The Game On Litter Has Arrived! — Blaze × Etta, May 26, 2026
We knew it was coming. Etta's temperatures told the story.
One of the most reliable signs that whelping is imminent is a drop in the dam's rectal temperature — typically falling below 99°F (sometimes as low as 97–98°F) within 24 hours of labor beginning. When a bitch's progesterone drops in the final stage of pregnancy, her body temperature follows, and that dip is nature's signal that puppies are on the way. We had been tracking Etta's temps faithfully in the days leading up to her due date, and on the morning of May 24th, she dropped to 98.1°F — right on schedule. We cleared our calendars and got ready.
Labor in the Middle of the Night
Labor started at yes — 4:00 AM on May 25th, with hard labor beginning at 11:50 PM on May 25th, and water breaking shortly after. Etta's whelp date landed exactly where we expected: May 26, 2026.
And then the puppies came — fast.
Etta was an absolute rock star. She whelped all eight puppies in just about two and a half hours, delivering her last pup at 2:59 AM. We are, to put it gently, a little tired. But it is the best kind of tired.
Meet the Game On Litter — All Eight
Here's how the night unfolded, puppy by puppy:
| # | Time | Sex | Markings | Weight | Color ID | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12:25 AM | Female | B/W | 435g | Green | Head position |
| 2 | 1:03 AM | Female | H | 385g | Purple | 1st puppy; head position |
| 3 | 1:11 AM | Female | B/W | 370g | Teal | Head position |
| 4 | 1:38 AM | Male | L/W | 395g | Blue | Head position |
| 5 | 1:52 AM | Male | H | 410g | Yellow | Head position |
| 6 | 2:13 AM | Male | L/W | 450g | Gray | Head position |
| 7 | 2:44 AM | Female | L/W | 360g | Pink | Head position |
| 8 | 2:59 AM | Female | B/W | 385g | Orange | Head position |
Eight puppies. Five females. Three males. Everyone came out vigorous and nursing.
First four puppies: Green collar (top left), Purple collar (top right), Teal collar (bottom left), Blue collar (bottom right)
Second four puppies: Yellow (top left), Gray (top right), Pink (bottom left), Orange (bottom right)
Etta and Her Eight
There she is. Mama Etta, looking exhausted and magnificent, surrounded by all eight of her puppies in the Three Doves whelping box. The letter board says it all: Blaze & Etta — Hello, May 26. She barely had time to catch her breath between puppies and handled everything with calm, quiet confidence from start to finish. We couldn't be prouder of her.
Just look at that face.
Puppies Still Available
We are beyond thrilled with this litter — strong weights, great markings, and a dam who did everything right. If you've been following along and waiting for your chance to bring home a Three Doves English Springer Spaniel, now is the time to reach out.
Visit our Game On Litter page for full details, photos, and availability. We still have a few puppies available, and we'd love to talk with you about finding the right fit.
As always, thank you to everyone who has followed Etta's journey — from breeding through pregnancy monitoring to this early-morning delivery. The Three Doves family just got a little bigger, and we couldn't be happier about it.
— Three Doves Performance Dogs
