Quote:
Originally Posted by Insane
I mated my bitch two weeks ago for the first time, so I obviously don't know yet whether she is pregnant but if she is I was just wondering about what others do with other dogs in the house around the time of whelping and afterwards.
My bitch is a border terrier and I also have a large eight and a half stone boy who is a big softy but I have already gathered that he can be nowhere near the mum and pups in the beginning so I am (if she is) going to arrange for him to go and stay at my in-laws (who love him to bits anyway) but when would you recommend he could meet the pups and come back home?
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Hi Insane - do you have reason to suspect either that your big boy will harm the pups, or that your mum to be will be worried if he's around? If so, then you are right to send him away. If not, however, I'd let him stay. I'd make sure you had a secure place to whelp - ie in a separate room where the mum feels she and the pups will be safe - and then I'd introduce him after it was all over and mum and pups had had a feed and some sleep. This is what I did with our bergies - both male and females - when Evie had her litter. It seemed to calm Evie knowing the others were around - she was happy for them all to examine the pups except for Gabby, our oldest female bergie. For some reason, she made sure she was always between Gabby and the pups. Providing you have a secure puppy pen, and the mum isn't fazed by your boy being there, it will be better for your boy to feel he has not been left out, and better for the pups to grow up around another dog.