Considering fostering mom and pups

[law1558]

The local rescue we have an affiliation to has a mom and 6 new born pups that need fostering (pups were born 2 days ago).

I've never been around a nursing dog or pups that young. Before we offer our home, what's involved in fostering in a situation like that?

We have a yr old (approximately) nueutered male from the same rescue. My husband and I work shift work, so there is someone home all the time. We have a 14 yr old daughter and 16 yr old son who have been around dogs/cats all their lives.

[GSDBESTK9]

A LOT of work, specially once the mom stops cleaning up after them. But they are so cute and you get to play with them later on. You will want to keep your dog away from mom and pups, you don't want to stress the mom. You have to keep the puppies warm.

[4dognight]

Hoping momma will let you near her pups I have a momma here and she is attached to me and hubby but NO ONE touches the pups!! LOL Hubby and I can but no one else. It is a lot of work even when moms cleans up you still need to change bedding You have to keep mom and pups in an out of the way place and do not walk around the area You can bring stuff in on your shoes Have everyone who touches the pups wash their hands before and after The pupd need to be wormed every 10 to 14 days (I have wormer) they need to be kept warm durning the first two weeks of life they cannot regulate their body temp but momma needs a place to cool off. Lots of work but rewarding I have 7 6wk old puppies here Whoa nellie it is fun (nellie is the mommas name) If you decide to do so get advice from the vet and there are some good books out on this puppy thing too!!

[law1558]

Thanks for the responses so far - suggested articles? 4dognight - you mentioned books...any particular one that's better than another?

[selzer]

It complicates things that you do not know the dam and she does not necessarily trust you. There was a thread a few years back about a similar situation where the dam did not let people near the puppies. I will look for it.

But, if you do decide to go ahead with this, call the library and ask if they have papers, you are going to need a lot of papers. If you have an x-pen, you can build a small pig rail, and use the x-pen to keep the pups confined to a small area. For the first few weeks, a couple of times a day move the puppies into a small basket or crate and change the bedding. The dam SHOULD feed them and keep them clean. She needs a peaceful, atmosphere, good calcium rich food like yougurt, cottage cheese. I would get her to a vet and have them recommend a good vitamin for her because you really do not know what her situation was prior to being rescued.

When I move the puppies, I let her see that I am putting them right where she can still have access, clean the box, put down more papers, and then put them back into the box. At first, you can leave the gate open, so she can go in and out on her own. After that, you need to be a little more creative so that she can get out and in ok, but they can't follow her.

A heat lamp in one corner of the box is a good idea. At this point one of the only senses they have is feeling hot or cold. If they are hot, they spread out, if they are cold they pile up. If they get cold, their digestive system will shut down, and they will stop eating and die. If you feed a cold puppy, it will die. They cannot regulate their own temperature. But they can move to a warmer area within their box. They are not 102 degrees and are susceptible to many diseases. One is canine herpies. A fever of 103 usually knocks it right out, so adult dogs rarely even appear sick, though they can still shed the disease. But a puppy of this age cannot get up to 103 degrees to kill the disease so they can die. Limiting access to other dogs is essential. Don't wear your outside shoes in the puppy area.

After a week of age start checking toenails. If you do not clip them, they will make it harder on the dam. But clipping them is fun because they are microscopic, and the pup is squirmy. I just cut off the hooks on the end about once a week. You do get used to after about six or seven weeks -- about the time when they are ready to go to their new homes.

Once they start eating solid food, around 3-4 weeks old, the dam is not as quick to clean everything up, they will also need more room, and toys. Of course they will make the toys filthy, walk through their water bowl, spill their water bowl, swim in their water bowl, wag their tail through their water bowl -- I think you get the picture. Large raw bones are good to add around this point -- 4-5 weeks, rubber balls and squeak toys, cotton rope.

I used to mark the puppies with yarn -- that is dangerous really, and then rick rack -- that works pretty good. But if the litter is small or different enough, don't put anything around their necks. Still, it is good to record their weight twice a day for about a week, and then once a day. They should be gaining. If they lose weight two days in a row, you may have to supplement.

Good luck. It is work, but it is also rewarding. I hope you do it. Lots of people use a kiddie pool instead of a whelping box. Also, be careful with using blankets as bedding, a pup can get into a fold and be smothered by its mother. Pig rails are used for bigger bitches because it will prevent the pup from getting smothered if it is behind her and she lays on top of it.

[law1558]

How much time does mom usually spend away from her pups? I would think that initially, she's with them all the time, but at some point, she'll need more time/exercise outside of her motherly duties. Since she's a foster, her temperament might be a concern - clearly, she won't be unsupervised, but leash walking, etc. could be interesting.

I would imagine that this mom is not going to be interested in being around our male (and vice versa). Since her time with us is so temporary it seems in everyone's best interest to keep them separated.

[4dognight]

I bought Dog owners home veterinary handbook 4th edition at petsmart I used a plastic baby pool (yes it worked) you could put a ledge around it I did not use a heat lanp I put a small heater in the room I used hospital type washable pads and sheets to start Momma keeps them clean and I just washed the towels and sheets I borrowed a scale to weigh the pups every 3 days and now every 2 weeks to worm You need to cut the puppies toenails often I have unlimited long distance I am not a pro but just did this so I could call you or you call me The biggest problem will be if momma lets you near the pups maybe Pull her out everyso often and check the pups Momma also need pleanty of water and lots of puppy food to help her nurse

[Stevenzachsmom]

law1558, I can't really offer any advice. But, thank you for even considering taking in the Mom and pups. It sounds like this is a decent rescue, so I would certainly think they would offer you a lot support - hopefully even extra volunteer hands. A lot of work, but very rewarding, I am sure.

[RebelGSD]

This is an informative thread

Alma (aka Aza), pretty girl from Pittsboro, NC

[Rerun]

I've done this a few times, and it's really rewarding but it's a TON of work. It is, IMHO, "easier" when you have a mom who takes care of the pups, in comparison to bottle feeding around the clock (which I've also done, many times). But though it's easier in that regard, it brings a whole new set of challenges in regards to a setup that is suitable for mom. Puppies are easier in my opinion.

I've done a few setups for moms and babies, and when they are that young I find it easier to use an x-pen attached to a large wire crate. I then put the BOTTOM of a vari kennel in the xpen. Something to cover the front of the vari kennel so pups can't escape (I use a cut and fitted e-collar) and blankets on the bottom of the vari kennel. You'll need to wash and clean the kennel out several times a day. Mom will usually eat the poop, but pups pee a LOT. You'll be shocked how much a litter of pups can pee on a ton of blankets.

I use the crate the xpen is attached to to contain mom while I move the pups to a small cage and clean out the vari kennel and pen. The door of the cage opens into the pen, so mom can also utilize it for a space away from babies as they get older.

I potty walk moms on a leash, and they spend 99% of their time with the babies until babies are 6 wks old or so, then mom usually wants some time away from them during the day here and there. Longer walks, an hr out of the pen, etc.

I use those times to introduce the pups to canned food mixed with water, warm, on a plate or shallow bowl. I don't wean until 8 wks but by 4 - 6 they are eating a good amount of canned food during the day to supplement moms milk and stop being such a drain on her. I always feeds moms puppy food, by the way.

Do not put a bowl of water anywhere near where the pups can access it, they will drown.

When the are this small it's not bad, but when they get bigger it's a TON of work having a litter of 5 - 8 wk olds. Try to imagine having 6 8 wk old puppies. It's hard to even enjoy them sometimes, unless it's nice outside and you can set up big pens for them to play in, etc. Having that many little pups in a house can be very stinky (you'll have to have a setup they can potty in), very loud when they want something, and you'll do nothing all day but clean clean clean. Just be prepared.

and no, you don't need to introduce the mom to your dog. I wouldn't let your dog even in the same room as mom and her babies.

And PLEASE don't do what a lot of shelter fosters do and dump mom back in the shelter when the pups are weaned and adopted! Keep her until she finds a home.