and the experience was priceless (that’s another story, too!) Thanks to Judy, Katy had had the opportunity to observe canine gestation and puppy infancy up close and personal. The only thing Katy had yet to observe?

Labor and delivery.

Katy felt it was high time that changed.

She texted Judy. And just like that, Honeybee’s birth plan went right out the window.

The whelping pen and room were already set up in anticipation of the blessed event. Now Katy enlisted her sisters and soon all three were hard at work gathering old towels, watching videos of canine deliveries, and running to the store to buy supplies (including, of all things, a baby’s nasal aspirator…you know, those blue things with a big bulb on one end that you use to suck out snot? Turns out they work on tiny puppy mucus, too).

The girls spent the day in high anticipation and a flurry of preparatory activity. Honeybee spent the day with the world’s most enthusiastic canine doulas. Finally things got serious. Honeybee was getting ready to push. We FaceTimed Judy while Katy helped Honeybee into the whelping pen. A few moments later, puppy #1 was born. Under Judy’s FaceTime tutelage, Katy mid-wifed like a boss, catching the pup, removing it from its sac, cutting the cord (with her fingers…gross, I know!), and suctioning the heck out of the limp little body until it started wriggling and took its first breath. She expertly whipped it onto one of Honeybee’s nipples, then calmly fed Honeybee the first placenta (whilst I remained at a distance and quietly threw up in my mouth a little).

Over the next three hours, she did this seven more times. Calmly. Expertly. Catch puppy, remove it from the sac, cut the cord (with her fingers…every time!), suction, rub dry, put on nipple, clean up latest fluids. (Incidentally, did you know that canine placentas and amniotic fluid are green? It’s true. It’s also disgusting. At least, I thought so.) By eleven p.m. Honeybee was the proud mother of five boys and three girls.

Everything about this seemed like unschooling at its best:

Learning something that you’re passionate about from a mentor who is equally passionate.

Applying something you’ve learned to a real-life, hands-on experience.

Sharing the learning with others who are interested (we even got to share it via FaceTime with good friends of ours, another homeschooling family who was kind enough to take the pictures in this post).

Surprising yourself by doing something amazing!

For Katy, this was the perfect way to learn some science. From Honeybee’s first litter to her last, Katy (and the rest of us by extension) explored:

• Signs of estrus, including how to read and interpret progesterone levels
• The artificial insemination process
• Canine gestation, including developmental milestones of the fetuses and how to interpret a canine ultrasound
• Puppy infancy, including developmental milestones and post-natal care
• Canine genetics, including fur color, skin, eye and paw pad pigmentation, and genetic mutations
• .and, of course…canine labor, delivery, and postpartum care!

In the days following Katy’s first foray into canine midwifery, Katy often mused aloud, “See those puppies? I delivered them. Can you believe I did that?” When I think back to my own high school science career, it pales in comparison. Sure, I remember some of what I learned in biology, chemistry, and….well, I can’t even remember the third science course I took! But the deep, experiential learning that this opportunity afforded Katy is something she’ll remember forever. We all will.

I delivered those puppies. Can you believe I did that?

Katy

photos by E. Lopes