I just had my first small litter. There are only 2 pups in the litter. I was wondering if I should increase the bitches food at all or just leave the same?

We usually increase food at about 3 weeks before due date but did not this time because we thought we had no pups. We had bred her late and when we took her in for ultrasound the vet could not find anything, so we decided to do the blood test and those results came back negative. About 2 weeks ago I thought she looked and acted pregnant but I did not what to get my hopes up. The week before I decided she was pregnant and increase food by only 1/2 cup because even if she was pregnant I knew she would most likely only have a couple of pups.

Well, yesterday she had 2 pups, a boy and a girl.

So my concern is how much to feed her with a small litter.

TIA
Dayna

Feed her very carefully, too much milk is more of a concern than not enough.

Ironically enough, I also had my very first small litter now 12 days ago, we also have 2, a boy and a girl!!

We also thought she wasn't pregnant, and we did not up the amount either, and 2 weeks before the due date, I started noticing nipples getting a bit bigger (but still not that much).

Anyway, she had them naturally, very easily and pups weighed 13 and 15 oz. I did not up her food even after whelp, and pups are huge! They now both weigh 3¼ and 3½ lbs!

we also just recently had our first litter with 2 pups, I think it was the very warm weather end of July early August. We could tell she was in whelp, we did up her food a small amount, since she had them I divide her food into three meals, she acts as though she is starving. Our pups also a boy and girl were 1 lb. 5 ounces each delivered natural. Now at three and a half weeks they are over 6 pounds, running around and not fat, just big! They look like five week old babies!

Our girl's weight is just about perfect right now, so you will have to see how she does and adjust as needed. As for too much milk it seems to adjust supply and demand.

Good luck!

Wow! This is really freaky. I also just had my first 2 puppy litter! 3 weeks old today. A boy and a girl. Both are huge! Last week at 2 weeks they were each just under 5 lbs! 5 lbs! at 2 weeks old. They look like little walruses! But are getting around and acting normal. I increased my bitches food by only 1/2 cup a day. Started pups on their first mushy meal today. I thought maybe I did something wrong to only get 2 pups, as my litters usually run around 8 or 9. Of course it is her first litter. Probably never know why.

You probably won't have to increase Mom's food much if at all. As always, watch her body condition. Check the ribs etc.

The other thing you want to watch for is swimmers. Fat puppies tend to be prone to it. I know there are a bunch of great links about swimmers, but I'll be darned if I can find them right now. I've had a couple of 3 puppy litters, and I just keep rolling the pups off their chests and encourage them to sleep and nurse on their side. Also I put towels and things under the fleece floor so there are hills and valleys in the whelping box to encourage them to develop strength in their hind legs.

Congrats! Two is a lot easier than 10, and a lot better than none!

Ok, so I'll add my 2 cents too
Had a 2 pup litter 8 weeks ago here as well
Momma is all dried up but still spends her nights with them in their pen.
She is teaching these naughty boys a bit about manners

Way to many 2 pup litters. Funny. Don't want one. Just asking. Chilled, frozen, natural ? Interesting, just wonder if you all had anything in common ? Timing, breeding late in cycle ? Older stud dog ? Food ? Heat this Summer ? Anything in common ?
You will not need to feed her a bit more at first. Maybe a little more as time goes on. Watch for hard boobs. They are little don't need much extra right now.

For both of my recent 3 pup litters were the same bitch. I caught her late (we progesterone tested both times.) One was fresh, one was chilled/shipped. I just bred her again - she had a silent heat and I was lucky to notice tell-tale behavior, did a progesterone test and the little sneak was ready! No discharge, just a little swelling. So we'll see how many we get this time. It was shipped/chilled.

Thank you all for your responses.

To answer some questions:

She ended up being bred late with the back up stud dog. It was a natural breeding. She was a .5 on Saturday, a 4 something on Tuesday, Thursday a 12.5 and because of several problems did not get bred until Sat and Sunday. I was afraid we would get no pups. This is her last litter, all other litters were 7 to 8 pups. She did have 3 pups but one boy did not make it. He was so big he got stuck in the birth canal and she had ended up having a c-section. So the first boy was delivered naturally and the girl by c-section.

We are so happy with our little surprises and to get a boy and a girl makes it even better. We are keeping both pups.

So from what I read, I will not increase food too much if any at all, watch very closely for mastitis, and swimmer pups.

This is the first litter I was going to do the puppy prodigy program with, so with only 2 pups it will make it a lot easier. Plus I do not have to worry but puppy buyers.

Dayna

whats the puppy prodigy program???

Here is the website.

http://www.puppyprodigies.org/

Dayna

Thanks!