Great Pyrenees litter

Question
Hi -
My 2 year old Great Pyrenees had a litter of 4 one week ago today.  She was doing VERY well with them until about two days ago.  She no longer stays with them in her whelping box.  She wants to be out with her human family instead of her puppies.  Also, when we let her outside she goes under the porch and lays in one spot and doesn't want to come back in the house.
When I MAKE her go back in with her puppies she DOES let them nurse and cleans them, and will stay with them for a few hours, but then wants back out.
This is the first time I've gone through breeding & puppies, etc.  Is this behavior normal from the mom?

Thanks so much!

Answer
Some dogs just want to be with their human family. Some dogs just don't make the best of moms either. Not saying your dog isn't a good mom, but she's definitely not diligent with her maternal duties. :-) You'll just have to keep on her, and make her take care of the puppies until they're atleast 3 weeks old, old enough to start feeding them puppy food. If she refuses, then you'll have to take over for her. It may be normal behavior for your dog. Every girl is different. Some are born for the whelping box, others have better places they want to be. As frustrating as this is, just stay on top of her. If you choose to breed her again, wait a little while. She's a large breed, she may just have needed some more time to mature. However, she may be the same way next time. It's hard to tell with dogs. Check the puppies nails to make sure they're not too long. If they are, clip them. Check her breast to make sure they're ok. If she's feeling any pain from their nails or from nursing, that may explain why she doesn't want to do it. Good luck!