Hi All


Just thought I would touch on something that I havent seen in this forum.
I would like to start this with the method I use for the welping of puppies and some problems we have had.

We at wilja Koolies have set up a shed 3 x 2 metres in size that sits on a concrete floor with no windows but an open doorway.
Connected to this is a 2 metre high run that is 3 metres wide and 8 metres long.
In the shed we have made a welping box that is 1800mm x 1800mm in size and 300mm high, after trying a lot of things on the floor of this welping box we have finally settled on marine carpet.We have several of these so that we can clean one while another has taken it's place.
We initially tried a sponge mattress covered in plastic then putting newspaper over this thinking that would keep the welping box reasonably clean but the first bitch we put into this welping box promptly chewed all the newspaper out and had her pup's on plastic. This caused problems in that the pup's had no grip and were sliding around and couldn't get to there feet.
We then removed the plastic and left the foam mattress in there, Again the bitch chewed this to pieces and we had to remove it so the pup's wouldn't choke on the pieces of foam.
The photo below was taken just before the bitch chewed the plastic out of this box after removing the newspaper.
We tried old blankets only to find that the pup's were getting stuck under the blanket and it was moving around to much.
Then we came up with the idea of marine carpet, this proved to be a huge success, easy to clean layed flat in the box and gave the pup's plenty of grip. The added bonus for us was the ease of cleaning as this can be hosed down disenfected and dried in a matter of an hour or two

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We have a heat lamp above one corner of the welping pen that is turned on when the weather cold. I believe that this helps the bitch as she doesn't need to keep the pup's warm which can be stressfull on the bitch. The heatlamp should however only be placed in one corner of the welping box so that they can get away from it if it is to warm for them.
We use an aluminium heat reflector that I use when incubating and rearing chickens and have found this to be very effective. Our heat lamp covers about a quarter of the total box area and you can tell if the pup's are happy or not the same way as you do with chickens if the pup's are in a tight ball under the light they are probably to cold and if they are well away from the light they are probably to hot. You can then either change the strength of the globe or lift or lower the lamp as needed.

We place the expectant bitch in this pen a week or so before she is due this so she feels comfortable in the surroundings and gets accustomed to the welping box.

We have in our welping box made a door that hinges down to become a ramp this is kept closed initially so the pup's don't suffer any draft but is opened when they are a little bigger and are starting to wander around the welping box.

We place a large low bowl of water in the welping box with some stones in it so that the pup's can't drown this is often used by the pup's while still feeding off mum

We start to ween our pup's somewhere between 3 and 4 weeks this is done with mashed and soaked puppy food (this is best done with hot water and left to soak overnight before being mashed .)often with an egg thrown in for good measure and added protein at skin temperature at first, it is more a soup than anything. Mum is left with the pup's at his stage and is only removed temporarily while we feed the pup's she is then removed removed completely when the pup's are about 5 to 6 weeks The mush we feed them initially does over time become colder and more solid but this can't happen until the pup's have teeth

Mum will clean both the pup's and the welping box until you start to ween the pup's, as soon as your pup's have a solid toilet mum leaves the cleaning to you.

I don't believe that mum should feed these pup's for two long as she suffers immensely during this process.

This is my present method of welping and raising pup's

Any other suggestions would be greately received as I believe that there are many people out there that when they have a first litter don't know where to start.


Jack Wilja Koolies

Thank you so much for this Jack.... we are expecting out first litter and we are getting down to the wire on things..... only a few more days.... I am sure that grandma TJ knows just how many days we have left... she has them marked on her calendar just like us.....please keep this advice coming.

Karolina Koolies

;grouphug2:

Hi Again karolinakoolie

You should be able to work out when your dog is due, it is easy to work out.
normal gestation for a dog is 63 days from the time of joining.

You shouldn't worry to much as the bitch will do what needs to be done, you don't need to stay up all night or anything like that.

I believe that in the first 3 weeks your job will be to look after mum so that she can take care of the pup's, she will eat huge amounts of food despite getting thinner and thinner.

If you havent done this before I will give you a brief run down on what happens.

When a pup is born it will be in a sac don't worry mum will chew this off the pup when she gets time she will after this lick the pup clean and carry on with the others. If you are there when the pup's are born you may find that there is a pup that hasn't had the sac removed yet but don't worry mum is probably busy delivering another pup.

It is not unusual for a bitch to have 8 or more pup's and the main thing you need to do initially is make sure that when she has had her pup's that 1 pup isn't stuck inside her this occasionally happens when a large pup can't get out. you will notice in this case the bitch walking wide legged and urinating a lot.If this happens it is vitally important that you remove this pup. it will normally be visible from the outside and either the bitch hasn't the strength or the pup is just to big but either way this needs fixing. If this does happen you just pull the pup out whichever way you can. You don't need to panic and can take some time to compose yourself and get what ever tools you wish but this needs fixing.

If a pup is shunned and placed away from the others you should let nature take it's course, this usually means that there is something wrong with this pup and it is going to expire. It is no good putting it back with the others mum will just shun it again so let nature take it's course.
I think that the mothers of puppies know when things aren't right and fix it themselves, As I have said before except for obvious problems in the bitch you don't need to look after the pup's mum will do that.

I have seen some information from different sources that tell you to try and save shunned puppies but believe that the bitch knows what we don't and a vet can't tell so unless you want possibly defective puppies let nature take it's course


Jack Wilaj Koolies

Okay…. Took Jack’s advice yesterday and I have set up the nursery!

We have a breakfast room in our house that is going to be used as the whelping room. It is off of the kitchen so I will be able to watch it with no problem. The room is 6 feet by 7 feet (1.8 meters x 2.1 meters) with an arched doorway.

SO taking Jack’s words of wisdom I went and got indoor / outdoor marine carpet….it has short tight soft pile that can be rinsed off. I had it cut to the right size for the room and put it down over the vinyl floor. Then to insure that the pups can not get underneath it we got lumber and built a box frame to set down on the edges of the room thus holding the carpet down. This also blocks off the door entry to the room. It is only 8 inches tall (203.2mm) and this still allows Jill to leave that area if she wants too, but the new bornes will not be able to. Now as they get older and starting climbing we have a puppy gate that will block off the room for safety.

See attached photos.
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Inside the room we placed the whelping bed under a folding table. This we have draped with fabric to help keep heat in and to offer her a bit of privacy. She likes being in the closet under the hanging clothes and under the back deck so I thought she may like this. Now once the puppies arrive we will have a heat lamp that we will hang in one corner of the room as well as having an electric space heater out in the kitchen area to help keep things warm. No blowing heat in the whelping area just outside. It is winter here and we heat with wood (woodstove) so the area where the woodstove is the most warm and the extended areas of the house tend to be a bit cooler. The electric space heater will help keep these two rooms (kitchen & breakfast room) warmer. I loved the water bowl / rocks idea and will do something similar once the pups get here.

Thanks for the play by play Jack…it helps to have all the information I can.

We are doing all the things that we were told to. Jill is receiving lots of calcium and fish oil. I have increased her food intake this past week but she does not seem real interested. She seems a bit testy and has taken a protective stance over her bowl. She has growled at the cat when he has looked at her and her bowl. Her teats have swollen and the rear ones seem much larger than the rest as you move from back to front. She is not overly large or fat in size. If you did not see the teats you might not know she was pregnant. She has lost her little waist and appears thicker. I weighted her and she has gained about 4-5 pounds (1.8 – 2.3 kg)

What kind of supplies will I need to have on hand at the time of delivery… incase there are any problems? Any suggestions as to what I need look for as signs that it is all beginning. I know that things will go as they are suppose to but forewarned is forearmed. Keep this advice coming…. Anything you wish to share is much appreciated.

Karolina Koolies

Hi KK,

Just an added bit of advice here ( I have bred GSD's before though never Koolies ) Expect a bit of a mess after all of the puppies are born. You will probably need to change that carpet over to a spare one pretty quickly.

I would also advise that you keep all other animals away from her during and after birth. Bitches can be quite edgy and protective of their puppies even with familiar people and animals.

Jack is right in that if a puppy is rejected by the bitch, it is extremely unlikely it will survive without a hell of a lot of effort on your part.

I remember spending 2 weeks feeding 2 puppies at 30 minute intervals, giving them injections and stimulating their waste reflexes. It was an exhausting and time (though they both survived).

Just keep an eye on them every so often and don't panic. If they get too hot she will spread them all over the place. This is intentional to cool them off a bit. The same works in reverse, she will buch them up to warm them if things get too cold.

Hope this helps
Adam

Fallax -

Thanks for the information.... I am taking all advice....the carpet it washable and should dry quickly so we should be good there.....and as we get closer to her time I will spread out the newspapers as well....

Got you on the keeping other animals always from her during and after the birth... hence the puppy gate.... not to mention I can close off the kitchen to everything else....

I have had a bit of experience with hand raising... usually wild orphaned animals... feeding every 1 to 2 hours. I am up to the challenge if need be but we are going to pray that nature will be kind and all will do well.


Thanks for the information about her spreading them out if they get too hot….I will try not to panic but I make no promises…..first time out of the puppy gate and I am a bit green around the edges…. Give me cows, horses and goats and I have no problem with the birth process…. Helped out tons on those kinds of births… but puppies are new tiny little things…

Keep the advice coming… thanks for everything.

Karolina Koolies

Hi Karolina

Just remember koolies are a "natural" breed, they don't fuss, they don't need fuss and they have been dropping babies under the shearing shed for generations and getting back to work straight away. Certainly because she is a maiden it will be more perplexing for her and she may get a little upset. You may find as she gets close she will be a bit clingy and whingy, but then she might be like Tilly, show no signs and an hour later drop 3 in a hole at her kennel and give you a look of "HUH, what's that??" Our first koolie Mindy used to wait while we watched her and watched her...until we had to go out for a short while and she would have them in the back of her kennel and we would find them when we got home. I must say all of ours have been exceptionaly good at having us around while giving birth or anytime after, a couple have even done "it" while being studied by a couple of chihauhaus, one even took over the chi's bed and implored the newborns to join her (funny photo). All, very shortly after have wanted to return to work. Mindy used to get the cows in and shoot home across the paddock to check the babies and if I had taken the opportunity to have a play with them she wouldn't even come in just look at me with a "oh your checking them...I'll get back to work" and head off.
All of them have been very happy to have visitors, but I think if we weren't with them it might be a less welcoming attitude.
Enjoy yourself and let nature take it's course...

Sil – Thanks for the advice…. There are so many people out there that have way more experience than me so I plan on listening to what I am told. I know that Koolies know what to do… it is me that I am more worried about…. Like I told Fallax, I can hand the birth of stock… done that lots of times… but these are my babies so I am the nervous mum. Thanks for the help…. I am going to try to take a chill pill and let her do her thing.


Karolina Koolie

And then I found the Alcohol and all went well after that.

I know that the birth is over and all is well, but I couldn't resist.

Hi Silhouette

You are right and our dogs will normally select where they would have the pup's but after we had a 3 to 4 week old pup taken by a goanna when the bitch had slipped away I decided to secure the whole deal.

We often have a hen taken by a goanna as they are rampant where we are as are brown snakes and foxes.

As we are next door to a very large government owned forrest we have some peculiar problems and therefore take some extreme actions.


Jack Wilja Koolies