 Hope This Helps
For how long do you keep your Human family from handling or messing with new pups? Or do you at all?
I just want to let you know that while I do not breed, I worked as a consult and advisor for many breeders and served as a whelping nurse since I was about 13 w/ a veterinarian as my mentor. I'm 25 now and all I do is train and show dogs. As far as your first question here goes, I'd say that they can handle them the first day to be honest. HOWEVER, you want to keep exposure to a minimum and when picking them up go slowly and cradle them properly w/ washed hands. And it's best to have them sitting on the floor so the puppy isn't raised too high off the ground. The biggest concern is that they just went through a lot just to be born. LET THEM REST. Handling them is going to be a neccessity, but I prefer the idea that only one person-two at most, preferably adults handle them until they're closer to a week of age.
When did you start feeding the pups and what did you feed them?
I've noticed that this varies considerably by a week or two and by breed. Many that I speak w/ begin feeding moistened kibble or a rice cereal mix at about 5 weeks of age.
Heating pad...
YES. I prefer heating pads myself on a medium setting, but again this varies per breed also. The only real danger of a heating pad is the threat of it becoming faulty and overheating OR dying on you. I always recommend that they have a heat lamp handy just in case.
Mom is refusing to eat any type of dog food
You need to give her what she'll eat in order to give her the nutrients needed to continue rearing those puppies. Don't worry about what she will and won't eat after this litter to be honest. At that time there are plenty of tactics to put her back on kibble, and you only have to worry about her loosing some weight while transitioning her back, rather than affecting the puppies too. |