about to breed 3 year old, maisie. will she stay downstairs with pups, when they

[shrewdmart45]

  we are about to let our maisie have her first litter of pups,  BUT ... at night time she will not stay downstairs on her own, worried incase she is still like this when pups arrive ? any help would be good thanks.

[silkstocking]

Hi ya and welcome to COL, there is lots of information on the site regarding breeding from your bitch. If you do a search you will find lots of help and SENSIBLE advice.

If you are definete about breeding from your bitch after reading all the onsite information, I would think that she would be much happier to stay with her pups than come upstairs for a cosey sleep anyway, bitches are very protective of their pups.

Most breeders I know sleep in the same room as the pups and their bitch in the initial few weeks as so many things can go wrong, like the bitch accidently laying on one of the pups and suffocating it, they prefer to be at hand to prevent things like this. So the sleeping upstairs wont/shouldn't be an issue as you should be there anyway.

[Cayley]

Most mothers refuse to be away from the pups for more than a few minutes for the first few weeks.

Could I ask if your just in the process of thinking about breeding her or whether she is already due?

Is your girl endorsed (if she is, you won't be able to register the pups).

[tracey]

Wecome to COL
As Lisa has said there is lots of information on this site for you to look at including the section , should I breed from my pet cocker bitch, under cocker questions.

It is important that a bitch gets to know where she will whelp her litter 2-3 weeks before the puppies arrive.
Her being downstairs shouldn't be too much of an issue as you will need to be prepared to spend at least a week before and 2 weeks after she has had her puppies with her to ensure she doesn't lie on her puppies and kill them. Have you a quiet room away from the hustle and bustle of family life for your girl to make her own?  Hope you like sleeping on the floor and are prepared to spend 24/7 with her in the early days 

[silkstocking]

  Hope you like sleeping on the floor and are prepared to spend 24/7 with her in the early days 

Hi Tracey 

Oh the joys of resposible breeding! And the public misconception its easy money: little do they know the bloomin hard work it takes and dedication!

I have to say I admire all reputiable and responsible breeders, I think you guys are amazing!

 

[cbabe]

Oh the joy of nodding off with your head in a whelping box and waking up with your cheek glued to your arm by stiffness and dry spit! Ah Trace, the menories eh?

How come i can sleep through an air raid siren but one squeek from a puppy and i'm up and ready!?? Keeping the bitch with the litter shouldn't be a problem - it is dragging your self away from them which proves difficult!


Clare x

[bluegirl]

Having just spent the last 3 nights on the kitchen floor and sleep deprived for the last 6 I can honestly say it's not for the faint hearted!
 

[Gilly]

Wecome to COL
As Lisa has said there is lots of information on this site for you to look at including the section , should I breed from my pet cocker bitch, under cocker questions.

It is important that a bitch gets to know where she will whelp her litter 2-3 weeks before the puppies arrive.
Her being downstairs shouldn't be too much of an issue as you will need to be prepared to spend at least a week before and 2 weeks after she has had her puppies with her to ensure she doesn't lie on her puppies and kill them. Have you a quiet room away from the hustle and bustle of family life for your girl to make her own?  Hope you like sleeping on the floor and are prepared to spend 24/7 with her in the early days 

Never a truer word spoken Tracey. I am 100% sure I might of lost at least one pup in those early days as Buttons was so exhausted. I didn't even go to the toilet unless someone was on counting duty 

[Terri Carpenter]

I think as already posted you need to be with her, I went from 6am Tuesday to 9.30pm Weds without a wink of sleep, I now live in the kitchen and have only escaped when there are reinforcements to take over. If anything  happened to Holly or the pups because I was not there I would be heartbroken.

[shrewdmart45]

Having just spent the last 3 nights on the kitchen floor and sleep deprived for the last 6 I can honestly say it's not for the faint hearted!
 

thankyou, we are only thinking about it, as what human would like to go through life without having family, i am sure both maisie and us will cope, thanks for the reply.

[Jane S]

thankyou, we are only thinking about it, as what human would like to go through life without having family, i am sure both maisie and us will cope, thanks for the reply.

But dogs aren't humans & it's an old wives tale that a bitch needs a litter - what she hasn't had, she doesn't miss Do make sure you read up about the huge responsibilities having a litter entails - our FAQ article HERE is a good place to start.

[suki1964]

Just remember she is a dog - not a human and they dont have the same wants and needs as us. She will be perfectly happy with her human family.

[Cayley]

Just to say, have her tested by the specialists BEFORE you make your decision, you don't want to arrange anything then find out she has a health problem that she could pass on to her pups.

[Cob-Web]

what human would like to go through life without having family,

I think this a common misconception, unfortunately

The mating, breeding and whelping drive of dogs (and any animal other than Homo Sapiens) is motivated only by the desire to perpetuate their genetic line - there are no social pressures on dogs to settle down and have kids, and they don't have unsatisfied desires to "have a litter" in the abscence of a suitable mate - their lives are far less complex than ours 

A lot of the current problems experienced by dogs owners are a result of *our* tendancy to anthropomorphis - dogs are not humans, and do not experience the same range of emotions or react in the way we would to a situation It is such a shame that litters are brought into the world as a result of this misunderstanding of our closest friends 

[Luvly]