First time Dutch Shepherd litter - Page 1

Hello everyone. I am planning on breeding my 3 year old DS female in the next month or so. This will be my first litter and I have been trying my hardest to plan everything out as much as possible. Her hips have been checked and she has gotten the OK from my vet to be bred. I am planning on setting up her whelping area in my garage, but since it will most likely still be winter when the pups arrive I am curious to know everyone's suggestions on heating solutions. I've heard mixed things about heat lamps, as well as space heaters. I am also curious to hear everyone's suggestions on general care for the 8+ weeks the pups will be here. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Might be more productive to immerse yourself in the literally millions of books, articles, videos, do some courses, and visit any of the thousands of great breeders and hopefully get a mentor then come back with specific questions.

It would show you are committed to creating new life in an already over saturated market that results in thousands of unwanted puppies every year.

Good luck.

Thank you. I do have quite a few books and videos. I am a trainer myself and have quite a few mentors, but most of them know more about training and bloodlines than the actual art of breeding, if that makes sense.

Maybe this female is breedworthy, trained and titled, and the OP really only wants to know about the"perfect" breeding surrounding...who knows?

At least the puppies will sell well; the DS became the most wanted "real" working dog breed when people realized that German Shepherd dogs and even Malinois are dogs "only"...I wonder which breed will come next.

To unswer your question -
A female should whelp where it is used to live ( temperature, surrounding ).
Where do you live? Does it become cold?
Where does your female normally live? Indoor? Outdoor?
Is she used to the "garage" at all?
Nothing worse than a bitch trying to get out of the whelping area with her newborn puppies because she feels uncomfortable...

Over here we tend to use heat lamps, but the dogs are used to temperatures below 0'C, living outside the whole year.
Dogs used to live inside normally whelp inside.

Hope that helps

She is an indoor dog. She has been acclimated to the garage. I am in VA, so the winters here can go either way lol. Not planning on placing these pups in pet homes or with inexperienced owners. I want to see how she produces and I am prepared to keep them as long as I need to if need be. Not looking to make a buck, looking to produce better dogs. Thank you, that does help :)

If you are planning her to have them in the garage then this is what I would do.

Build an 8 x 8 plywood box raise the floor off the cement. Divide the area with a 12 inch board so that the small end is 4x8.  Add two heat lamps one higher one lower on two walls that make a corner and put nothing on the other two sides that make the opposite corner that are on the same end of the box.  This will allow the mother and pups find the right temperature.  I would add a thermometer on the wall too

Make sure you have put in a rail about 6 inches above the floor all around the 4 x 8 end of the box where you have put the heat lamps.  This will keep the pups in a smaller area and allow the mother to get away and rest if needed or if she needs to relieve herself before you get there.  Good place for water and food to be placed.

If you have one you can put a monitor in there so you can keep track while in the house.

Is this the information you were looking for.  

 

That is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you

Things I forgot.   The flooring.  You will need to put down some kind of non SLICK flooring that has grooves or nubs the the tiny paws can grip on to move around.

I used a simple runners cut to length and laid side by side.  Worked great until I had a nester that really dug, went to horse stall mats 4x4 the lighter ones so I could remove them and clean them.  Be sure to pick them up before you buy them.

The door.  I made two one a see through so if not to cold they can see what is going on the other solid for warmth and privacy

I use a couple Heat Lamps...but I always have extra bulbs...just in case one burns out...You DON'T want the puppies to get cold...

For my German Shepherds I use a 5' X 5' Kennel which I put boards around the base and then install Horse Mats to keep everyone insulated...

To actually whelp the litter I use a medium size "Hard Shell Kid's Swimming Pool"...(Easy to clean)...Then as the puppies get bigger and begin climbing over the sides of the pool I remove the pool and begin to put chips in the bottom of the Kennel...

I'll give you one other piece of advice and that is DON'T feed mama in with the pups...Feed her outside of the Kennel...You don't want the chance for the puppies going to the food and mama going after one of them...

Have a Vet on stand-by if you need one...

There are some things you should have on hand before you have a litter...be sure to know what you could possibly need...

~Bob~

I couldn t imagine having a litter of pups born without a heating pad UNDER The pups with a heavy blanket over the pad.
Yeah, it's a bit more work changing, washing blankets keeping the pups/mother warm and dry and making certain pups don'y get between, but hell, it's not meant to be easy.
My pups are always born in my house where I can monitor, everything going on. I know many can't deal with the added mess and work.
The day I look for "the easy way", is the day I need to stop doing it.
It is one of the most important things to be sure the newborn babies have ample grip for them back legs. I myself feel that plays a huge roll in bad hips later on. Them back legs just going, going ,going on soft bone as they trying to nurse.
If your dog accustomed to house life, I would worry about her trying to relocate pups to her comfort zone.