HOW WE RAISE OUR PUPS

HOW WE RAISE OUR PUPS

WHEN OUR MOMMIES GO INTO LABOR THEY ARE MOVED TO A QUIET SECLUDED AREA. I STAY WITH THEM FROM START TO FINISH IN CASE ANY PROBLEMS OCCUR. BIRTHDAYS ARE NORMALLY EXHAUSTING FOR ME AS I USUSALLY DO NOT SLEEP FOR THE ENTIRE PERIOD. SO FAR THE MAJORITY OF MY DOGS HAVE HAD LABOR PERIODS THAT LAST FROM 12-24 HOURS. IT NORMALLY BEGINS AS JUST NERVOUSNESS, RUNNING IN CIRCLES AND BARKING AT ME TO LET ME KNOW THE TIME IS COMING. AT THIS POINT THEY ARE MOVED TO A BIRTHING LOCATION WHERE I GET COMFORTABLE, GRAB A BOOK AND GET SET FOR A LONG EVENING, NIGHT OR MORNING. I STAY WITH MY LABORING FEMALES AS IT CAN BE A SCARY TIME FOR THEM, ESPECIALLY IF IT IS THEIR FIRST LITTER. I SPEND ALL NIGHT, LOVING MOMMY AND LETTING HER KNOW I'M RIGHT THERE IF SHE NEEDS ME. WHEN HARD LABOR BEGINS I PUT ON MY RUBBER GLOVES AND SIT TIGHT TO SEE IF MOMMY WILL NEED HELP. THIS PHASE OF LABOR NORMALLY ONLY LASTS AN HOUR OR SO, BEFORE WE SEE OUR FIRST PUPPY. GENERALLY, IF IT IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, THIS IS WHEN I WAKE THE REST OF THE FAMILY, TO BE PRESENT WHEN THE BABIES ARRIVE. WE ALL TALK TO MOMMY AND PET HER AND LET HER KNOW WHAT A GREAT JOB SHE IS DOING. WHEN THE FIRST PUPPY ARRIVES WE WATCH CAREFULLY TO SEE IF MOMMY WILL NEED ANY ASSISTANCE IN BREAKING THE BAG AND GETTING THE PUPPY GOING. NORMALLY SHE TAKES CARE OF IT ALL HERSELF. IF IT'S HER FIRST LITTER, SHE MAY BE SURPRISED AND NOT SURE OF WHAT TO DO. ONCE THE BABY PUP IS BREATHING AND WHINNING, WE PUT ON MOMMY'S TEETS AND WAIT AGAIN FOR THE NEXT SIGNS OF HARD LABOR. WHEN PUPPY TWO ARRIVES WE REMOVE PUPPY ONE AND PLACE INTO A SMALLER PLASTIC TUB WITH LOTS OF BLANKETS AND A HEATING PAD, SO THAT MOMMY CAN GET PUPPY TWO READY FOR THE WORLD AND STARTED FEEDING.

AFTER ALL PUPS ARE HERE, WE TAKE MOMMY FOR A WALK IN THE BACK YARD TO GO POTTY AND FIX HER A WONDERFUL NEW MOMMY MEAL OF CHICKEN AND GRAVY TO GET HER EATING AGAIN.

PUP'S ARE MOVED AFTER SEVERAL HOURS TO A PLAYPEN FITTED WITH HEATING PAD AND COMFORTABLE THINGS FOR MOMMY AND BABIES. THIS IS WHERE THEY WILL STAY UNTIL THEY ARE ABOUT A MONTH OLD.

AT ABOUT A MONTH OLD, PUPS ARE PLAYING AND READY TO START WALKING ABOUT AND ROMPING WITH EACH OTHER. AT THIS TIME THEY ARE MOVED TO A BIGGER AREA IN OUR LIVING ROOM. HERE THE PUPS WILL STAY FOR ANOTHER COUPLE OF WEEKS. AT ABOUT 5-6 WEEKS WE START THEM ON WHAT I CALL PUPPY SLOP. PUPPY SLOT CONSISTS OF PUPPY FOOD SOAKED IN HOT WATER TO MAKE IT SOFT AND WARM REPLACEMENT MILK TO MAKE IT TASTY. THIS IS WHEN PUPS BEGIN EATING REAL FOOD AND NOT NURSING SO MUCH.

MOMMY USUALLY CONTINUES TO NURSE BETWEEN PUPPY SLOP MEALS. BUT THE WIENING PROCESS BEGINS.

BY SEVEN WEEKS PUPPIES ARE USUALLY EATING REGULAR PUPPY FOOD AND USING THE PUPPY PADS TO POTTY ON.

AT THIS TIME WE ALLOW THEM TO SOCIALIZE WITH ALL OUR DOGS. THIS IS A FUN TIME FOR OUR OTHER DOGS AND THE BABIES. THEY ROMP WITH EACH OTHER AND SNIFF, AND PLAY. THEY CONTINUE TO SLEEP SEPERATELY BUT, HAVE FUN WITH THE OLDER DOGS.

WE ALSO START TAKING THEM OUTSIDE AT THIS POINT TO GET READY TO LEARN TO GO POTTY OUTSIDE. THEY ALSO HAVE A GREAT TIME RUNNING AND PLAYING IN THE YARD. THIS IS THE FUNNEST TIME WITH THE PUPPIES AS THEY ARE LEARNING SO MUCH ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND THEM. NORMALLY WE ALLOW OUR PUPPIES TO GO TO THEIR NEW HOMES AROUND 8-12 WEEKS, DEPENDING ON SIZE AND DEVELOPMENT. WE START WORMING AND SHOTS AT 6 WEEKS AND THEY USUSALLY HAVE HAD THEIR FIRST TWO SETS OF THREE PUPPY SHOTS BEFORE LEAVING US. SOMETIMES THEY HAVE HAD ALL THREE SERIES, BASICALLY I BASE AND GAGE THE TIME THEY START SHOTS ON THEIR SIZE. IF THEY ARE TOO SMALL, I WILL WAIT AN ADDITIONAL WEEK.

BY THE TIME PUPPIES MAKE IT TO THEIR NEW HOMES THEY SHOULD BE EATING PUPPY FOOD WELL, PAD TRAINED AND BEGINNING ON OUTSIDE POTTY TRAINING. SHOTS HAVE BEEN GIVEN AND THEY ARE READY TO START A NEW LIFE WITH THEIR NEW FAMILIES.

LETTING OUR PUPPIES GO IS ALWAYS AN EMOTIONAL TIME AS WE DO WITHOUT MEANING TO, GET ATTACHED. SO PLEASE UNDERSTAND IF WE FEEL THE NEED TO CALL FROM TIME TO TIME TO CHECK UP ON THEM AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE ADJUSTING WELL.

IF YOU HAVE A PUPPY SHIPPED TO YOU, PLEASE CALL US AS SOON AS YOU RECIEVE YOUR PUPPY TO LET US KNOW THEY MADE IT TO YOU SAFE AND ARE DOING WELL. WE ALSO LOVE GETTING PICTURES OF THE BABIES AS THEY GROW.. IT THRILLS OUR HEARTS TO SEE THEM HAPPY WITH THEIR NEW FAMILIES AND PLAYING IN THEIR NEW ENVIRONMENTS. PLEASE KEEP IN TOUCH AND KNOW THAT ANYTIME IS A GOOD TIME IF YOU EVER NEED ASSISTANCE WITH YOUR BABY. I'M NEVER TOO BUSY TO ANSWER A QUESTION OR RETURN A CALL PERTAINING TO A PAST BABY. IT ALSO IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO US TO KNOW THAT WE WILL BE THE FIRST YOU WILL EVER CALL IF YOU EVER FIND YOURSELF UNABLE TO CARE FOR YOUR PUPPY AND NEED TO FIND IT ANOTHER HOME. WE WILL ALWAYS ALWAYS TAKE A PREVIOUS PUPPY BACK AND EITHER FIND IT A NEW HOME WITH A QUALIFIED FAMILY OR KEEP IT.