baby puppies

Question
I have a lab whom is pregnant and will probably have her pups within 2 weeks. We have cold winters where I live, and so I am just wondering what temperature I have to keep these puppies at so they don't freeze to death?

Answer
Hi Dauna,

Ideally, the mama dog and her litter should be kept indoors, at be at least 70 F.
From birth until about 3 weeks, puppies cannot regulate their own body temperature, so you must carefully guard against chilling, which can be fatal. Keep puppies indoors, off cold floors, in a draft-free room that's between 70-80 degrees. Indirect heat from warm water bottles or heat lamps may also be used, if your dog is kept outside in a kennel area.

If you must use a heat lamp be careful! Heat lamps have been known to start fires. There are several different types of heat lamps on the market, the best ones are those used for livestock. Look for a pig lamp with a back-up bulb system and a wire-mesh safety net, in case the bulb breaks or explodes. It also has a heavy-duty double strength chain to hang from the ceiling and a heavy-duty cord. For the sake of the the mother dog and pups, do not put the lamp too close to the box (make sure the light is at least 5-6 feet above the box). Hang it over a corner of the box so the mother and pups can move away from the heat at will.

Before the puppies arrive, you'll want to build a whelping box for your dog to give  birth in, and to keep the puppies in. Here are directions of how to build a whelping box:

http://www.flatcoat.com/building.htm
http://www.manegaitfarms.com/k-ninedobermans/litterbox.html

There's a lot you should know about having this litter, here are some of the basics:

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/whelping.htm

Best of luck,
Patti




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