It just doesn't get better than this! My current litter is 4 weeks old and growing like weeds! I let their 8 month old 1/2 sister in the house to meet them and it was love at first site! She just couldn't get enough of them. She finally jumped into the whelping box and laid down on her side with her legs out and welcoming and they all lined up on her to "nurse" and she just "drank it in!" I got pictures that we'll put on our nursery webpage. She was so tender, loving and really acted like she was their mama! Took all I had to finally get her out of the box! Nearly moved me to tears! What a breed these labbies are :>)

How sweet is that? I would love to see the pictures.

That is sweet!

I had a funny thing happen with my last litter. Dolce and Dazzle are sisters, and are very close, even within a housefull of dogs. They know who they are though, and will only respond if you call them by name. From the back it's hard to tell who's who, and I've wasted my breath more than once calling for the wrong dog if they're, say, out in the yard and need to come in. When I realize I'm yelling the wrong name (usually because the dog in question is already in the house and comes up and gives me a weird look "I'm right here") and I call the dog by the right name, she comes in instantly. So I know they set this up . . .

Anyway, it was bedtime. Hubby went off to bed and took our 3 usual "beddogs" plus Dolce, who was standing at the bedroom door waiting to go in. Dolce and Dazz are usually crated at night, but hubby felt sorry for Dolce since Dazz wasn't crated, and took him in with her. I sleep in the Queen-sized bed in the whelping room (I'm one of those!) so a few minutes later said, "C'mon Dazz, let's go to bed" and she trotted away with me.

Once in the room she jumped onto my bed and laid there watching the pups, kind of whining under her breath every now and then, which was odd for her. I told her, "If you're so darn worried, get in the box with them." She didn't.

I then started pulling the pups out and put them in the basket I use when I need to change the bedding, and did the evening swap out. The pups were really yelling, and Dazz was very concerned - really whining and starting to pace by this time. She hadn't been worried any other night. I looked over at her, and realized it wasn't Dazzle, it was Dolce!

I finished the box and started putting the unhappy puppies back in it. Dolce couldn't stand it anymore, and jumped in with them and started nuzzling and licking them. Of course, they immediately went to the milk bar. The look of utter horror on Dolce's face is one I will always remember, and she carefully but quickly leaped out of the box and went to stand by the bedroom door. "Mom, let me out of here!"

Because of the way things transpired at bedtime - Dazz going to the bedroom door and Dolce going back with me when I called her by the wrong name - something she never does - I am quite sure the girls set this up in advance. I am also certain that Dazzie did not explain ALL the duties to Dolce when she talked her into watching the kids.

When I took Dolce back to the bedroom and called Dazz, she hopped right up and went back to nurse her pups, but I'm quite certain I saw Dolce give her a dirty look as they passed one another.



~Karlene

Diane, that is so sweet! I had a similar experience with Lexi's last litter. When they were about a month old, I let their half-sister Babe come in to meet them. She was immediately taken with the babies and I could hardly keep her out of the puppy pen. She nuzzled them, cleaned them, and would've certainly nursed them if she could. It was absolutely heart-warming. Mama Lexi seemed to be very pleased as well and had no problem letting big sister "Babe-sit" as we called it. If you go to my website and look at the nursery page you can see a pic of Lexi nursing the puppers and Babe hanging out with them in the pen. This was just one of the many snapshots I got of big sis with the babies. Yes! Labs are the BEST! Thanks for sharing. :) Nancy

How sweet.

We had a cat back in the 70's that would get in the whelping box with momma and pups and proceed to clean the pups.

I have a friend who sadly lost the mother of a litter two days after whelping the pups. Her other lab girl who had never been bred went right into the whelping box and started to lick and love the pups. My friend was able to get a "wet nurse" to help out with the feeding but guess what?!!! Three days later, the girl who never had pups, started to have milk!
So the "wet nurse" and the never bred girl shared nursing duties. The vet said it was rare but can happen. Talk about loving dogs. Labs ARE the best.

Awww, how sweet!
I have a girl that does that too, so cute.
She will lay with her legs spread wide open leaning up against the puppy pen when we have a litter.
She has done this since I got her at 6 months of age
We did breed her last year for the first time and she was SUPER MOM!!!
Couldn't ask for better!!!

Awww... That is so sweet. I would love to see the pictures.

lol Karlene... I'm sure they set you up, too.