At the end of May I very stupidly stepped on the cat coming down the stairs and broke all 3 bones in my left ankle. After 5 days in hospital and one operation to have it plated and pinned both sides I've now been stuck at home for the last 8 weeks. To make things worse I'd mated my girl just before the accident and she had a litter of 11 puppies 2 weeks ago!!

My family (husband and 4 kids aged 25, 23, 19 and 16)are now fed up with my continuing injury and having to do everything that I used to do around the house and with my dogs and it's causing loads of rows. I paid for a private physio visit last week who gave me exercises to do but with looking after Mum and pups I've found it impossible to fit the exercises in as well. You all understand how much attention a new litter needs!!

I'm really worried that due to my lack of mobility I'm not going to be able to give these puppies what they need before going to their new homes. I know that with my lack of sleep and generally being fed up I'm scared that I'm spiraling into depression on top of everything else. Part of me just wants to keep them all so I don't have to entertain puppy buyers! Just shows how irrational I'm being.

Anyway rant over, I just wanted to share on here with people who'd understand how I'm feeling.

Yes the hardest part of breeding is dealing with PEOPLE, cheer up me luv :)

What bad luck! :( And I wish your family would all be a bit more supportive -you can't HELP being injured and none of them are little kids. :) As for the pups, I'm sure there are ways around things when it comes to socialising. As long as you don't end up having to keep them all past the normal time so would need to get them all out and about, that is. Even if you're not very mobile you can do plenty of things with them indoors, exposure to noise and movements and different surfaces, sit down to play with them etc etc, and if you can just get help the first few times carrying them outside they should learn to run outside themselves -my pups always do -so they can spend time outside as well. Now clearing up after a big litter -don't envy you that. :(

My family (husband and 4 kids aged 25, 23, 19 and 16)are now fed up with my continuing injury and having to do everything that I used to do around the house and with my dogs and it's causing loads of rows

No wonder you are beginning to feel depressed hun, it's a shame your family have decided they have been supportive enough and they want things back to normal before you can. You need to sit them down, telling them how grateful you are (even though you shouldn't need to) and ask them to stand together until the pups are homed as you are very down about your lack of being able to do everything yourself - sheesh or be the wonder woman they are used to. **rolleyes**

Most of us are like zombies the first two weeks due to lack of sleep, can't imagine how hard it must be when you're not as mobile as you should be along with family stressing in your ear. {{{{hug}}}}

Fully understand your stress, when my mum broke her leg I had her staying with me for 3 months with her 7 dogs, and my brothers and I took it in turns to clean her home and do everything she needed, yes, it did at times feel like it would never end, having my own family and animals to care for too, but none of us showed it to my mum, you can't rush these things, bones and getting the limb back to normal are ready when they're ready.

Just sit them down and get them back on side again, with some honest words, as you need to concentrate on this litter and their new owners, your family need to sort the running of the home out and looking after your other dogs, don't be too proud to tell them you are becoming depressed by it all, they'll know about it if you head down that route, what they are coping with now will be a breeze, I know it is old school, but no point in rowing, your family seeing you cry will probably move them into action a lot quicker, sad but true...........

If you're feeling down, you can always talk to us....... let's hope your family will continue to pull you through, s*ds law isn't it, to happen with a litter on the way, you'll get to the other side of this.... it'll all be a bad memory this time next year. xxx

It sounds to me as if your children need to grow up.   Let's face it, at 25 , would you have expected to be still looked after by mum?   

With 4 children and OH,  there really should be enough of them to take over until you're ankle is better,  after all,  if the children had moved out,  they'd have to do everything themselves ;-)

Perhaps it's time to sit them all down and tell them how you're feeling?   Pick a time when it's less tense,  and don't apologise for having a broken ankle - it could have happened to any one of them.    My guess is that if it were one of them,  you'd be making life easier for them,  not harder ;-)

I can sympathise with the pain,  lack of sleep,  and the awkwardness of trying to get around.  It's difficult to understand until you try it.  

Have to say, I really don't envy you a litter of 11,  even without a broken ankle.! 

I have seen photos, they are like little butterballs, so cute.

Sadly expecting a husband and older children to pitch in with enthusiasm is rather unrealistic.
When my back is bad I do expect my husband to shoulder the work despite it being my 'thing' not his at all and I know I feel guilty as he didn't choose to breed the litter.
A like minded friend( or more), one who chooses to breed dogs like yourself is who you need to help, come round for an afternoon, give moral support etc.
Get active on the phone, chat about progression, start sending pictures and looking forward.
Reach out to others and take any offer of help your given.....don't be proud, think of it as socialisation.
In your position I'd offer to pay someone a few hours a day to get things done the way YOU want them done without having to ask the family. It will free up some time to enjoy the pups more.

The things you put in place now...before they all take off and run riot...are the ones which will keep you sane.

Family apart - jeez!! what a selfish lot - could the owner of the stud dog (if he's not your dog?) pitch in?   That's a heck of a big litter.   Actually with mine the first 3 weeks are comparatively 'easy' other than just keeping an eye on things, cleaning the nest and making sure mum is okay.   It's after that when it all kicks off - mum maybe not wanting to be in with her puppies 24/7 so she needs in and out constantly, and when weaning begins, end of week 3, then the work REALLY starts.    Supplying food for the one end, and then cleaning up from the other!!

I do know how tired I felt immediately after the whelping was done however.   Which is why thankfully, even if he was working full time, my husband was the one to sleep overnight by the puppies/mum early on, only calling me if needed.   I had to get some sleep, especially when our numbers were up and we had more than mum and puppies to look after!!   He has always appeared to cope with being sleep deprived far better than I can.

Thank you for all your replies :-) Went for physio this morning, paying privately as I want to get mobile asap, and now feel a lot better as I can see some progress today.
My family are helping out more, I think I scared them into action when I said I'd keep all the puppies if I didn't get some more support!! 

My family are helping out more, I think I scared them into action when I said I'd keep all the puppies if I didn't get some more support

ROFL

That's the way :-D   

Maybe this is the time to start clicker training them ;-)

Good that you've started feeling better too,   it can be incredibly frustrating and depressing when you just have to wait for the bones to heal

XXX