Raising a puppie into a dog can be a very rewarding experience. It is
like seeing a family member grow up, but in fast motion. Of course, I
am talking about dogs not people. My wife, Barbara, and I raise
Yorkies and Maltese and tend to think of them sometimes as family
members. Except, these guys never need to borrow the car keys or stay
out too late.
This morning, we had a litter of six Yorkies born. Both of us were on
hand to help the mother. Most of the time, a mother dog doesn't really
need any help, but sometimes there are problems. I cut the umbilical
cords and tie them with dental floss. The mother dog would ordinarily
chew the umbilical cords into by herself. With some breeds, such as
Yorkies, sometimes the mother has too much trouble turning around to
reach the cord, so I am there to help.
After the puppies are born, we put them in a warm room in our house.
They get a dry, clean, warm bed consisting of a wooden frame about 24
inches square made of 1 by 12 boards. There is no bottom. This square
just sets upon a cloth pallet on the floor. For the first week, we
insert a small heating pad beneath the pallet. If you buy the
disposable bed pads made for human use, they are great for the mama
and her babies to lay on.
We keep a close eye on the little family evey day. Make sure the
puppies are warm and dry. You can tell when the puppies are
warm...they will tend to spread out on their bedding. Cold puppies
tend to bunch up tight to conserve body heat. Make sure the mother dog
is clean and that all the puppies are nursing. The mother's udder
should be checked every day for milk production and infection. She
will not go far from her puppies during the first few days, so bring
her food and water very near to her.
For a mother dog to do well, she needs a quiet, secure place to be
with her puppies. Stress can have a negative effect on the mother dog
and her puppies. Keep other dogs away from her. Strange people can
cause undue stress. Don't bring in all your freinds
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