Preparation for the Big Day

Many have asked me about the setup we use when we are expecting puppies. One day, I'll actually have a "Whelping House" separate from the "People House", but for now, puppies make their grand entrance in our Guest Room/Maternity Ward (you guessed it.....not too many guests staying with us these days!). Keep in mind, left to their own devices, the girls would prefer to have their puppies under the deck. However, since we provide a whelping service for people, I take this midwifery pretty seriously, especially when someone has entrusted their female and puppies to us!

The nurse in me makes sure we're set with our litter records ahead of time. Timing of puppy catching is greatly assisted by checking the female's temperature twice daily several days before the due date, though I'm not sure they are as hip on the idea! For the most part, we get a good idea of the timing, though occasionally there just has to be one or two that doesn't follow the "Getting Ready For Your Puppies" guidelines!

The "I-Spy" Camera

Even though we are just in the next room, our "I Spy" night vision camera makes it easy to keep distractions to a minimum. This is really important for those first time moms who can be a bit anxious. 

 One of the common questions we get is "What is that thing?" The whelping nest is heated and recessed into the whelping box. It has been a life saver for us! For those who don't know much about newborn puppies, keeping them warm is critical in the first couple of weeks. Puppies can nurse, but if they aren't kept warm enough, their bodies won't be able to digest and use mom's milk. We keep a heated box for those who need extra warming, or when we have to rotate puppies. Think: Big litter of puppies, but only so many stations at the milk wagon. We know we won't get much sleep that first week when we have litters of 10 or more. Apparently, sleep is overrated!!

You might notice the collars that are put on the puppies at birth. Color coding helps us make sure each puppy is gaining weight and that we are properly rotating them. By the third day or so, getting weights on squirmy puppies can be a challenge!

Puppies are pretty easy the first couple of weeks. They are born with an acute sense of smell (the better to find the milk stations with!) but cannot see or hear for some time. They look like little hampsters at first and their eyes will open around day 12-13. They majority of what they do is sleep when they aren't eating. They get handled alot, but they are not terribly interactive except to root around for milk when they are awakened. Many breeders will have fancy terms for "neurological stimulation", I choose not to do this. Creating small stressors as each day goes on helps to stimulate the neurological system. I have very specific things I do with the puppies as they grow, developing an early start of socialization. These are the stepping stones to creating bold puppies who love to explore their world.

By the time they are chewing on each other and interacting, their ears are opening and the party begins!! This is the time we all have to tiptoe around the house, lest we wake the sleeping monsters! This is when puppies get very fun and interactive and changes are noticed daily as they grow.