Help - mum rejecting puppies??

[FizzyNuts]

I need some practical advice/tips please!

Since yesterday I have been looking after a bitch who has recently had a litter of 5 pups (they are now 1 week old), they are in a crate at the moment and all seemed well until a couple of hours ago (mum settled in well yesterday and seemed fairly content). The problem is she keeps coming out of the crate and sitting just outside of it, the pups are squeaking away inside the crate but she doesn't seem fussed about them.

I have just been in to see her and she went back into the crate and is allowing the pups to suckle but she keeps wandering out and leaving them.

She has had litters in the past so knows what to do, could it be the stress of being somewhere new with people she doesn't know very well?

I am really worried about them but I don't want to make the situation worse if she is rejecting them (picking them up, bothering mum unnecessarily etc.). They are in a warm, draft free room but they are so tiny, I'm sure they need their mum close by at all times to keep warm and to feed.

What can I do? Do I need to do anything or should I just leave her to it? (Two of the pups are very small so I have been checking on them every now and again to make sure they aren't being pushed out by the bigger pups).

It does sound worrying, if I was in your position would be trying to get mum and pups into a rescue ASAP.

Are you in touch with where you took her in from? I'm assuming you are fostering from a rescue.

She is back in the crate with them now and seems to be settled (I peeped in without causing a fuss).

No I'm not fostering, looking after them on behalf of a relative (it's a long story but relative is unable to have them for the next fortnight so I have taken them in, the mum knows me and has been to my house but it's not anything like 'home' to her).

Pleas be gentle with me, I know it all sounds rather irresponsible but I'm just trying to help out a relative who is in a bit of a pickle.

I'm going to keep an eye on them tonight and will call the vets first thing in the morning, god I hope they are all going to be okay. Thanks for the replies.

That's great.

Well done on you for stepping in to help.

Good luck

All seems well this morning, she stayed in the crate with the pups all night and they have all being managing to feed from her (even the two that are quite small).

Hopefully she will be fine now, my children have been told in no uncertain terms not to go near her or even into the room that she is in for at least the next week.

I'm going to try and leave mum to it as much as possible now, it's just so awful seeing the two tiny ones screeching when they get pushed away by the bigger pups , last night was even worse, they were all wailing when she was sat outside the crate.

Going to call the vet now and have a chat about the whole situation, after googling 'fading puppy syndrome' I have got myself all worried!!

All the breeders I know ( and I don't know many) would be weighing the puppies daily to make sure they are gaining appropriately. They would also be sleeping with the pups and mum at this stage.......
Anyway the weighing and checking for dehydration is something you should talk to the vet about.

Are you giving her a higher Calorie food? You may need to think about supplementing the smaller pups........the breeder I know say those latex triangular sponges are the best way of doing it. Easier than using a teat.
Maybe the vet could put you in touch with someon who could mentor you.

I would second what mrslaughan says.

Our bitch is (hopefully!) pregnant with a much wanted and planned litter. From all the research I have done, and from speaking to my bitches breeder, stud dog owner and other friends who breed, they have all said stay with mum and babies 24 hours a day for at least the first week, if not longer, and then only to nip to toilet/shower. So i would be a little concerned you are leaving them alone. It's possible for mum to accidentally hurt or suffocate puppies.

If you can't get your vet to put you in touch with a local mentor, definitely take a look at the book of the bitch.

Good luck

I've only just had time to look at today's replies, I have been keeping a close eye on them today and everything seems fine now, she has been staying in the crate with them and they are all managing to feed (the little ones need a bit of help at times but there is always someone in the house to keep an eye on them).

I spoke to the vet first thing and he didn't seem too worried, he said he would be concerned if mum was snarling at the pups but that I shouldn't worry too much at the moment (he did mention a supplement I could get for the little ones if they do keep struggling).

A mentor sounds like a good idea, I will call the vet again tomorrow and ask about that.

I have just been feeding mum the food her owner left me, not sure what it is exactly but I will have a check. Hopefully the weird behaviour yesterday was just her settling in to being somewhere different with people she doesn't know very well!

Thank you for all the replies, they have all been really helpful