HELP... Advice on whelping VERY high energy female - Page 4

Pedigree Database

Premium classified

This is a placeholder text
Group text

Premium classified

This is a placeholder text
Group text

Premium classified

This is a placeholder text
Group text

Premium classified

This is a placeholder text
Group text

by GSCat on 22 November 2020 - 09:11

Once the puppies start chewing (earlier than you think), pick them up so they don't choke, get a blockage, etc.

I'd rather clean than run to the vet.

Your dog may also give you a funny look when her labor starts because she hasn't had this experience. Ditto for when the puppies really start moving around. One dog I had figured out how to watch the puppies moving around while she was sitting in front of the mirror. At first she was a little afraid of it, then she was curious and tried to paw, then she thought it was kind of funny, and then she got really, really tired of it. She was really huge for her size at the end because of the size of the litter and the size of the puppies. She was the "happiest" dog I ever had, but the last couple days before whelping she was really unhappy and depressed and tired and dragging butt.

This dog had 1 more puppy than teats. Count the number on your dog (probably 10) and make sure there are enough for all the puppies. Some teats will be better than others, and some places are warmer than others, so you may have to rotate puppies. For sure if there are more puppies than teats. Mom may also immediately kick a puppy or two (or more) out of the litter if she can't take care of them all, so you'll have to be ready to help. We rotated the rejected puppy onto Mom, and sometimes had her feed all by herself, but we did a lot of hand feeding. Our female cat tried to nurse her, and the puppy tried to nurse on her, but sincethe cat didn't have any kittens at the time, she had no milk. Mom later kicked two other puppies out of the litter, but by then, weaning was well under way, so no real problem.


Blksableworkingdogs

by Blksableworkingdogs on 02 December 2020 - 20:12


I wanted to give an update to everybody that was kind enough to give me good advice on my female shepherd, she whelped 4 puppies on December 2, Three males and one female all dark sables ! There were unfortunately two stillborn puppies, so actual way there were six puppies in total... The two stillborns they were the last two to be delivered.... i’ve never seen or heard anything like that, they were in a black sack very very undeveloped, I thought it was the placenta at first but after investigating it I figured out what it was... her normal temperature for the last week and a half has been 100.4° - 100.6° but it dropped on Sunday night about 8 PM to 98.5° She started having contractions about 9 PM on Monday December 2, delivered her first pup about 11:30 pm and last puppy about 4:30 AM What a very stressful freaking night !!!!!.... somebody earlier commented that whelping is no joke, and they were right, there was much much more to this than I thought, and admittedly this is my first shepherd to have a litter so I was freaking nervous, my female is three years old and this is her first litter.... most likely will be her last litter, I don’t think I have it in me to do this again, not only that.... by far one of my biggest concerns was that she would be so aggressive that I was scared to death that she might eat one of the pups, some of you might remember mentioning that.... I said I wasn’t that worried about it but actually I was, because people don’t realize when I say this is a very hard and high drive....very very hard female I mean she is an extremely hard female.... which is what I love about her, but not when it comes to having puppies I’ve learned. So here’s what happened, after starting contractions about 9 PM on December 1, she had her first puppy about 11:30PM, that’s 2 1/2 hours after her first contractions that I noticed, so I was getting nervous.... so she delivered the puppy there the puppy was came out breach and was a very big puppy, but I was prepared and had everything ready along with my wife, as she aggressively and I mean extremely aggressively started licking up and eating the placenta, I cleared the babies face, suctioned out his airways started rubbing him with a towel, simultaneously my female is lapping up all of this after birth.... and I need to tell you my heart jumped in my throat to say it mildly.... as she was doing that she got over to the puppy started licking extremely aggressively and I swear to you.... if I had waited even a fraction of one second longer I believe she would have eaten the pups head.... but I stopped her obviously, and I do mean in the nick of time.... it was her very first pup and her very first litter she had no idea what that was, I took the pup got him cleaned up really good, set inside the whelping box with her put the pup down there by her nipples and try to encourage him to nurse, at this point he’s making grunts and noises and she realizes it’s a puppy.... but obviously I’m still freaked out and scared because she’s so aggressive.... so I allowed her to lick him, but I only let her do it with my hand between her and what she was licking on him, basically licking between my fingers, I don’t mind saying, I just did not trust her, other than being extremely rough, she understood it was her pup now and she did not try to do that again with the other pups that were delivered, One thing I did differently than many people, I did not allow her to eat the afterbirth and post center on any of the pups, my logic was that I don’t want her thinking anything that’s coming out of her that she is allowed to eat, The puppy smelled exactly like that after birth, and I just did not want her thinking that was an option.... i’m not sure if reputable breeders think that’s a good idea or not but that’s what I did and it worked out fine... so she had six puppies total, three males one female all black sable, two of the puppies were still born, look like they were only developed about three or four weeks once I opened the black bag that they were in.... i’m not sure why that happened or what caused that.... but I hated that it happened, but I’m very very thankful that my female mama is healthy and everything went OK and all four of these other puppies are doing well, by no means do I think I’m out of the woods yet, I still have to go through tonight hoping she does not lay on one of them and kill them, I have a baby monitor that I watch constantly when I’m not out there myself, I can hear everything and see everything and I can also talk to her from the inside of the house, I will probably be out there a lot tonight just micromanaging her and these little bitty babies.... like I said, I’m sure this will be her first and her last litter, maybe we would all do better the second time but I’m just not willing to chance it, you people out there that do this on a regular basis, if you have a hard drive, and hard-working dogs, I’m telling you from my perspective you’re not charging enough money for your puppies, that absolutely almost did me and last night, overall I’m very very happy with how she is acting as a mother, she’s very very attentive, I would not say she’s very very careful when she goes inside the whelping box but it’s obvious that she’s trying not to step on them, she just does not realize how big and strong she is and I’m scared one of the pups are going to get hurt, but this is part of it.... which is why I hate this ! I expect these four puppies that she had to be extremely hard working dogs, it will be 6 to 8 weeks before I’ll know the temperament and disposition of each one, but going from the male & female that’s what I’m expecting..... there were a few people on this site that were sarcastic and critical when I asked my question but for the most part people tried to help and were very informative and I appreciate very much the advice I got from everybody who cared, thanks again for yawls help, I’m glad this forum is here for guys like me. I’ve learned a lot in the last 24 to 48 hours that’s for sure :) and Im sure there a LOT more to learn about all of this.... Thanks again....God bless !


by GSCat on 02 December 2020 - 23:12

Congrats!

Your vet might be able to look at the stillborn pups or photos of the stillborn pups and tell you why.

Koots

by Koots on 02 December 2020 - 23:12

I'm happy to read that your female is an attentive mother and that she is not aggressive with them as you feared. It's fascinating how mother nature kicks in & they change.

Hundmutter

by Hundmutter on 03 December 2020 - 03:12

Lovely picture. Best of luck with this litter from now on in. But do try to be less anxious yourself around this bitch, owner conveying a whole raft of concerns is not a relaxing atmosphere for any female who has just whelped; and I would guess particularly so, if she is as rough-natured & aggressively inclined as you paint/interpret her.

mrdarcy (admin)

by mrdarcy on 03 December 2020 - 04:12

Thank you so much for updating us on your female and puppies!!! Absolutely brilliant news she is being good with the pups, in the photo she and her puppies look well and very contented. Good luck with the next few weeks and please give us more updates as they grow. Told you she would surprise you, lol.


bladeedge

by bladeedge on 03 December 2020 - 05:12

Isn't is amazing how mother nature has a way of balancing what we can't control .Best of luck 👍

Blksableworkingdogs

by Blksableworkingdogs on 03 December 2020 - 10:12

Thanks every body ! and yes Im VERY glad to say you were right and you did tell me it'd be fine Mr Darcy :) and Hundmutter your advice is no doubt a word I needed to hear, she probably is picking up on my nervousness... Im sitting here now watching her on the baby cam I have above her whelping box and I just noticed one pup just out apart from the others and I saw her pick that one up with her mouth the way Ive seen them do on tv and she moved her baby back to the others by her belly to nurse... WOW !
That's freaking amazing !!!!!!!!! I'd of NEVER believed she'd be that easy.
I think Im giving helicopter mom a new meaning.... but Im seriously going to try to chill out, I prayed last night that they'd all live through the night and not get accidentally smothered or anything and they were all fine this morning... so Im a thankful guy ! I will post more pics in a few day, Thanks again for the good advice from ya'll who DEFINITELY know more about this whelping business than I do !


mrdarcy (admin)

by mrdarcy on 03 December 2020 - 13:12

Looking forward to updates...please!

by Nans gsd on 03 December 2020 - 17:12

Congratulations you made it.

This is my contribution: Mama dogs Cocktail--I used to use chicken or beef stock (unsalted) but now I would use bone broth and depends upon what is in it only mix an egg yolk only, maybe dilute down a bit depending again what is in it; give mama l cup 3 times per day (room temperature, if you store it in the frig then mix with a bit of warm water for her; plenty of fresh water and food and you will need to increase her amount of food she gets probably l/4 cup for each puppy + her normal amount. Possibly some raw lean ground beef and a bit of yogurt with each feeding if she can take dairy.

Please take pictures if you can. Would love to see update also. Glad everything went well for you and your mama dog and her babies.





 


Contact information  Disclaimer  Privacy Statement  Copyright Information  Terms of Service  Cookie policy  ↑ Back to top