Eva’s Pregnancy Diary – Part 2: Scan Day, Bloodlines and Final Week Preparations
How We Got Here: From Scan Day to the Final Week Preparations
After months of planning, preparing and counting down, we are now entering the final stage of Eva’s pregnancy.
As we shared in our Preparing for Staffy Puppies article, the whelping pen has become part of everyday life in the kitchen. The birthing equipment has been checked, checked again and then checked once more. Camera batteries are charged, fresh bedding is waiting and the rest of the Wolfpack already know something exciting is happening.
Now we wait for Mother Nature.
This final week is a mixture of excitement, anticipation and nervous energy. Every little change in Eva makes us wonder if today might be the day.
If you’ve been following Eva’s journey with us, thank you for coming along on the adventure. We’re getting very close to meeting the newest members of the Wolfpack.
Before we get into these last few days, we thought we’d look back at the journey that brought us here, starting with Scan Day, then the story of Ivan and the bloodlines behind the litter, before bringing everything back to the final preparations now in place for the puppies’ arrival.
Scan Day
There is always a mixture of excitement and nerves on scan day.
We took Eva to see our trusted vet, Steve, who has looked after the Wolfpack for many years and even features in our book. We wouldn’t dream of going anywhere else.
Although we’ve done this before, it never gets any easier. We’ve also experienced the disappointment of negative scans with both Peggy and Agatha, so until you actually hear those wonderful words, “Yes, she’s pregnant,” you never quite let yourself believe it.
Even Eva seemed different that morning. She climbed into the car as though she somehow knew today was important, or perhaps she was simply picking up on our excitement. Either way, she stayed unusually close to us.
There was a delay at the surgery, so we found ourselves waiting for around half an hour. It felt much longer. The more we waited, the more our excitement grew. Every few minutes one of us would look at Eva, smile and say, “How many do you think there’ll be?”
Julie and I chatted away while Eva enjoyed plenty of fuss from the receptionist, who follows the Wolfpack online and was almost as excited as we were.
Those minutes felt surprisingly long as we guessed numbers, cuddled Eva and quietly hoped we’d hear the news we’d all been longing for.
Eventually Steve opened the consulting room door with a smile and beckoned us through.
After giving Eva a quick weigh-in and a thorough health check, we moved into the scanning room.
The Scan
Eva stayed close to us the whole time.
Whether she genuinely knew what was happening or was simply picking up on our excitement, she seemed to want the reassurance of having us nearby.
I gently lifted her onto the scanning table while Steve prepared the scanner.
The first pass across her tummy didn’t quite give the picture he wanted, so out came the clippers for a tiny patch of fur. A little more scanning gel and we were ready to try again.
There was just one slight problem.
Julie had left her glasses in the car.
She borrowed mine.
Which meant I was now standing there practically blind, staring at what looked like a television screen full of blurry grey clouds.
Steve placed the scanner on Eva’s tummy and almost immediately smiled.
“There’s one,” he said, before moving the probe slightly.
“And there’s another.”
By now Julie was completely in her element. Thanks to her years as a midwife and my glasses, she could read the scan far better than I could.
“One, two, three,” she said excitedly, pointing at the monitor.
Steve talked us through everything he could see, explaining where the puppies were, pointing out tiny heartbeats and helping us distinguish between puppies, Eva’s bladder and her intestines.
Meanwhile, I was still squinting at the screen, trying to work out what everyone else was getting so excited about.
“They all just look like blobs to me,” I admitted.
Laughing, Julie handed me my glasses back and suddenly everything came into focus.
By the time Steve had finished scanning one side, we had counted four puppies. A dog’s uterus is made up of two long horns, one on each side, so he gently turned Eva around to scan the other.
More tiny shapes appeared almost immediately, and before long we had counted another four.
Eight puppies.
At least, that was the number showing on the scan.
Our very first glimpse of Eva’s puppies. Eight were counted on the scan, although scans are always a guide rather than a final puppy count.
That is, of course, only a guide.
Ultrasound scans are wonderful for confirming pregnancy, but they are not perfect for counting puppies. One can easily be counted twice, another might be hidden behind a sibling and, unfortunately, pregnancies can sometimes change before birth through loss or reabsorption.
The only number that truly matters is the one we count when the puppies arrive safely, although hearing the number eight certainly put some very big smiles on our faces.
Even better, Steve was delighted with Eva herself. She was in excellent condition and given a clean bill of health, which was the news that mattered most to us.
Eva’s last litter gave us five beautiful boys, so this time we’re secretly hoping a few little girls decide to join the Wolfpack party.
Watch Eva’s Scan
If you’d like to come with us on scan day and experience the excitement for yourself, we’ve filmed the whole visit as part of Wolfpack Weekly. You can watch the scan, meet Steve and share the moment we discovered Eva is expecting.
And we’d love to hear from you.
What do you think?
How many puppies do you think Eva will actually have?
How many boys and how many girls are you predicting?
Head over to our YouTube Community and cast your prediction.
Meet Ivan
Ivan, the handsome father of Eva’s puppies. A happy, affectionate Staffordshire Bull Terrier who completely won us over the first time we met him.
Every litter has two stars.
Mum naturally gets most of the attention, but without a special dad there wouldn’t be any puppies to look forward to.
For this litter, that honour once again belongs to Ivan.
Choosing a stud dog for Eva is very different from choosing one for our blue girls.
Normally, our handsome Tommy is the King of the Wolfpack and takes care of stud duties here at home. However, because Eva comes from beautiful red and white bloodlines, Tommy’s blue colouring isn’t the right match for her breeding programme.
That meant our search had to go further afield.
Eva’s pedigree is something we’re incredibly proud of. Her dad, Teddy, better known to many as Georgie Porgie, is a familiar face at Crufts, while her mum has also enjoyed success in the show ring.
Although Eva is smaller than our blue girls, she more than makes up for it with her personality. She’s like a little Staffordshire Bull Terrier-shaped powerball, bursting with energy, strength and enthusiasm for life.
We knew any dog we chose for her needed to complement all of those qualities.
We wanted a dog that was healthy, had a wonderful temperament and excellent breed type. Above all, he had to be worthy of becoming the father of Eva’s puppies.
So the search began.
The Search for Ivan
We knew Tommy wasn’t the right match for Eva’s red and white bloodlines, so the search for the perfect match began.
I spent hours online looking through stud dogs, speaking to contacts we’d built up over the years and asking around within the Staffordshire Bull Terrier world.
We even put a wanted post out on social media.
Red bloodlines are much less common than blue, black or brindle, so finding the right dog wasn’t easy. We weren’t simply looking for the right colour either. We wanted the complete package: excellent health, wonderful temperament, strong breed type and a pedigree that complemented Eva.
For a while, nothing quite felt right.
Then a message arrived.
Someone told us about a dog called Ivan. Even better, he lived only about twenty minutes away.
We arranged to meet him because no amount of photographs, paperwork or online research can tell you everything about a dog.
Within just a few minutes, the decision had almost made itself.
Ivan was exactly as we’d hoped.
He was happy, affectionate and had a tail that never seemed to stop wagging. He had excellent structure, a lovely temperament, full health testing and no hereditary or skin issues.
Quite simply, he was the one.
We checked his Kennel Club registration, looked carefully at the planned pairing and were delighted to see the coefficient of inbreeding for Eva and Ivan was around just 1%, which is exceptionally low for a pedigree pairing and gave us another reason to feel confident about the match.
In simple terms, the lower the percentage, the less closely related the two dogs are within the pedigree being analysed. It does not guarantee the health of a litter, but alongside proper health testing, temperament and careful selection, it was another very reassuring box ticked for us.
Everything stacked up beautifully.
Three successful mating visits later, Eva and Ivan’s first litter arrived.
Five gorgeous boys.
When the time came to plan another litter with Eva, there was only one phone call we wanted to make.
Ivan Returns
After the success of Eva and Ivan’s first litter, choosing him again felt like the obvious decision. We contacted Ivan’s family to let them know Eva would hopefully be visiting again, only to hear the news we really didn’t want.
Another mating had already been arranged for around the same time.
Our hearts sank. Would Ivan even be available when Eva was ready?
Breeding doesn’t work to a convenient diary because Mother Nature decides when a bitch is ready, not us. For a short while, it looked as though we might have to start the whole search again.
Reluctantly, I put another wanted post out across our social media, hoping we might find another suitable red Staffordshire Bull Terrier if we needed a back-up plan.
After everything we’d been through finding Ivan the first time, the thought of starting again wasn’t a particularly exciting one.
Then fate stepped in.
The other mating was cancelled.
Ivan was available.
Sometimes things really do have a way of working themselves out.
Of course, getting Ivan available was only half the battle. We still needed to know exactly when Eva would be ready.
That meant three separate three-hour round trips for blood tests to monitor her ovulation and pinpoint the right timing as accurately as possible.
Breeding may look simple from the outside, but there is a surprising amount of science, timing and driving involved before you ever get anywhere near puppies.
The second trip gave us one of those moments you simply could not make up.
We arrived at the clinic with Eva happily wearing her travel nappy, only to discover a young male Irish Spaniel had come in for a sperm-count test.
When we took Eva’s nappy off, he caught the scent and suddenly became extremely enthusiastic about the whole appointment. We stood there trying not to laugh at the timing of it all.
Once we’d recovered from the entertainment, it was back to the serious business of checking Eva’s blood results. When they confirmed she was ready, three successful matings with Ivan followed.
Then, once again, everything was out of our hands.
All we could do was wait and hope that Mother Nature had done the rest.
Without Ivan there would be no litter to look forward to, so we’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to his wonderful family for trusting us with him once again.
A Little Bit of Crufts Magic
Teddy, better known as Georgie Porgie, Eva’s dad and a familiar face at Crufts.
Although temperament and health will always come first for us, it is still lovely to see the quality of the bloodlines behind Eva’s puppies being recognised in the show ring.
Eva comes from a wonderful family.
Her dad, Teddy, better known as Georgie Porgie, is a familiar face at Crufts, while her mum has also enjoyed success in the show ring.
This year there was even more reason to smile.
Ivan’s daughter also enjoyed success at Crufts 2026, which was wonderful to see and exciting when you think that Eva’s puppies share those same family lines.
We Are Not a Show Kennel
Having said all that, we should probably admit something.
We have never really been show people.
Our family connection with Staffordshire Bull Terriers stretches back more than one hundred years. My grandfather’s brother, Charlie, was born in 1903 and shared his life with Butch, his beloved bull-and-terrier. Their story forms part of our family history and we tell it in full in our book.
Their story, and the extraordinary journey that eventually led to today’s Wolfpack, is told in The Izy Staffy Wolfpack: A True Story of Family, Dogs and Devotion.
Perhaps because of that history, we’ve always looked at Staffies a little differently.
We don’t judge them by whether an ear sits at exactly the right angle, whether a nose is a fraction too long or whether somebody thinks their head should be a slightly different shape.
For us, a great Staffordshire Bull Terrier is the one racing across a field with a huge grin on its face, then curling up beside you on the sofa after a long walk. It is the dog who adores children, makes you laugh every single day and never seems to stop wagging its tail. Above all, it is a dog that is healthy, happy and loved.
Those are the qualities we have always treasured most.
Every member of the Wolfpack is different, with their own personality, quirks and funny little ways of making us smile. To us, every single one of them is perfect in their own way.
So while Ivan’s daughter winning at Crufts is a wonderful achievement, it is not the reason we chose Ivan. We chose him because he is a healthy, affectionate, well-balanced Staffordshire Bull Terrier with exactly the temperament and qualities we wanted to complement Eva.
The Crufts success is simply a lovely bonus.
The greatest prize any of Eva’s puppies will ever win will not be a rosette. It will be becoming a treasured member of somebody’s family, and to us that will always be the achievement that matters most.
One Week to Go - The Final Week
Eva is now in the final week of her pregnancy. Our job is simple, keep her calm, comfortable and let Mother Nature do the rest.
With only days to go, our job now is not to change everything.
In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
We try to keep Eva’s world as normal, calm and familiar as possible.
The whelping pen has been part of everyday life for a couple of weeks now, so it is no longer something new or exciting. It has simply become another cosy corner of the kitchen where she can wander in and out whenever she pleases.
The rest of the Wolfpack have long since inspected it, tested the bedding for comfort and given it their seal of approval.
Thankfully.
Eva now spends more and more time in there. Sometimes she sleeps. Sometimes she simply lies quietly watching the rest of the family go about their day.
The kitchen has become her safe place.
One Last Pamper
Hopefully Eva’s last bath before the puppies arrive.
Eva has just enjoyed what will hopefully be her last bath before becoming a mum again. Unless she decides to roll in something particularly unpleasant, we’ll leave it at that.
At this stage, we don’t want to cause any unnecessary stress or excitement. Everything is about keeping her calm, relaxed and comfortable.
Watching the Temperature
One of the biggest clues that puppies are on the way is Mum’s temperature, so we’ve now started checking Eva’s twice a day.
At the moment she is sitting comfortably between 37.2°C and 37.5°C, which is completely normal for her. As we get closer to the due date, we’ll increase those checks, especially if we notice changes such as panting, nesting, going off her food, becoming restless or wanting even more reassurance than usual.
What we are watching for is a drop of around one full degree from her normal temperature. When that happens, labour will usually begin within the next twenty-four hours.
That is the point when the atmosphere in the house really changes. Julie moves downstairs, the camp bed comes out, the birthing equipment gets one final check and the rest of the Wolfpack are kept away from Eva so she can have the peace and quiet she needs.
From that moment on, our full attention belongs to Mum.
Fuel for Motherhood
Plenty of protein to help prepare for labour and feeding a hungry litter.
Growing puppies is hard work.
Very hard work.
Eva is now enjoying two proper meals each day, with plenty of extra protein to help prepare her body for labour and the weeks of feeding that will follow.
We’ve increased the amount of fresh meat in her diet and reduced the proportion of biscuits. She’s enjoying eggs, sardines, minced meat and butcher’s offcuts, with a beautiful rump steak as a very welcome treat. There were absolutely no complaints about that decision.
She’s also continuing with the same supplements she enjoys throughout the year to help support her overall health.
Every meal now has one purpose.
Building a healthy, strong mum ready to welcome her puppies.
Extra Cuddles Required
Staffies are affectionate at the best of times. Pregnancy takes that to another level.
Eva has always been affectionate, but right now she’s taken it to Olympic level and personal space has officially been cancelled. If one of us sits down, she’s there, and if one of us walks into another room, she usually isn’t far behind. She loves reassurance and, truthfully, we’re more than happy to spoil her.
She’s still enjoying her walks, although they’re much shorter and slower now. In fact, she’s started reminding me of Izy. While the younger members of the Wolfpack charge off across the fields like lunatics, Eva is quite happy to stroll along beside me at the back, taking everything at her own pace.
I rather like that. It gives us a little extra time together before life gets wonderfully chaotic again.
Family Life Continues
The Wolfpack somehow know Mum needs a little extra space.
One thing we don’t do is completely wrap Eva in cotton wool during the final week.
She still lives alongside the rest of the Wolfpack right up until labour begins, and in many ways that sense of normality seems to suit her best. What always amazes us is how the others appear to understand that something has changed.
The usual rough-and-tumble play becomes gentler around her. Nobody barges into her or tries to drag her into one of the full-force Staffy wrestling matches, and she seems to be given just a little more space without us having to intervene.
Eva is also still very much our social butterfly. She enjoys familiar visitors, loves the extra attention and is perfectly happy being part of normal family life as people come and go.
The only thing we would avoid at this stage is introducing an unfamiliar dog into the house. Apart from that, we keep things as calm and ordinary as possible.
That balance is important to us. Eva still feels part of the family and part of the Wolfpack, but everyone instinctively seems to understand that she needs life to be a little softer around the edges for a while.
If you’d like to see how normal life continues for Eva during the final week of her pregnancy, watch this episode of Wolfpack Weekly as she enjoys shorter walks, plenty of cuddles and everyday life with the rest of the Wolfpack.
Eva with her five boys from her last litter. We can’t wait to meet the next generation of the Wolfpack.
Looking at this photograph makes us even more excited about what’s just around the corner.
The Calm Before the Storm
It’s funny how quickly the house changes.
Last week we were building the whelping pen while the rest of the Wolfpack piled in to make sure I’d assembled it properly. Now it’s simply part of everyday life.
Eva wanders in and out whenever she feels like it. Sometimes she curls up for a nap, while other times she simply lies there watching the rest of the gang charging around the kitchen.
The puppies, of course, have absolutely no idea they’re about to turn our world upside down. Ours, on the other hand, is already beginning to revolve around them.
Every evening Julie asks, “Have we got everything?”
The answer is almost always yes, but we still find ourselves checking. The heat pad is working, the PuppyStim and milk formula are ready, the forceps are where they should be and the camera batteries are charged. We’ve probably checked it all half a dozen times already, but somehow that doesn’t stop us doing it again.
I think the truth is that by this stage you’re not really preparing the equipment anymore. You’re preparing yourselves.
In just a few days’ time, this quiet kitchen will hopefully be filled with tiny squeaks and the start of another Wolfpack adventure.
Until then, we’ll enjoy every extra cuddle with Eva, keep reassuring her that everything is just as it should be and let Mother Nature decide when she’s ready.
By Ian Barnes | Wolfpack Bulletin Board