Newborn News and Responsible Dog Care

Scooby+Annabelle+alone time while unaltered=PuppyX3 (males)

Yup, this will happen to you if you leave two unfixed dogs together.

Good news, since Annabelle is acting normally and comfortably in her role as new and nursing mother, the next three to four weeks is all about taking care of Annabelle's needs, and Annabelle will take care of the rest (barring any complications, of course). I need to be sure to increase Annas food intake to about four to five meals, supplementing this with cottage cheese, yogurt, and wet dog food (in addition to her kibble).

A mother dog does not, generally, willingly go to her food or water at this point. So the food and water come to her in that I hold the bowls for her during feeding time so she does not need to leave her precious new charges. Outside to the bathroom, I carry her down so that she goes outside. Once inside, you return mommy immediately to her puppies.

I am also sure that she is comfortably situated out of the din of dogdom here. She has her own whelping box that is house inside a large crate for her comfort. The crate is in the corner and draped with blankets to make sure it's den like. I also have the heat turned up in the room to keep it extra toasty warm.

Again, please keep your dogs responsibly so this does not happen. The last thing needed, especially in this economy, is unwanted puppies OR dogs. If your family is in a situation of turmoil, remember that bringing another living being into the situation is not always the right OR more responsible choice!!

Need your dogs trained? Call Maine's Dog Training, Robin Rubin, at Mannerly Mutts Dog Training. 207-361-4395 will get your questions answered regarding your Maine Dog Training needs. Or e-mail mannerly_mutt@yahoo.com. Southern New Hampshire and North East Massachusetts dog training needs are met as well with a short commute:)

Nature Gets in The Way of Training Plans, Again!

Meet Annabelle and her newborn pups. Apparently, it's no longer a suspicion that there is a pregnant foster female at Mannerly Mutts LOL. I was there for the birth, which only took one hour and 45 minutes for all the three puppies to drop. Annabelle now has the waist line that a normally dog should, again.

Looks like three boys are in the house (four if you include daddy Scooby). Annabelle is an excellent mother. Thank goodness, she was all over what to do, while I watched to be sure everyone was breathing and out of the birth sack. Annabelle was so on top of everything. She did wonderfully.

I, however, was a nervous wreck. First of all when it started, I new exactly what was happening. I was nervous immediately that the puppies would be stuck. It was at a time where the veterinarians were all going home. Luckily, just as true panic was setting in and I was gathering up emergency numbers and the numbers of every breeder that I new to ask questions of....the first puppy popped out. The relief!!

Next came the worry of are they breathing? Are they out of the birthing sac? Does Annabelle know what to do? Thankfully, Annabelle was amazing and new what to do. At one point I thought I needed to help a puppy out, as I thought his leg was stuck. It was not the leg, but the actual umbilical cord still attached inside mom. Thankfully, mom knew just what to do there too, as I was contemplating the possibility that I may need to do something. The first one came out at about a half hour into labor. The last one emerged at about one hour forty five minutes. So although it felt like forever watching poor Annabelle being uncomfortable but bravely giving birth, it wasn't that long at all. I still think I sprouted a few more gray hairs .

The moment she was done, she got herself into the whelping box to start caring for her baby puppies. She's quite protective of them, as a good mother should be. She is also not so cooperative about going out or taking water and food for herself right now. She does not want to leave her precious three (looking like males) charges.

Scooby is beside himself since Annabelle wants nothing to do with him right now. He seems very interested and concerned for her and his puppies.

Such a beautiful thing to watch her with her puppies. Hopefully her owners will be situated soon, and have a plan on what to do with three new additions:)

Color me quite surprised by the way. Although I had a strong belief that she was pregnant, I had thought since the vet hadn't caught this, that we would have at least 4-5 weeks before needing to worry about the birth. The puppies are clearly healthy and robust. It is really amazing.

In Case of The Worst!!

It's not only these economic times that are threatening dogs' homes, but other circumstances also threaten the stability of our canine companions' safe havens. Divorce, injury, homelessness, relocation, death, fire, earthquake, physical injury, and other things can become devastating situations for human owners, family, and their pets.

We have a client now that has moved into a shelter, where they were unable to take their dogs. Mannerly Mutts is happy to help out in these situations. Not everyone can find a willing party to hold onto their dogs until life stops kicking them around. Sometimes, it's better for the dogs to, at least temporarily if not permanently, get out of the environment.

When circumstances like the economy step in, it can be even harder to find a place that you KNOW your pets will be safe and taken care of in. What sort of things can you do to prepare for the worst?

1) Do your research BEFORE this happens, It's good to know what facilities are around you. Most of us need to take a trip or vacation sometime, get to know and research what type of kennels, daycare, and other boarding services exist around you.
2) Find out if your Veterinarian has boarding services that would be at least available for a short time, while you could relocate your pets.
3) Make sure your pet is trained for house and basic training. An easy guest is a more welcome guest. Perhaps even a guest that family members could help with. However, if they are going to mess in the house, and not come when called, this could be way more than you can possibly expect from your family members.
4) Make pacts with other dog people and friends. Perhaps make a network of people that are used to looking after each others pets, and would be available in an emergency.
5) Know what hotels closest to you take dogs or other pets. Realize that you are expected to go there with them .
6) Know what shelter policies are around you, and which ones do the best job. For instance, Doberman Rescue in Sandown NH would do the very best job at taking care of my dogs (in event of our death) and placing them.
7) Keep a listing of your dogs traits, personality, issues, medication, food, amount of food, exercise needs, ways to exercise, and any health problems. I need to do it again, but I used to keep an emergency page online that friends and family could refer to (so they wouldn't need to search my house). You could also e-mail this periodically.
8) If you take a trip, and are boarding your animals, let your friends and family know where they are currently boarded in case of an accident.
9) Identify how your family can get funds to take care of your pets and place them in caring facilities, in case you are not around. If you have pet health insurance, let your family and friends know about that.
10) Keep a listing for your family and friends about where you feel comfortable with them staying.
11) Keep vaccination records and health information somewhere easy to find. Let your family and friends know where that is.
12) Keep a record of what commands and training your dog knows, so that the next caregiver knows what to say to them (and/or how to handle them) so that everyone is comfortable and happy in their new arrangement.
13) Be sure that your pets have been spayed or neutered, unless you have bigger plans for them. Keep this information available to interested parties.

All of this documentation will keep people informed and best able to place your dog temporarily or permenantly in case of the worst.