New puppies three days old...dilema

[TrebleNAria]

Hello all.
I had been in the breeders area posting then I found this place. I am not a breeder but inherited two yorkies, when my sister died and one was prego. She gave birth 12/9 and had four very healthy puppies. Here is my issue: I need to be gone part of the day on Saturday. I mean I HAVE TO BE gone. My sister died about 7 weeks ago...so this wasn't in my planning to have these dogs at all but i love them with all my heart. My son graduates college on saturday and the whelping box doesn't keep the mother contained etc when I am done...Ideas??? on what to keep them all in so they are safe while I go watch my son get his bachelors diploma??

[rubymoon2072]

i dont know a thing about whelping but can you keep them all in a crate of xpend while you attend your sons graduation....congrats also on his bachelors!

[My lil friend]

Can you put an EXpen around the welping box? This is the only thing that I can think of.

[MandiesMom]

I agree that the xpen is a good idea. I also wanted to send you my condolences on the loss of your sister. I think it's great that you are taking care of her lovely mama yorkie and the babies.

Congrats on your son's graduation, too!

[horsnaround]

A pen around them is the best idea

[carmen in nj]

when I have to go out, I put the x pen around the whelping box, is ok, and I do it, or if you have a big crate you can leave her there with the puppies, make sure she has a bowl full of food and a enogh water for the day, and a pee pad, she should take care of the puppies ok, a pen is the best option but a big crate works too...
hugs,

[TrebleNAria]

Thanks all got an Expen this evening and she is not happy about it..but it will keep her in I HOPE...i do worry about her getting out. we are going to try it overnights for the next couple of nights to see how it's going. I have always wanted one for outside when we are camping never thought about for inside. What do others use it for??

[horsnaround]

Depending on what kind it is. I had to stuff newspaper in areas I thought a puppy may stick it's head. I had plastic ones. And Lexi did figure out how to climb out of them. But she was very attached to me. So I put a board the pups couldn't climb over so mom could come and go. Also make sure the other dog can not get to the pups while your gone. Just in case. But the pen was a life saver. Gave the pups lots of room as they grew up.

[carmen in nj]

with the puppies being less than 2 weeks, just put the whelping box inside the pen, the babies should not be mobile enogh to get out of the whelping box, make sure mama is confortable in there, put a nice blanket in a corner so she can lay to get a rest from lactating the babies, mama's tend to stay very close to their young. and like I said plenty of wate and food and she will be fine.

[horsnaround]

Yes I was talking once the puppies get mobile. They will be fine in the whelping box this time. Just letting you know for future outings. The problems I ran into and being so young mom will stay very close. I would put the water and food outside the whelping box so mom can get to but babies can not. And always lots of food and water. Carmen is very good help for new moms. She has been through this many many times. And has beautiful pups

[TrebleNAria]

Thanks all for sure this is going to be a lifesaver for sure. I will check the edges and such but the pups aren't mobile enough to get out of the whelping box so I should be good to go and will crate the male dog like I have been doing at night etc... Gonna try it out this evening while hubby and I get a quick bite to eat and visit his brother for his birthday and get a couple of things I need for saturday

[TrebleNAria]

OK purchase the exercise pen and put it up in my now crowded living room. she is loving it. Just a bit ago we had an issue though. My daughter came home from work and when she walked in the door the mother jumped out of the whelping box and one puppy was attached and it fell outside the whelping box. We sat and watched to see how the mother dealt with it...She wanted to put the puppy in her mouth but every time the puppy cried she stopped and they have been growing so fast i am not sure she could've without hurting her. Ideas? My concern is saturday if this happens right after we leave...how many hours an that pup go without nursing OR should i take them ALL out of the whelping box and put their bedding on the floor so she can push or drag it by the legs...like they tend to do...Can you tell this is stressing me..The puppies are getting SO BIG SO FAST she is an amazing mom.

[carmen in nj]

here's a link to my setup, this picture shows my puppies which are 10 weeks now, but basically this is what you want , and believe me she would have figure out how to put that baby back if you were not there.

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...a/IMG_0317.jpg

[TrebleNAria]

OMW how adorable....
So far this is what we have LOL
http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/pic...ctureid=123914
I am nervous about using the crate...but i guess that would be ok too right??
we don't have anything on the carpet yet, tomorrow we are getting plastic then laying towels and such on top, our kitchen floor is too cold for them right now

[carmen in nj]

yes, puppies can't control their body temperature until they are 2 weeks old, so keeping them in a warmer room is the best, and get rid of the plastic tub the walls are too tall that is why she is dragging the babies to the floor, I never liked using those under the bed containers for that reason. do you have a crate that you can remove the door and use it like I have? or anything with a lower wall? she is going to need a pee pad in there and her food and water..
make sure you give her her dose of calcium before you go too , is very important now that she is lactating the babies..
if worse come to worse, take a cardboard box and cut the walls to about 3 inches from the bottom and line it with warm blankets and use that for the day.. is better than the plastic container.
hugs,