PUPPIES! There are being born right now!

flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Tam attacked Atticus last night, he didn't back down and it was an all out dog fight, I broke them up. He wasn't even near the kitchen, he looked at her from the living room, about 2 feet from the doorway, and when she seen him, she ran at him fang bared. I checked them out and there isn't any damage but it scared me to death. We have a gate up and card board across it to block her view to the living room.
You know, I hope Tamerah never gets mad at a human being, I thought Atticus was a scary mean dog....LOL, any bad guys that come to this house better hope Atticus gets to them first.
I don't know how long she is going to be like this...After these puppies I want to have them fixed, between heat and now fighting...I can't stand it.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
WOW...Be careful Flower....those are 2 bigs dogs you have....I think you are right by keeping them from each others view though
 
al&burke

al&burke

Active Member
She is just being a good Mom Flower, You wouldn't believe how my hen protect her chick, I picked the chick up yesterday and see body slammed me. Nature has its way and knows what to do.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Hi Al,
I understand her being protective, I'm concerned that Atticus didn't back down but actually faught with her. When she was in labor she sent him away, and he stayed on the back porch for the duration.
I thought she would put him in his place and all would be at peace. I didn't ecpect him to fight her. That was very frightening, Meowzer's right, they are very big dogs and getting in the middle of a dog fight is crazy, but I was afraid for Tammy all full of milk, and weak from birth and Atticus is dangerous if he wants to be. Not to mention I don't either dig scared up.
My nerves are shot now...I blocked her view so she can relax and enjoy her pups. Atticus is at my side being good...I just have to double check where he is if I move the cardboard from the gate...she left the pups to come after him into the living room.
 
al mc

al mc

Active Member
Sorry I missed the last two days. The info you have been given is very good as I read through the thread.
Feeding mom: 10 pups is a large nutritional burden for mom. I would feed her the 'puppy chow' you intend to feed the pups when you wean them. She will get added protein and vitamins and the pups will get use to the smell of the food. In addition, I would add cottage cheese...not the low fat stuff..the high calorie stuff as it will give her added calories, additional calcium and will help keep her stools formed. I also like to give them a calcium vitamin supplement...pet store or vet will have them.
Interaction of mom and dad; Sometimes this is testy. You and your mother are giving the mom/pups added attention and the father feels a little 'underloved/jealous'. In addition, as mentioned by others, shepards by nature are protective...add maternal instinct and a jealous dad and you have the makings for problems. I would keep them separate in the house.
Consider reintroducing the two adults on a leash in the back yard. This way you are taking them out of the indoor domain and letting them meet away from the pups on neutral ground.
If you can...let them sniff each other through a fence first and judge their behavior. As other posters noted these are powerful dogs and I am worried about you and your mother's safety.
Vet check at 4 weeks unless you want front dewclaws removed (I would not)..but if you do want that done then 3-5 days of age is cheapest/safest time to do.
Contract for sale is good idea. You might want to check with local SPCA/vet about any 'lemon laws' in place on puppy sales in your state. Some states are putting laws in place making it easy for you to have to pick up the bills on any genetic' problems regardless of your bill of sales agreement.
Weaning: Add water to the puppy food and let soften to oatmeal/mush consistency at about 4 weeks of age. Initially they will play in it and make a mess but by 6 weeks you will probably have them completely weaned.
Sounds like all is going reasonably well. I will try to visit swf.com daily but PM me with any questions anytime.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
New pictures..up close
Day two...these pups weigh about 1 pound
This is with Mommy...before we bothered it and woke it up.

And this is with my Mother holding the same pup..This is a boy and notice the eye brows.
 
al&burke

al&burke

Active Member
They are so cute, I was just trying to cheer you up after the dog fought, it is pretty scary when two big dogs go at it. We want pictures everyday, I was a bit confused about the final count so there are 10 puppies - so my final ratio is 6 boys and 5 girls. You take care Flower!!!!
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
OH MY...they are so cute.....I bet your mother is having a blast already LOL
BOTH of you are probably like little kids....LOL
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Al Mc http:///t/387739/puppies-there-are-being-born-right-now/40#post_3414407
Sorry I missed the last two days. The info you have been given is very good as I read through the thread.
Feeding mom: 10 pups is a large nutritional burden for mom. I would feed her the 'puppy chow' you intend to feed the pups when you wean them. She will get added protein and vitamins and the pups will get use to the smell of the food. In addition, I would add cottage cheese...not the low fat stuff..the high calorie stuff as it will give her added calories, additional calcium and will help keep her stools formed. I also like to give them a calcium vitamin supplement...pet store or vet will have them.
Interaction of mom and dad; Sometimes this is testy. You and your mother are giving the mom/pups added attention and the father feels a little 'underloved/jealous'. In addition, as mentioned by others, shepards by nature are protective...add maternal instinct and a jealous dad and you have the makings for problems. I would keep them separate in the house.
Consider reintroducing the two adults on a leash in the back yard. This way you are taking them out of the indoor domain and letting them meet away from the pups on neutral ground.
If you can...let them sniff each other through a fence first and judge their behavior. As other posters noted these are powerful dogs and I am worried about you and your mother's safety.
Vet check at 4 weeks unless you want front dewclaws removed (I would not)..but if you do want that done then 3-5 days of age is cheapest/safest time to do.
Contract for sale is good idea. You might want to check with local SPCA/vet about any 'lemon laws' in place on puppy sales in your state. Some states are putting laws in place making it easy for you to have to pick up the bills on any genetic' problems regardless of your bill of sales agreement.
Weaning: Add water to the puppy food and let soften to oatmeal/mush consistency at about 4 weeks of age. Initially they will play in it and make a mess but by 6 weeks you will probably have them completely weaned.
Sounds like all is going reasonably well. I will try to visit swf.com daily but PM me with any questions anytime.
Thanks Al Mc,
LOL...where were you when the pups were being born???? I thought everyone lived on this site like I do...LOL
Thanks for the tip on cottrage cheese, we have indeed been giving her puppy chow, she likes the dry food but the wet puppy food my vet wanted her to eat, she won't touch.
Why would you not remove dew claws?
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Last chance to guess...on sex of the puppies.
How many boys???
How many girls???
Quote:
Originally Posted by Al&Burke http:///t/387739/puppies-there-are-being-born-right-now/40#post_3414470
They are so cute, I was just trying to cheer you up after the dog fought, it is pretty scary when two big dogs go at it. We want pictures everyday, I was a bit confused about the final count so there are 10 puppies - so my final ratio is 6 boys and 5 girls. You take care Flower!!!!
LOL...I checked the sex, but my mother did too, and she got a different number than I did. I have not rechecked them since. LOL...I need to register the litter so I better go get the tally. I will be right back.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Okay...drum roll....
Al & Burke counted all 11 puppies ...1 died, so I have 10 puppies
6 boys and 5 girls
Scott T
7 girls and 3 boys
Gemmy like Al, counted all 11
5 girls and 6 boys
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I have 10 puppies 5 girls and 5 boys....with counting all 11, then I did have 6 boys and 5 girls.
 
travelerjp98

travelerjp98

Active Member
awww how cute!!! good luck with raising them!
I know how scary a dog fight can be sometimes... since I volunteer at an animal rescue, one time I brought my friend to come with me to walk some dogs there... it turned out that the two dogs were NOT compatible with each other at all... the dog that I was holding dragged me to the ground and they were fighting ON TOP OF ME... I couldn't get up... heck I could barely breathe... luckily another person from the rescue helped me out because my friend just started crying... even though it was a little dramatic...I did see why she did... no experience with dogs... it was supposed to be a peaceful walk in the woods... etc.
 
gemmy

gemmy

Active Member
I have seen a few dog fights break out and the best thing to end them would be to make a loud noise, like an air horn or a stainless steel pan hitting the floor. It will startle the dogs enough to get their attention diverted so that the handler can regain control of them.
 
al&burke

al&burke

Active Member
OMG I am so brain dead - so I say the final count is 10 puppies then I type 6 boys and 5 girls - Hi my name is Al and I am not smarter than a 5th grader. LOL
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Al&Burke http:///t/387739/puppies-there-are-being-born-right-now/40#post_3414553
OMG I am so brain dead - so I say the final count is 10 puppies then I type 6 boys and 5 girls - Hi my name is Al and I am not smarter than a 5th grader. LOL
LOL....You and Gemmy had the right number...if you count the poor number 11. I was surprised we had an equal number of each. LOL Here is the funny story of when we counted the pups.
My back is in bad shape..I counted and Mother wrote the call down...so when I was done calling them out setting each pups to the side, she says 5 girls and 4 boys. I say MOTHER, that is only 9...so I recount and set the pups down on the other side as I count..A boy...a girl, another boy...and so on.....at the end I ask what do we have, my mother says 5 girls and 4 boys. "Mother, that can't be right, it's only 9 and we have 10 puppies."
My mother says, your back hurts bending so much let me call and you keep track...so we do and ...we have 5 girls and 4 boys. I look at the box, there are no more puppies. I'm thinking I had only 9 all this time???? I sit in the box with Tamerah and the puppies and do another recount...5 girls and 4 boys. As I'm sitting there in the box, thinking all this time I must have miscounted and we have only 9 puppies..... the cloth that was at one time a pad for the box started to wiggle........I unwrapped boy number 5 who was tangled up all that time.
 
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