Anyone had Puppies? Part 1

[lottie dolly]

where has the 2 weeks gone,love sharing your suprise joy

[Bren In Pots]

where has the 2 weeks gone,love sharing your suprise joy

Its like having two vine advent calendars to look at each day

[Guest]

Ah they are losing their delicate cuteness and are reaching that lovely cuddly stage. I am amazed you can get anything done.

[veggiechicken]

My Mum has just been here to see them for the first time. Three pups fell asleep on her lap; Bessie had the other 2. She is so good at sharing them with visitors
They do look more like dogs now, not sausages, but they haven't developed any personalities yet. I guess that will come once they start toddling

[mrswadders]

that'll be when the fun starts - have you got 'child' (puppy) locks on all the cupboards?!!!

[veggiechicken]

Nope but when I go out of the kitchen I have to move all the chairs into the middle of the floor as Bessie jumps onto the chairs, onto the table and then to the work surface where she eats anything she can find - I now have a very clean, empty butterdish

[Gema13]

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Moral support needed please.
Little Bessie, who has been with me since 17th October - is with child The Vet is pretty certain that she is, and it could be soon, very soon
None of my pets have ever had litters, so I don't know what to expect and I'm panicking!
Any calming doggy midwives/midhusbands here who can hold my virtual hand through this pregnancy?

Hi, a little late to this post but was your dog okay in the end? I'm an animal behaviours and qualified vet nurse so any advice needed please ask. Oh and I have over 15 year experience so not a novice lol. My last dog was a litter abandoned at 5 days in a shelter I ran so I hand reared her so can help if a pups not suckling. hope all's okay

[Thelma Sanders]

Nope but when I go out of the kitchen I have to move all the chairs into the middle of the floor as Bessie jumps onto the chairs, onto the table and then to the work surface where she eats anything she can find - I now have a very clean, empty butterdish

LOL you'd be hungry if you were feeding that many babies OMG !

[Bigmallly]

Have a look back a few posts Gema, I think the pups are doing just fine but am sure VC will confirm this.

[Aberdeenplotter]

They are thriving on the attention. The puppy thread has more posts than the GR. Luffly innit

[veggiechicken]

Hi, a little late to this post but was your dog okay in the end? I'm an animal behaviours and qualified vet nurse so any advice needed please ask. Oh and I have over 15 year experience so not a novice lol. My last dog was a litter abandoned at 5 days in a shelter I ran so I hand reared her so can help if a pups not suckling. hope all's okay

Thanks Gema, Bessie and her pups are fine. When I started this thread I was more concerned about how I would cope, than Bessie Worried also, that I would miss something important and she might suffer as a result.
It all went very well, she knew what to do, I just looked on and mopped her brow.
She's a brilliant Mum, even though she's only 12 months old herself - still a puppy!
The pups are delightful, watching them change daily. Its been a privilege to share them with the Grapes. Never have pups had so many Aunts and Uncles

[veggiechicken]

Puppies 16th December 13 days old



The Black & Brown one

Brown Pudding


Sometimes I need my own space

[Nannysally99]

Time is flying VC, hard to believe this thread started over a fortnight ago. Lots of smiles on your pics, makes my day.

[nellie-m]

When I started this thread I was more concerned about how I would cope, than Bessie...

The pups are delightful, watching them change daily.

Actually - now is the time when they begin to become really interesting. And the time when you will want to begin housetraining them, and think about how to keep that lovely dresser of yours away from their soon-to-be-growing teeth (and what to give them instead: puppies do need to chew!)

Housetraining is actually easy if you know how to do it. I always had a shallow tray in one corner (two for a large litter) with a piece of lawn from the garden. Amazing how the pups immediately start sniffing and scratching, and then know what it's good for! I got a fresh piece in every day of course.

As they start to eliminate without the help of their dam it will also become more and more important to take them outside to their toilet area immediately after every meal, every time they wake up from sleep, and also after play (physical activity builds urine!). That way they'll get used to the proper toilet environment: the sounds of the world outside, the fresh air, the smell of grass or soil under their little feet, all that builds a picture in their minds of where it's appropriate to do their business. You'll do yourself (as you'll keep one) and your future puppy parents a huge favour if you don't raise them inside on newspaper!

I had a plastic laundry basket to carry them all outside in one go, so no one got left behind to have an "accident" in the house.

An x-pen / play pen is a great blessing, too, you can take them outside if weather permits, even if it's only for ten minutes. Great for their immune system, and it gets them used to different sounds, textures of ground etc.

Here's a great article by Dr Ian Dunbar:
ClickerSolutions Training Articles -- Countdown to a Crackerjack Canine Companion

and one of his books on early puppy raising is available as a free download here!
BEFORE You Get Your Puppy | Dog Star Daily

[veggiechicken]

Thanks Nellie - as ever I have two "pens" that my brother uses for his tortoises. One is already in the kitchen around their den and I'll set the other one up on the grass. One of the GHs is reasonably clear so they can play in there when its raining.
The most challenging thing in your post will be finding lawn to dig up