[Yorkiemom1]

My mommas are completely restricted to MY BEDROOM for at least a week before they deliver. She is in a whelping pen at the foot of my bed and she is there for a week before her due date....and after the puppies are born in that whelping pen with me in constant attendance during birth, she is in there with the puppies for at least two weeks, without coming out to visit or walk around, carrying God only knows what, back to the puppies. She and the babies are under 24/7 watch by me...watching for any signs or symptoms that something is amiss. After two weeks, she is allowed to come out alone with me, for just long enough to walk around and potty, then my mommas want to return to their litter. I can not say I have ever had a breeder that wanted to leave her babies....I have to carry them out and place them down....and they want to go back to babies immediately.....on command, they will pee/poop, but then it is right back to babies. The whelping crate which is about 36 inches wide and 76 inches long, stays at the foot of my bed for 8 weeks, at which time momma and babies go to the nursery pen.....48 by 80 inches, with time out in a play area several times during the day. Mommas are also allowed at 6-8 weeks post birth, to spend some quality time away from babies....they enjoy running around outside (on my property in the back yard), fresh air, grass, shade, sunlight, water features, etc....and they then enjoy returning to their kids, without feeling they are being forgotten by me and banished to dealing strictly with babies. Mental and emotional health of breeders is critical and every bit as important as physical health. They are allowed to join our family activities, as the play area the pups and momma are in, is right there in the sunroom, where my son and I are...everyone watches TV....mommas, teach the babies dog life lessons, and we are able to actually observe momma as she teaches her little ones what they should be doing, how to do things they should be doing, and doggie manners!

If I did not have room in my bedroom, find a room in the house that can be devoted to momma and baby ONLY! That is where YOU sleep, along side momma and babies, so you are right there, listening and hearing any and all noises that go on, some of which are sweet, precious little sounds indicating all is well....sometimes you have sounds indicating there is/may be a problem or issue. You listen continuously for baby sounds so you know baby is out and about and nursing and not trapped under momma, being smothered to death. For us, breeding and having healthy, thriving puppies, nurtured by mommas that are at the tip top of their game, mentally, physically as well as emotionally, is first and foremost here at Rosehill. This entire home shuts completely down, when there are babies on the property.....there is no one "from the outside", wandering around, looking at or GOD FORBID handling the puppies or upsetting mommas.....we are completely isolated and off limits to everyone when there are puppies on the ground! And when my son or I come inside from outside, we walk thru Virkon solution in a shallow pan by both front and back door.....and outside shoes are then, even after they are treated with the solution, put on a small rug at the back door, and we wear "inside shoes" around the inside of the house. But to me, all this effort assures me that my babies/dogs are completely safe and healthy, physically as well as emotionally and mentally!