Six Puppies, One Doorbell, and a Very Long Morning

Marking the Moment

Caramel’s second litter was born on 30 January 2026 between 4:00 AM and 10:00 AM. The puppies are all gorgeous and healthy, and we are already completely smitten. Caramel was calm, focused, and highly attentive throughout, instinctively tending to each puppy as they arrived.

Caramel and her second litter of six puppies born 30 January 2026

This is her second and final litter, which makes the experience all the more poignant. Watching her bring six puppies into the world is awe-inspiring, and we’re conscious that the next eight weeks will pass far too quickly. For now, we’re savouring every moment.

Preparing for the Day

We began preparing weeks in advance: dusting off checklists, bringing whelping supplies out of storage, setting up the whelping room, switching Caramel onto puppy food, and making sure the Cockapoo Joy website and FAQ were ready so we could share updates quickly. I also blogged about our preparations, partly to document the process and partly because writing helps me slow down and pay attention.

As the due date approached, we moved into an alert but not anxious stance. Caramel’s first litter arrived five days early, so we knew surprises were possible. We monitored her temperature once, then twice daily, watching for the characteristic 1°C drop that usually signals labour within 24 hours. By Wednesday morning, her temperature had fallen from her usual 37.9°C to 36.9°C, and she was already showing behavioural signs from around 2:00 AM.

Experience helps. We were observant, prepared, and calm — a state that comes more easily the second time around.

Labour Begins

Early-stage labour showed up as steady panting. We’d seen short bursts of this over the previous weeks, but by Wednesday morning it was sustained. I was convinced the first puppy would arrive before midnight. When it didn’t, I briefly wondered whether we might end up with two birthdays.

Caramel’s appetite remained strong, and I even fed her an extra meal just before midnight. Eventually, around 3:00 AM, I gave up the watch and decided to let her sleep on a towel over puppy pads on our bed.

At around 4:00 AM, Susan heard Caramel jump down and settle into her crate. She woke me, and when I shone a torch inside, I saw him — a tiny, wet apricot bean, umbilical cord still attached to a placenta, nestled inside Caramel.

Susan went to fetch supplies from the whelping room while I suctioned his mouth and nose with a bulb syringe, gave him a few Phytopet Life Drops to perk him up, clipped and cut the cord, and moved him and Caramel downstairs to the whelping box. We weighed him, fitted a blue Velcro collar, and recorded his details: time, weight, sex, coat colour.

The second puppy gives the world a high four

The second puppy arrived about 35 minutes later — another apricot boy. This time, I left the umbilical cord intact. His placenta delivered about half an hour later (though I never saw it — Caramel did and dealt with it promptly). We weighed him, added a green collar, and made our notes.

Puppy three arrived at 5:31 AM: the first girl, also apricot. Puppy four followed at 6:11 AM, another girl. Puppy five arrived at 7:32 AM, a sable girl. Each was weighed, collared (dark pink, then light pink), and recorded.

By this point, I’d learned an important lesson: less intervention is often better. Leaving puppies attached, allowing Caramel to tend to them, and preventing early cord chewing — rather than rushing to cut — seemed to help them rouse more effectively. Caramel knows what she’s doing.

The Unexpected (and the Kitchen Floor Doing Kitchen Floor Things)

An ultrasound earlier in the month suggested four to five puppies, but I was fairly sure I could still feel one on the right side of Caramel’s abdomen. After about half an hour with no contractions, I grabbed some breakfast. Susan called the vet to book a precautionary ultrasound for 10:20 AM.

At around 10:00 AM, contractions resumed. A gestational sac appeared, so Susan rang the vet back to postpone the appointment. While she was on the phone, mine rang — a call from my pension provider about a P60. I explained what was happening and asked them to call back later.

At that exact moment, the doorbell rang for a delivery. Caramel launched herself into full puppy parkour from the whelping box and sprinted toward the front door, puppies detaching mid-feed like startled passengers on a rollercoaster. I chased after her, and the moment I stepped into the kitchen — plop — puppy number six arrived, accompanied by a dramatic splash of amniotic fluid across the kitchen floor, which immediately did what kitchen floors do best highlighting the situation in unforgiving detail.

I scooped him up, clipped the very short remaining cord (there was barely enough to work with), and took him back to the whelping box. He was squirming vigorously, which was reassuring. Once Caramel returned to tend to him, we weighed him, recorded his details, and took a collective deep breath. Susan cleaned the floor. I took a photo first, obviously.

Soon after, Caramel showed further contractions. Another sac appeared, and for a few minutes we wondered whether there might be a seventh puppy. But there were no tiny feet, no tail, no nose. What emerged was a full-sized amniotic sac containing fluid but no recognisable puppy.

We later deduced that seven embryos likely implanted, but one didn’t develop fully and was reabsorbed early. While it’s common for embryos to be reabsorbed, it’s less common to see a fluid-filled sac delivered at term. Unusual, yes — but not alarming. The follow-up ultrasound by our Vet later that day confirmed Caramel’s uterus was completely empty of puppies and placentas.

Litter Report

By late morning, we had six beautiful Cockapoo beans — three boys and three girls — squeaking, squirming, and learning to suckle. All six were latching, though an additional one needed a little encouragement with Life Drops to get enough colostrum initially.

Once that hurdle was cleared, we paused. Coffee was made. Photos were taken. Caramel ate eagerly and drank deeply, then settled down to nurse her new puppies while we sat and watched, quietly awed.

The exact spot where Puppy Six made his dramatic entrance — proof that even the best-laid whelping plans can be briefly rerouted by a doorbell.

Watching, Waiting, and the All-You-Can-Eat Buffet

The first 48 hours after a litter arrives are about watchful support, not interference. I set up an air mattress beside the whelping box and slept there, checking in every few hours.

What stood out early on was how frequently the puppies were nursing. While Caramel’s mammary glands were full before delivery, that doesn’t always mean milk production has fully ramped up yet.

Six puppies have an impressive ability to turn their mother into an all-you-can-eat buffet. And just like the best restaurants, the body doesn’t immediately panic and overproduce — it watches how quickly food disappears from the buffet line before asking the kitchen to cook faster. Supply follows demand, and demand was very clear.

This meant close monitoring of weights, hydration, and energy levels, especially during the first 48 hours.

Support, Not Assumptions

Challenges in the early hours don’t mean something is “wrong”; they mean something is happening. Birth is not a single event but a transition, and transitions deserve attention rather than judgment.

When you’re present and attentive, small adjustments can make a meaningful difference.

The First Challenge

By the following morning, all six puppies had lost some weight — something that can happen early on, but still deserves attention. We increased monitoring, supported Caramel’s intake, and stayed in close contact with our vet.

This phase isn’t about alarm; it’s about responsiveness. Our focus is practical and calm:

• Are all puppies warm?

• Are they nursing effectively?

• Are weights stabilising?

• Is Caramel relaxed, hydrated, and eating?

Early intervention, calm observation, and experience matter. We’re confident, cautious, and focused on helping both Caramel and her puppies settle into a steady rhythm.

Looking Ahead

As we write this, the puppies are squeaking, wriggling, and doing what newborns do best: eating, sleeping, and growing. For now, our job is simple: watch, weigh, support, and wait. Over the coming days and weeks, we’ll continue to monitor them closely and begin learning who they are as individuals.

This is the part we love—watching personalities emerge, seeing confidence develop, and gradually understanding which environments each puppy is likely to thrive in.

That story is only just beginning.

Thinking About a Cockapoo?

If you’re considering welcoming a Cockapoo into your family and would like to understand how we guide families through the early weeks and beyond, the best place to start is by requesting our Puppy Questionnaire.

This helps us understand whether our puppies — and our placement approach — are likely to be a good fit for you. You can use our contact form to reach out and we’ll be happy to guide you from there.