Hi just wondering what advice you can give me. my bitch  who had a litter 15 months ago  is expecting  in a few days we kept one bitch from that first litter. she is a very good dog although still very much a puppy in her ways the mum to the little dog still gives her a wash tells her of etc treats her very much like a puppy  my question is what or how should l handle the situation with the new litter of puppies do you think  l should completly seperate her from her mum or shall l leave them to sort them selves out they sleep in the same bed and when the pregnant bitch went in the whelping box to sleep last night the little daughter dog snuggled in with her 

If mum is happy with her being there you may cause more stress by taking her away.  My first bitch would let one daughter in the whelping box, but the other daughter would be attacked if she so much as shoved her nose past the door. Play it by ear, but don't leave them alone, make sure someone is there to supervise.

I would seperate them during and after the whelping and observe how they do in the lead up to the whelping, the dam needs to concentrate on the new pups without fear that her previous pup could harm them.

I think you have to do what is right for your particular canine household.  I have always been appalled when I hear people saying that dad of litter was cleaning pups etc.  I have always let my bitches intermingle with her mates while pregnant, but as soon as they go into labour, the other dogs are moved well away.

Last year I had a last litter from my best bitch.  I knew that I was going to keep the litter, whatever was born.  Up until this pregnancy, she had been sleeping with her son and daughter from her first litter.  It was always her choice, and when I shouted bedtime, those 3 went off to the same bed together.

Once whelped, my girl was settled down in her whelping box, in the living room.  Instead of the usual open doors routine, my kitchen door was closed, and the rest of the pack banned from the nursery area.  Coming from the kitchen, and not closing the door quick enough, the bitches 2 year old daughter whipped past and ran in to mum.  She stayed with her mum in the whelping box throughout the rearing of the litter, and her mum was totally happy about it.

My bitches would normally want to threaten murder if another dog even looked at their newborns.  I would always have said that a nursing bitch should not have other dogs around.  But hey, what do I know?

Pups are now a year old, and mum, with her 2 year olds, and her one year olds is still very close to them all.

I have two bitches and both have had litters in the last six months. The first bitch, monty, is very much the alpha and was quite happy to have the second, purdey, around once the puppies were born. Most recently purdey has had a litter and is very agressive towards Monty. I'm no animal psychologist but it would seem that  Purdey perceives Monty as a threat to her new litter and is therefore having to assert herself a lot more.
As previous posters have stated I would keep a keen eye on things and not risk any accidents. The pack will be in a bit of upheaval anyway as one of them will be separated from the others so you may notice unusual or unexpected behaviours as the natural order is re-established.
Good luck with your new arrivals!!!

Slightly different, not entirely planned I had a mother and daughter expecting pups around the same time.  Daughter gave birth first - assisted both my me and her mother, who helped clean daughter and pups and ate most of the afterbirths after daughter looked in horror at our suggestion that she ate them!  After she'd settled I kept Mum away to give daughter chance and Mum didn't want daughter's help when she had hers a week later, although she was still quite keen to check on daughter.  When pups were 3 & 4 weeks old daughter got a bit fed up and Mum looked after both litters, daughter feeding them occasionally but Mum happily fed both litters and did the overnight supervision, daughter went to sleep in her usual bed.  It was amazing how good Mum was at being a midwife, clearly knew her daughter needed help and happy to give it.  I kept one of daughter's pups and they are more like sisters, with mum/grannie being the matriarch!

Oh bless Penny, what a lovely story! I know my girl was very calm about having the other dogs around both times. Just as well as Henry was desperate to get in and help and snuggle with the pups even though they weren't his, we had to watch him carefully when they were very young as he wasn't the most lightfooted of little dogs! Uncle George however was totally disgusted with the puppies both times, we have a pic of him sitting reluctantly in the box with the puppies at a week old or so looking very fed up. Mum didn't mind him there at all though. She even allowed a visiting dog a quick look when he barged through the dog gate when I wasn't quick enough shutting it, let him have a little sniff, then politely but firmly walked into him, no growling or anything, just used her bodyweight (similar size breeds) and pushed him out again.

When Molly had her pups 8 weeks ago on my bed, Oswy (not the same breed even) was determined that it was his bed, his bedtime and nothing was stopping him, so he slept on the bed throughout! How I don't know!  Molly didn't mind at all, bless her.  Everyone else was banished though!  Now the pups are playing with Oswy and having a lovely time!  With the other two, the sire loves his pups and I let him see them at 3-4 weeks - mums don't mind, although the older bitch got very fed up with him taking all the 'credit' when people came to view, so funny!  He's a big softy though and loves all pups.