the PUPS

BIRTH

Puppies are born after a pregnancy lasting 57 to 63 days from the time of the mating. During this period the dam goes on with her usual life and behavior. Special care is given to keep her rested, calm and serene. Sporting activities as well as shows or any other activity that might produce some stress or fatigue are interrupted. If her coat has very long hair it is better to trim it and hair near the nipples shall be kept clean.

During the last month of pregnancy special attention shall be given to her food intake that shall be richer in calories and quantity. The dam is by now calmer and more affectionate, she demands more company and attention. Just before whelping her temperature goes down and the dam starts showing some anxiety and stops eating. She often turns around to look at her belly and scratches the ground. It is important then that someone is there with her when she gives birth to her first puppy to make sure everything is o.k. and to reassure and help her if necessary. A veterinarian should always be at hand if any problem was to come up and he should always be available for calls. A lamp with infrared rays should be placed above the dam's whelping area so as to keep the puppies warm and avoid their being suddenly exposed to a temperature so different from the warmth they had in the dam's womb.

The bitch's confinement area will have been prepared by putting in a calm spot a whelping box of the right size. If everything proceeds regularly, the dam will remove, by licking vigorously, the fetal sac enclosing each puppy and will cut the umbilical cord. She cleans and licks the puppies helping their blood circulation and stimulating them . Whelping may take more or less time , the puppies are born at irregular intervals, going from a few minutes to a few hours. The puppy instinctively, within a few minutes, will start searching for the dam's teats and suckling. This first phase is quite important: this first milk the puppies are getting is in fact not milk but colostrum which is extremely rich in nutrients and in maternal antibodies needed to surmount this most critical phase of growth, their first week of life. From the moment she starts suckling the dam will need a lot of drinking water. It should always be fresh water and it should be placed at hand. She will also need an abundant supply of high quality food, to be divided in several meals.

In the first days she feeds them the dam will never leave the puppies by themselves. She is very possessive and protective but as time goes by she will be less so. She will be more and more detached as the puppies grow and get stronger. When the puppies are about 20-30 days old they start suckling while standing. And finally the moment arrives when she will refuse to feed them. The dam also takes full care of the puppies toilet and will stop when she starts weaning them. During the weaning period puppies are fed with milk and liquid food. The food is to be given more and more condensed every day . Two months old puppies will be totally capable of autonomous feeding and will be fed solid good quality food. The dam's return to normal life follows the puppies growth. At last when they are 75 days old the puppies will leave their mother. And they will start their new life with people who have chosen them and who have proved to be trustworthy and able to take care of them and of their growth.

do lusiadas kennel by fabiana bazzani - (florence ) - ITALY

mobil phone 349-5789127 in italian language | e-mail : info@dolusiadas.it