Had a discussion with another breeder about whelping pups. She said she sits by and watches the pups as they are born, but does not interfere. She lets mom take care of everything. She only jumps in if it looks like there is a problem. I do the opposite. I catch the pup, remove sack, cut and clamp cord, rub with a towel, and suck out the mouth. Once I am sure the pup is breathing fine, I give it to mom to clean off and start to nurse. I would not be able to sit and watch her do everything. How do you other breeders handle the whelp?
Had a discussion with another breeder about whelping pups. She said she sits by and watches the pups as they are born, but does not interfere. She lets mom take care of everything. She only jumps in if it looks like there is a problem. I do the opposite. I catch the pup, remove sack, cut and clamp cord, rub with a towel, and suck out the mouth. Once I am sure the pup is breathing fine, I give it to mom to clean off and start to nurse. I would not be able to sit and watch her do everything. How do you other breeders handle the whelp?
I do the same as you. I don't wait for Mum to make a possible error. We're not out in the wild. We use whelping boxes with pig rails, have ER equipment for reasons and don't let a bitch whelp under a front porch for good reason. JMHOFWIW.
Had a discussion with another breeder about whelping pups. She said she sits by and watches the pups as they are born, but does not interfere. She lets mom take care of everything. She only jumps in if it looks like there is a problem. I do the opposite. I catch the pup, remove sack, cut and clamp cord, rub with a towel, and suck out the mouth. Once I am sure the pup is breathing fine, I give it to mom to clean off and start to nurse. I would not be able to sit and watch her do everything. How do you other breeders handle the whelp?
I do the same as you. I don't wait for Mum to make a possible error. We're not out in the wild. We use whelping boxes with pig rails, have ER equipment for reasons and don't let a bitch whelp under a front porch for good reason. JMHOFWIW.
I agree. I do as much as possible for the bitch. I will even pull out larger puppies that the mom doesn't shoot out really fast. I want the mom to save her energy in case the whelping is a long one.
I particularly get involved to pull a pup if it is coming hind feet first. They can suffocate if the placenta gets pinched off by the pelvis, and they are stuck. If they are coming head first, I am more relaxed about it and let Mom take her time.
I do as little as possible to help. I rarely break open a bag, I let her do it. I rarely do anything except , toss bumpers to get things "moving" , and give her as much yogurt as she wants during whelping.
Having a very stong materal bitch line, is the key to everything, weakening their natural abilities by interfearance is not what I want to do.
I sit with her, I clean up the mess to keep things under control, I allow her to eat what she wants to, and I keep clean dry bedding under her. I also feed the bitch during lactation more than most, and I do not feed the puppies if I can at all get by with it. I want them to grow on her milk. The only thing that determines how much food the bitch gets , is her stool.
To each their own, this is what I do. What will be , will be.
