Hi all,

Just wondered when you introduce your other family dogs to the pups.  I have Megan's older brother (Dexter) and he loves being with Megan and vice versa.  I haven't introduced him to the pups yet as they are still very young and tiny, but at what point do you let them see each other and do you do it for short periods of time and then increase this as time goes on.

Leanne
xxxxx

i do when mums says its ok (u will know she will growl at him if shes not happy for him to see them) i have pups in their pen and let the others go up to it and sniff at the pups the other dogs see them like this till their old enough to be playing outside their pen and by then my other dogs are so used to the pups they play lovely with them :) xx

Certainly not before the eyes are open, and after that depends on what the bitch is Happy with. 

With my own dogs the pups go in the kitchen at 2 weeks old, where the other dogs spend  a lot of their time and is their exit into the garden.

Mine are all the same breed and all bitches, so if your other dogs are much larger than Mum then she may not happy to have them around for longer.

I think it all depends on your bitch and how well she gets on with the others.  I allow my girls as much time on their own as I feel they need then gradually allow the others in for a peep.  I certainly don't let them in for a few days but after a week they're all willing to help out - I've had girls producing milk and feeding puppies!!

But in every case, it depends on the bitch - her being happy and relaxed is the priority.

I would say that I do it later, rather than sooner.  And still my toy breeds leave home having played with Collies.

I use a whelping box inside a very large crate.  Crate left open for mum to come and go, but the 4" lip doesn't allow my toy breed out for a long while.  If a pup can't get out unaided, it doesn't get to meet the Collies.  I let them progress at their own pace.

Although, to be fair, I have a breed that doesn't leave home at 7-8 weeks, so I can afford the time.  They do get introduced to a couple of toy breeds at a time, but never before they are walking.