Fostering pregnant dog

[Flowerhorn]

A friend has recently adopted a dog from a charity that brings them over from Romania. The dog is lovely but it's also pregnant. My friend cannot take care of a pregnant dog but I potentially can. But need to know what I am signing up for. We can provide food, a warm spot in the house, a garden and we have a good local vet. What care would the mum and puppies need?

Give the dog back to the rescue!
You don't know this dog you have no rapport with it.

The dog needs someone who knows what they are doing not someone who had to ask mumsnet

the rescue will have the appropriate fosters for a pregnant dog. Although questioning a rescue that regimes a pregnant dog to someone that can’t have a pregnant dog 🙄

The rescue does not have foster carers in place. It sounds like a very poorly run organisation, they have rehomed the dog on the basis it is spayed, clearly they didn't spay her.

Amazingly Mumsnet is not the only place I'm looking for information from. But I wanted to get as much information as possible.

You need a whelping box, you can get single use ones online. Put it on a hard surface area that can be easily cleaned. A heat source. Complete separation from any other pets in the house. Careful placement of water bowl to ensure puppies don’t fall in and drown.

Labour- can you potentially afford a c section if needed?

After- Food, puppy milk, weighing scales to weigh puppies at least every other day to ensure they are putting on weight sufficiently, puppy food/weaning food, worming of puppies, flea of puppy, vaccinations, microchips.

Thats a big decision to make.

What will happen to the pups once they are born ?
Will bitch and pups go back to the shelter or will you be left holding the 'babies'

I wouldn't be happy with this. Bitches are very protective of their puppies, and there's not really a relationship with the mum.

I've had a litter of puppies - it is unbelievably hard work. I slept on the sofa for a few weeks.

Learning how to look after the mother while she gives birth. How to resuscitate pups, when to take to the vet etc. Labour lasted 20 hours for mine.

Keeping an eye that the mother doesn't lie on the pups overnight if its her first litter. Making sure all have been born/afterbirth delivered.

Making sure they are all getting enough milk. Keeping on top of cleaning the whelping pen - I was washing the bedding 3+ times a day.

Unbelievable amounts of poo when they are being fed solid food. 4 feeds a day, and cleaning up the pen/washing poo off everything.

Making sure that the pups were exposed to lots of sounds/sights so that they were exposed to life.

Worming/flea treatment and first vaccines/chipping is very expensive. And then there is the stress of having to home all of the puppies.

And scanning to check approx how many there will be. A big first litter might involve topping up the mother's milk. Some have more puppies than they can feed.

www.dogbreedinfo.com/whelping.htm

www.dogbreedinfo.com/breedingdogs/whelpingpuppygreenmess.htm

Thanks @ContSalw that's very helpful. I do think the lack of a relationship with the mother is a big issue. I know I would struggle if she became very aggressive.

I'm also worried that it could all go very wrong. Not much is known about the mum and we have no idea about the dad. She's not a big dog so that's a real risk.

It's a huge responsibility, cost and amount of work. It sounds like she would be better off going back to the rescue/fostered where the rescue pick up the cost.

As well as that, they should be reported for not rehoming safely and ensuring she was spayed. Poor dog, having a litter of pups when she's not settled.

That’s a lovely thing you’re doing. The mother dog and pups will be much happier in a home environment than a kennels.

I’ve had a very few litters of pups simply because I wanted the fun of doing it. I’d say the work involved is a couple of steps down from looking after a baby. It’s very rewarding as long as you’re set up in your home for it.

You'd be best to have the mother dog with you at least a week before the pups are due so she can settle in. A utility room or something similar is most practical. Either order a cardboard whelping box from the internet or have someone make you one with wood. The most important element is the puppy rail running round the edge of the box which prevents a puppy being squashed if the mum lies against it. I lost one puppy like that when the mum also had an infection with a high temperature.

Next, let your vet know the pups are due and find out what support/assistance they can offer if the mum needs help during the birth.

Puppies up to 2/3 weeks need very little care. The mum feeds them and cleans them up. She’ll need fed 4 times a day on a good diet of something like:

Breakfast 2/3 scrambled eggs and a small drink of milk
Lunch - high quality all in one puppy dried food mixed with tinned puppy meat
Tea - same as lunch
Supper - 2/3 Weetabix and warm milk.

Keep the mum clean, warm and comfortable. Use clean towels in the base of the whelping box plus a pad for her to lie on. A few short walks daily for her to get away from the pups.

When the pups eyes/ears open around 3 weeks, they’re ready for weaning. Offer a flattish dish of tinned puppy food mixed with warm milk. Teach each puppy how to eat. Clean them afterwards. They’ll be ready for 4 meals a day over the next week or so. Now the mum won’t clear up after them so use puppy pads changed frequently.

Around 5 weeks, socialising the pups is vital so have friends round to meet and play with them. Start to toilet train them also. Keep up the feeding.

That’s about it. As you can see, most of the work is from 3-9 weeks. It can take an hour to feed and clean up each meal. The feeding schedule for the mum and puppies ties you to the house but it’s ok to be away for a couple of hours.

Hope this gives you an idea of what to expect.

People are being so mean. I know you are trying to do a very kind thing for a really poor dog in need. I would phone a vet and ask their advice and tell them what's going on they will be able to help you. And thank you for helping this poor soul

I think your biggest concern should be the bond or lac of with the bitch . You don't know if she will whelp naturally ( could be big puppies depending on unknown dad ).
Could you cope if she becomes aggressive or very protective of her pups.
Who pick up all the expenses, c section costs aren't cheap if she needs one .
I think your heart is in the right place but you need to be prepared for worse case

Well charity that rehomed the dog have been totally useless but fortunately my friend has found some one to take her in. They've bred dogs before so know what they're doing. Fingers crossed everything goes well.

What a depressing insight into how awful some people are

glad it’s worked out OP

Glad to see your friend found a suitable foster.
I despair at these type if rescue charities.
In our town there was a similar story. Rescue pregnant Romanian female dog. 6 puppies, most of them rehomed around the area.
The puppies grew and grew into these huge incredibly reactive dogs. They all look really endearing but are incredibly problematic and cannot be allowed to interact with other dogs or people.
They get on reasonably fine with each other as they owners organise meet-ups.
But at the end of the day they are dangerous dogs. And they are huge.
I suspect the behaviour is inherited. That's potentially 12 years of very hard work for the new owners and 12 years of a not very satisfying life for these dogs because they are in a constant state of stress really.
The mum is a nervous wreck as well.
I'm conflicted at the outcome.
My heart thinks it's wonderful they all have a safe home. My head says they are not pets and are not happy being 'trapped' in a pet situation.
Really sad overall. At least insurance for health issues and vet bills should be low as these type of dogs tend to be healthy.