I was wondering what everyone else does to get some sleep during the night that firsts few weeks your dam whelps her litter ?

Because of fear that my dam will lay on her puppies or one of them will crawl under her and behind her, I literally get but a couple hours of sleep that first few weeks until I pull the dam out of the whelping room at night time.

When I have tried to pull her out of the whelping box during the night to get some sleep, she starts crying and getting very anxious, esp that first couple weeks. I don't have the heart to pull her out during this time so I just don't get the sleep I so badly need during this time.

I know many of your work outside your home and can't take 2 to 3 weeks off from work to watch over your babies during this crucial, squishing the puppy stage. How do you all manage your night time routine and when you go to work with newborns up to 3 weeks old ?

Thanks for any constructive help you could lend me !!

Do you have a whelping box with roll bars? Babies even when 1st born naturally scoot to the furthest place. The roll bars will protect them. Sorry if this is something taken for granted. I have not lost a puppy at an early age with the roll bars (due to this issue) but I have had a problem when I took the bars out too early (3 weeks) and that was not smart. I would not force the mommy to be away from the babies no matter what. That would stress her out.

I think sleepless nights are just part of it. I certainly wouldn't remove the dam from her babies. That is just not appropriate at all.
It will get easier after the first week.

I slept on the floor right next to the whelping box (just whelped my first litter 4 weeks ago). I slept pretty good until a puppy stirred or mama stirred and then I was awake looking. Her whelping box is in the dining room and our bedroom is right off the dining room so I hear everything. I agree with having the pig rails to help out. Hope you get some rest real soon! It is so worth it to be sleepless!

Plan on staying by the whelping box. Take little cat naps, or hire someone to watch them.

When I have a litter, I plan for it. Actually, my last litter, I realized there were so many other breeders out there awake like me. I really enjoyed sitting there watching and talking online. We webcam and brag..

I never get sleep the first few wks.

Jo

I've had 8 litters to date and nevere used anything but the kiddy pools, hence, why I don't get any sleep that first few weeks. I have never taken my dam away from her babies at night until the puppies are up and walking, pooping and peeing by themselves.

I still see intances where the dam would jump or step into the pool and accidently lay on one before they have a chance to wiggle away. The piggy rails would not help in cases like this.

I know some other breeders who breed pugs. They never leave the dam alone with the puppies.

My big question is, how do you who work 8 hours a day, deal with having a new litter that first few weeks ? Are you just leaving the dam to tend to her puppies while you are at work and x your fingers they are all alive when you return ?

I might have to go back to work part time so this is one reason why I am asking. I don't want to give up my hobby so I need to get some ideas.

Only litter I ever lost a pup from with my girls in the whelping box with the pig rails was when I had a box without the pig rails and she suffocated the pup by lying against the wall of the box. I sleep with a japanese folding bed right next to the box and wake up every 3 hours or so to let mom out, give her milk and check on the pups then it's back to sleep and i'll wake up if I hear one of the babies crying or whatever. Would never raise a litter in those swimming pools, just not safe IMHO
Aloha,
Jackie

I sleep right beside the whelping box door so I hear everything and know when mom goes in and out. Once they're older, I use a baby monitor so I can sleep in my own bed.

Where's the spouses? Don't they share (as in taking turns) keeping watch? Or do they figure it's your hobby and your thing to do.

Typically, I'll take a few days off when puppies are first born, then after that I go into work a little late each morning... but hubby is here too sharing what needs to be done.

Oh, I forgot to mention... hubby is home all the time now, but when he did work, we purposely worked different shifts because of having dogs to care for.

Lucky you !! I'm just grateful my hubby has paid for this hobby for as long as he has. I do everything for my dogs but pay the bills so I try not to complain. He loves our dogs and that is good enough for me.

We are ready to breed for our second litter, first litter I stayed home for the first three weeks, this time I will take the first two weeks off and have also arranged to have someone come and stay with the mother and puppies for the next two weeks. After that I plan on working part time until the pups are ready to leave for their new families.

Best of luck with your puppies.

I sleep in the same room with Mom and babies those first few weeks. I also use pig rails in my whelping box but they don't really go to them until they are a few days old. What you have to really watch is Mom getting in and out and where she manages to plop her body down to let them nurse.

I remember once years back...I had a kitty that started having kittens while I was at work.
I told my boss I just had to go home right away because she was early and I had to be there. Boy was the response cold. The whole...cats have been having kittens by themselves for eons, type thing.
I am lucky that I am home now as I do not envy those who have to bargain to get time off with people who might not understand.

Annie

Yes, this is exactly what worries me. My first girl I started off with used to hop in the swimming pool and invariable lay on one of her babies, especially if the pups were scattered about. Luckily, I was there each and every time she came and went from the pool and it's that way to this day except for now I want to go back to work part time and may not find a job where the boss will be understanding of me wanting to take gee, lets say the first 3 weeks off each year I plan a litter. I can't afford to hire a pet sitter to come in and monitor my babies during the crucial times and I know alot of you fellow breeders don't have that luxery so I was hoping to get more advise from those of you who do work full time or part time and don't have spouses who stay home to help out.

You're using a kiddy pool, not a whelping box. That's the first major difference. I whelp in a kiddy pool, but they move right to the "whelping box" (4x4) when whelp is over.

I usually take the first week off work, and after that, my husband and I take shifts sleeping. I take the first shift to watch them, and he gets up around midnight and "watches" until he goes to work around 0500, then I go back out and take over. Sleep??? What's that??!! We hire either our neighbor or cousin to come sit with mom and pups while we're at work until they're around 3 weeks old, then usually they're safe to be alone and mom isn't spending that much constant time in the box anymore. Raising puppies isn't for the faint hearted, is it?!!

Ah, you ladies are so luck with such helpful husbands. Since my husband is the chief bread maker in our family, he needs his sleep and if he doesn't get at least 7 hours of sleep a night, he's even grumpier than me that first few weeks of raising a litter.

Maybe my new boss will let me bring my 85 pound girls to work when they have their litters !!

I sypathize with your lack of sleep problem
This is what works for us, but I have a very helpful husband. - besides we only have to do this schedule for the first 3 weeks so while it is not ideal it works. I feed the dogs early, 4;30 Do an after dinner potty approx. 6 pm Then I go to bed until 12 or 1 am. I am usually pretty tired and have no problem sleeping. Husband stays up, does late night dog potty and puts them away at their reg. bedtime. I come downstairs then my husband goes to bed. I sleep on the couch next to the whelping box and really do manage a couple of hours sleep. I am tired but this is doable for a couple of weeks. Good luck

My husband shares puppy duty with me too. If he didn't, I don't know how I'd work and raise pups! We take turns. One night he sleeps alongside them, the next night I do.

Regarding your girl jumping in the pool and stepping on a puppy, you should invest in a whelping box with pig rails and one detachable side. I remove the upper portion on one side of the box so my bitches can easily step in and out until the pups are old enough to climb out on their own. The pig rail is still there to protect the pups, but the total height on that side is much lower.

Barb

He's getting his rest - - someone has to work to support this hobby!

I have had 7 litters total. I have always used a kiddie pool for whelping and they stay in it until they can climb out of it.

I usually take off work for 3 days. My husband and children do help. The mom and pups are in my bathroom in my room. I usually will sleep all night. I guess my girls are great mothers. I have never lost a puppy to one them laying on a pup. The only ones I have every lost were at birth.

Hi,
I and single also and have to work full time.
Luckily, I DO have a boss the lets me take off
for the first 3 days when a litter is born.

First of all I built my own whelping box with
a very stable pig rail and high enough where
mom cannot just jump in and out without careful
planning. I usually stay up for the first 24hrs
helping her and re-arranging the puppies and
teaching her NOT to lay on puppies. Yes, you
can teach them! I sleep very close to the box
those 3 days and get up often to check on them.

After 3 days I am confortable enough to leave
them while I am work. Did have a bitch once
lay on a puppy and it died. I feel that was
my fault. I was just too tired to get up!

V