Make do whelping area - Page 1

Hi Guys, new to the forum so please forgive me if i post in the wrong place, quick overview to my story;

The matter in hand first arose when my fiancée’s brother’s dog went missing in the middle of August 2009, as I work opposite the CSPCA (Cork Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals - Cork in Ireland) I volunteered to pop in and see if he was there, unfortunately he wasn’t, what I did find though was a German Shepherd, Roxy, who I saw laid up in a corner looking very sorry for herself and very underweight this was Monday the 17th August 2009, my fiancée and myself had been discussing adopting a German Shepherd from the “Dog Action Welfare Group”, in fact we where due to have a home check that evening. When the lady came round to check the house we got chatting about Roxy and we decided that it would be better if we took her out of there, than leave her to a worse fate.

On Tuesday the 18th August I visited the CSPCA in my lunch break, asked about Roxy and found out her name at this point and that they thought she was 4 and had been handed in as her owners "garden was too small", this was all they knew. My fiancée worked the late shift so at 3.30pm (in her lunch break) we went over again together and we asked for them to bring Roxy out to us, she felt massively underweight, very matted, around the ears especially and just looked sad. We both felt it was best we took her out of there, and we did there and then handing over €100 – no home check, no questions and walked out with her (luckily I was allowed to leave work early as they would not hold her for a day even if we paid them the money in cash).

I took her home and introduced her to my other dog, Tyson a four year old boxer/lab (also rescued) and after the evening walk they settled in together. On Saturday the 22nd August we took her to the vets, he said she was about 10lbs underweight, she was given her vaccinations and chipped (none of this is done by the CSPCA) and all seemed well.

That was until Thursday 17th September when after the 4mile evening walk Roxy started acting strangely, went into her kennel and started scratching and pining, we put this down to a possible phantom pregnancy as we’ve both had bitch’s go through this before, 30 minutes later my partner call me to let me know Roxy and just delivered a puppy, in the next 3 hours she delivered 5 more, a total of 6 puppies delivered to a bitch who was underweight and handed over by the CSPCA to, in there eyes, an unknown quantity in myself, luckily I was in the situation to build a 6’ by 4’ shed the next day after work and hopefully we will be able to get all six pups to a healthy stage where they can be re-homed through friends.

As you can see i am in a "bit of a pickle" we don't have the room in the house for her, so at the moment the best i can do is the 6' by 4' shed which i have heated in the evenings, she is able to come in and out through the flap i created in the door, has plenty of food and water all day and she has started to come out on short walks in the morning and evening.

The pups are now 10 days old, eyes still closed and feeding well from their mother, they are all over 1kg (2.2 pounds) in weight now, in fact one girl was over that in 7 days. But the next stage is scarring me a little, the up and walking and pooping and peeing stage, any suggestions on how to make this as less stressful for the bitch and pups - what sort of flooring should i get in the shed? i was originally only rescuing a GS now I have 7

 
 

I have used a large piece of linoliom I found at like a Home Depot or Lowe's or even a flooring store sometimes will give you remnants; cover an area for play with artificial turf and the area where you want them to go potty with newspapers or some kind of paper or even cedar or pine shavings then pick up all several times per day and keep really clean under-neath potty are with a mild solution of bleach and water.  That has been my most successful flooring for puppies, the artificial turf for good footing no slip area or  an area rug or something like that.  Hope it helps.

Welcome to the forum. 

 We have used horse shavings. There is a new product for horses that is in a pelleted form and when wet, they turn into shavings. They are quite absorbent and mitigate much of the odor. Pine shavings or cedar shavings work. I have heard of people using fleece, which they wash daily, but the other is easier for us. 

I do not know what the weather is like where you are located, but make sure the puppies cannot follow mom out of the flap, especially if it gets very cold. Puppies seem to follow or be dragged out while grasping a teat and then are unable to find their way back into the shed. 

Good luck with your puppies! 

thanks guys - trying to get some lino from a friend who works in the flooring industry, as for the weather here, well i'm in Cork - Ireland - so it's raining more than it's dry usually, but since the pups came along it's actually been dry - global warming strikes again

I have a ledge on the door so the pubs can't get out of the kennel/shed - i might try to put together a "outdoor area" for them that is sheltered in case of rain.

again - thanks for the help i may be back to pick your brains if you don't mind

Amazing situation! Most of the time people have weeks and months to plan, prepair and worry before puppies arive. You had about 3 seconds and are doing a great job.

I've read that, Its important that the puppies have a not too slick surface to walk on, so try make sure at there's always something over the Lino.

Post photos when you get a chance, we'ed all love to see them.

3 seconds - nope didn't have that long LOL first one was out before i knew it

there is a photo 36 hours after delivery here - http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/picturegallery/11387.html# - this i am using for my logon photo