first litter of pups??

[MAINESNOWSHOEHUNTER]

My female will be having her first litter of pups next week. It will be the first litter of pups i have raised to. Do any of you guys have any tips?. I have switched her over to purina pro plan puppy and will be getting the welping box setup tomorrow or saturday.

[Rcoff]

Yea, put your vet on alert as to her due date. They appreciate the heads up. Dogs have been welping pups for thousands of years, usually without our help, she'll probably be ok.
Thanks,
Bob

[BCBeagles]

Have her a nice clean area, I don't like to have anything in the whelping area other than a hog rail.

I like bare floor and a heat lamp and or pad as well.

I start supplementing milk replacer for animals(horses, pigs, cows, goats, puppies, etc.) you can get it at tractor supply, sprinkle about a half cup over her food at feedings.
I also use NUPRO, I love this stuff, vitamins, minerals, and protein. My females look great and puppies grow out nice. Once I switched to NUPRO my females made more milk, pups looked healthier and stronger and females came back off of the pups like beasts, it has really left an impression on me!!

Good luck and let mother nature take it's course!

[DEA]

The only advice I could give would be, get yourself a loveit whelping plate. Maintains the perfect temp all the time. Which is good for the pups and it really takes alot of stress off the bitch. She dont have to worry about keeping them warm, she is free to go out and do her business and relax with no worries for the pups. Since I bought mine my litters have been healthier and the bitch recovers alot faster. My last litter my old bitch turned around on the plate and dropped every pup rite on it.
And you dont have any worries about a heat lapm burning the pups or starting fires, and I think its better for them to be in the dark sometimes to. That lite isnt on them all the time. Good Luck with your litter.

Shoot Straight
DEA

[MAINESNOWSHOEHUNTER]

Thanks. had her at the vets today when I was getting shots for my other beagle. they said she looks great and answered a few of my questions. I am going to put a hog rail in my welping box, any suggestions on how high to put it? they should stay nice and warm in the basement with the woodstove.

BCbeagles, what kind of milk replacer do you use from tractor supply. I was in there yesterday and see a few different kinds?

[likeemfast]

I use Happy Jack Milkade about a week to 10 days on hounds feed before whelping, always has lots of milk for pups.

[rabbitatfarm]

If you mean by "hog rail," a board around the inside to keep her from laying on them, I think mine is around 4". I think I made mine from a 1 x 4.

[HAREHOUND]

here is a clip that may have something good in it. probably more for after they are born. my pig rail i a 2" x 2" and is 3 1/2" off the floor.

http://youtu.be/2SDxeC_5PUU

[MAINESNOWSHOEHUNTER]

thanks for all the info. she had her pups 4 days earlier than I expected but all 7 seem to be doing well. For you guys that feed milk replacer to the female to help produce milk do you just sprinkle some on top of her food or do you mix it up like the can says for the pups and then pour it on her food? She doesn't seem to have a lot of milk in her front bags so I was going to give her some.

[BCBeagles]

I just sprinkle it over liberally. Her milk will come.


I like to add some raw beef livers to her food for a couple weeks. Adds a ton of protein, minerals, iron, etc.
Works for me.

Good luck!

[gwyoung]

maineshowshoehunter, That is a poorly designed box you have in the picture. Your Female could easily smash a pup.

[littlewoody]

Nice pups whats the bloodline ?

[duckbuster38401]

I would take the paper out, it could cause problems and the wood railing might cause problems with her smashing a pup, you need PVC pipe in there for rails to keep her from pushing a pup up to the side and squishing it.

[duckbuster38401]

Is the wood in the side raised? It's hard to tell.

[MAINESNOWSHOEHUNTER]

The wood around the sides is raised about 3.5in off the floor all the way around.