Hi,
We have six pups born last night to maiden bitch. She does not seem at all interested in them,will not lick them,or toilet them.
She has milk and will let them feed if I am practically in the box with her .If I move away in the slightest she just jumps up.
When I let her out to pee she is running around thinking she is getting out for a walk and does not want to go back in box with them.
Is it just because it's new to her? I have never hadA this before all my others could not wait to get back in box.
Any advice welcome.x

Her hormones are likely to be all messed up and the right maternal mood has not kicked in yet. Try putting a little something she would find tasty on the puppies to encourage her to lick them.

My maiden bitch had her first litter of pups on friday. At first she didnt really seem that into them, she was doing all the things she should have been but still wanted to be downstairs with the other dogs. The last 3 days shes been completely different. I have to physically carry her downstairs to go to the toilet and she wont eat or drink unless she is in the box with them.

Maybe she just needs a day or 2 for her hormones to kick in like dogsbody said. Id just keep a very close eye on her.

Good luck

You need to show her what to do so with a damp cloth dab the puppies bottoms to toilet and clean them with their bums in-front of the bitches face close enough so that she can lick them herself and clean them when she gets the idea. Remember she is a maiden so probably is a little confused with what to do give it a few days.Tell her what a good girl she is with the puppies she will take its just going to take some patience. 

Hope she gets the hang of it.  She could be still in a bit of pain.  Have all the placentas come away?  Is the box too hot. 

We had two, very short stage1 and quick deliveries.

Thank you to everyone for all your advice,will take everything on board and hopefully
everything will be fine.x

Hi Reikiangel,
Congratulations to you and your girl well done.x
Yes I counted all the placentas and was very careful to count what she had eaten and the ones that were left.
She does not seem to be in any pain,think it's just the newness of it all for her.
I have the room heated to the correct temp and several heat pads so they are nice and cosy.
Great you had a speedy delivery we were up all night ha ha, here's to lots of sleepless nights.
Thanks again for your advice.x

Yes, here's to sleepless night.

Maybe let her go for the walk, it might jog her to miss them.

Is it the breed in your avatar?? If so they are notoriously 'difficult' mums. I hope you manage to keep her interested. good luck.

Yes indeed. We have been very lucky with past litters and only ever one caesarean and one mum that was simply not interested.
It is a large litter for her but hopefully the mothering instinct will kick in over the next few days.
Thanks.x

I would be worried that taking her for a walk may bring some infection back to the pups or she picks up an infection in her uterus which is still open this early post whelp.

At least she is letting them feed so they are getting the colostrum and encouraging her milk to come in.

I have heard of putting something tasty like meat paste on the puppies to encourage the dam to get into the habit of toileting them herself, you just need to stay close by so she doesn't want to wander off with you.

Not taken her out for a walk only into the garden where only my own dogs are.
I stay with her when feeding her and give her plenty of treats and praise bless her
she is such a sweet girl. I will just need to be patient.x

> She does not seem to be in any pain

But she will be.  It's early days.  And it is a huge, huge litter for the breed.  They are so famous for their lack of maternal insticts, and I know of many breeders that say they do all the dirty work because it is beneath their bitches!  LOL 

And maidens of other breeds are sometimes a little slow to feel "motherly."

I remember I put a little honey on my first litter to encourage Ellie to lick them clean (Cavalier). Hope your girl gets the hang of it soon!

Thanks Jean,she is feeding them now and looking a little more relaxed.
When i was cleaning them earlier she was looking to see where they were I had just lifted them out to give the whelping box a clean
and toilet them so I suppose the fact she was looking for them is in itself a good sign.
she is a bit of a madam so probably quite happy for me to do it all.x

She does love honey,worth a try.Thanks.x

> she is a bit of a madam so probably quite happy for me to do it all

:-)  :-)   Perfectly normal for the breed!!!!!

we had almost the opposite prob ! she is very interested in pups and THINKS she knows what she is doing,but keeps almost squashing one.Luckily she is never left alone with them and i am always in the box with her and help them latch on etc.
How often do they lose weight after birth ?

> How often do they lose weight after birth ?

I have to be honest, I have only ever encountered it in one puppy in 40 odd years.

Unfortunately had to be PTS at 9 days.

>> How often do they lose weight after birth ?
>

I was worried that mine didn't lol.  They've gained nicely.