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Expecting Springer
Will puppies and mom be okay in garage?
Found [20] Posts :: Page 1 of 1
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Posted: 6:25:31 PM 11/1/2009
We are expecting English springer spaniels puppies this week. We have created a special spot for her in the garage (insulated) with blankets and a heat lamp over the whelping box. My husband is very concerned that this could be to cold out there for them. Any ideas, the dogs sleep out in the garage very comfortably?
illusionminis
Posted: 6:48:18 PM 11/1/2009
the pups can chill very easily. You may need more, it should really be in the high 80's low 90's when there are pups. If your garage can be that hot go for it. Most breeders I know who have turned there garage into a kennel still whelp in there homes. It really is better for the pups and mom to be inside.

If nothing else she should at least be allowed to give birth in your home where it is really warm. A pup can die in less then 30min's if it catches a chill. It also makes it easier for you to keep an eye on her and help her deliver.
BIG HEARTS IN A SMALL PACKAGE
oxfordbostons
Posted: 7:34:14 PM 11/1/2009
I agree that they really need to be with you. I am very blessed to have a spare bedroom that I have transformed into the "dog's bedroom" but I use a small, plastic kiddie pool for whelping. I fill it with blankets and old towels and put it in the bathroom. I turn the heat on in the bathroom and close the door. I can check on everyone periodically and it's very toasty. Mom can get out of the pool and she will scratch on the door when she wants out to eat or potty. Clean up is super easy as well with bleach and water in a spray bottle.

*One word of caution with a heat lamp:
A man called me about 2 weeks ago and said that his Boston had given birth to a litter of 6 puppies and all of them were dead when he returned home from work that day. I asked him several questions and found that he had placed mom and pups in his garage and put a heat lamp in an apparent homemade box. The pups were all at the opposite end of the lamp and none survived. They had gotten too hot. Mom couldn't get out of the box and it was a horrible situation. Yes, they are great to have and I put one over the scales when my pups are born and I start doing weights but always make sure that they do not get over heated.

Congrats on the litter and hope all goes well.
"A word to the wise ain't necessary, it's the stupid ones who need advice." -Bill Cosby
Posted: 8:32:18 PM 11/1/2009
Thanks so much for your input, I think we'll probably move her into the laundry room for whelping and out to the garage when the puppies are a little sturdier. Thanks so much for your input and words of caution. We are learning as we go and excited for the upcoming birth.
lpn169
Posted: 9:47:44 PM 11/1/2009
I agree with the others. The puppies cannot regulate their body temps and should be kept in the area of 90 degrees the first several weeks. The heat lamp will provide that heat, but the problem is drafts.

A simple draft is enough to cause pneumonia and death in a puppy.

In the home is best. Its always a long haul to get them from birth -12 weeks when they can go to homes, alot of mess, noise and hard work, but they really should be whelped and raised within the home.
Be kinder than necessary,
for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Live simply,

Love generously,

Care deeply,

Speak kindly.......
<
schoolbus gal
Posted: 2:07:23 PM 11/2/2009
Also not mentioned here is that if a pup gets too cold, the mother will probably reject it...lot's of blankets! We have a thrift store in my area where everything is $2 and under...Lovely place to buy doggie whelping blankets!
oxfordbostons
Posted: 3:25:07 PM 11/2/2009
They say you learn something new every day...

I had no idea that mothers reject cold pups. I have never experienced that I guess but still, seems that the maternal instinct would be to try to warm the baby rather than reject it. Who knew?
"A word to the wise ain't necessary, it's the stupid ones who need advice." -Bill Cosby
Posted: 6:37:22 PM 11/2/2009
SO I have moved mama inside and expect puppies this week sometime. We keep our house around 70 degrees, do we still need a space heater even in the house on the puppies then? Who knew they would need to be so warm? I would think it would be to hot for mama and she wouldn't stay in there with puppies?
illusionminis
Posted: 8:27:00 PM 11/2/2009
I do a space heater, but the oil filled kind, not the blowing kind. The blowing kind can cause a draft which is just as bad as being outside. make sure mom has plenty of water, and she will want to come out for potty breaks and such. Depending on the mom, one of my girls likes to come and go. She may be in the living room with us for an hour or so, and then go back to her pups for a couple of hours. Another one of my girls will bearly leave them for potty breaks.
BIG HEARTS IN A SMALL PACKAGE
sassyone
Posted: 1:20:39 AM 11/3/2009
Reminds me, I need to go to the thrift store and restock on blankets if they have any left.

I have a spare bedroom that is also my dog bedroom and I try to keep it about 80 in there and for my babies that is actually quite good as long as their is a decent sized litter that stay close to mom good. The Corgi moms own heat and fur really seem to keep the babies plenty toasty. Plus if I kept it 90 my moms would get hot and probably reduce their milk production which is a bigger worry w/ Corgi's as they don't milk all that great. My pups also start developing a rather thick baby coat by about 5-7 days old. I have never had a chilling problem.

DO make sure to keep the babies plenty warm but also try to make sure mom doesn't get too hot either. An overheated dam can cause them to reduce their milk production. I think the standard protocol is to reduce the room temp by a few degree's one week at a time after the pups are born.

Get it to what you think feels good for the babies and then let mom and babies tell you if it needs adjusting. Over heated babies will sqirm and cry and cold babies won't act very squirmy when picked up and also don't usually nurse very well. A peacfully content sleeping/nursing puppy is a sign that the temp is good.

Posted: 10:05:13 AM 11/3/2009
Thanks so much for all of your input. I think we'll put her in the warmest room of the house, the bathroom off the laundry room. It is completely enclosed so it gets pretty toasty and with the dryer running it stays plenty warm. I'll also turn up the heat in the house in general for the next couple of weeks. I have made several whelping blankets with fleece and terry cloth backing for their useage so I think they'll be plenty warm in there. Thanks again!
lpn169
Posted: 4:17:19 AM 11/4/2009
Dont forget to announce when the puppies come...and pics are a must!
Be kinder than necessary,
for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Live simply,

Love generously,

Care deeply,

Speak kindly.......
<
Posted: 7:23:37 AM 11/4/2009
I will definitely post pics. I can tell this is going to be a long week. Last night around dinner time mom started shaking and then panting and acting strange throughout the evening. temp was 99.4 down from 100.5 average, around 2 am she started whining and scratching at gate panting heavily. Panting Heavily continued for about 2 hours now she continue to breathe heavily and act different but has calmed down. Is this the onset of labor or am I in for a long week of overreacting on my part and sleepless nights? Who knew I would be so hypervigilant about puppies?
Posted: 1:22:24 PM 11/5/2009
Yeah!! We did it and I mean we!!! My springer and I are proud parents of 8 puppies all doing well currently. It was a long process with latent labor beginning Tuesday night, water breaking last night at 7:30p and first puppy at 11:30p to the last and unexpected 8th puppy at 10:00am this morning. It was a long process with several unexpected twists, definitely a team approach at times but I am proud to say we have all survived. Mama and puppies are happily resting, my only question is when do I get to nap? Thanks so much for all of your words of wisdom on the sight it was very encouraging!! I don't know how to post pictures or I definitely would attach, thanks again!!
sassyone
Posted: 2:35:33 PM 11/5/2009
Thats good. Usually if all the babies are nursing and staying close to mom, I will nap in the same room not far from her. That way if anyone gets in trouble I will hear it and wake up. I usually nap lightly with new babies. Another good reason to have them in the house, it is alot comfier to nap next to them than to nap next to them in a garage.

You'll probably spring into unnecasary action at every peep fearing the worse only to find a pup who just lost his ninny.
NoDogYet
Posted: 9:05:50 PM 11/5/2009
Congrats on the new babies!

You can't post photos directly on this site. Upload your photos to a photo hosting site (like photobucket or flikr), then paste links to them in a post here.
Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
illusionminis
Posted: 9:16:50 PM 11/5/2009
Way to go Mom and grandma. Naps now come few and far between lol. I use a spare bedroom, so I spend usually the first week in there. After that I go back to my own bed. Enjoy, and good luck on the sleep
BIG HEARTS IN A SMALL PACKAGE
lpn169
Posted: 5:07:47 AM 11/6/2009
Congrats...cant wait to see those pics!
Be kinder than necessary,
for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Live simply,

Love generously,

Care deeply,

Speak kindly.......
<
Posted: 4:18:54 PM 11/9/2009
So I have pics posted on facebook, how do I link them to this sight? Also posted it as my discussion pic or what ever you call it and it didn't show up there either. I am trying to share the pics:)Thanks again for all your help whether I get them posted or not, vet visit today went really well and the vet was pleased with puppies condition:)
lpn169
Posted: 3:37:01 AM 11/12/2009
Dont think you can kink off of facebook.

Upload to http://www.photobucket.com or to http://www.tinypic.com

And post the link to each pic.
Be kinder than necessary,
for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Live simply,

Love generously,

Care deeply,

Speak kindly.......
<
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