Hi, my bitch had her first litter on Thursday (4days ago) I have been sleeping down stairs on the sofa next to them and mum (she only had 2 pups), but I am just wondering at what age can I start leaving them to pop out? Not all day but if I need to pop to the shop or on school run? Do I leave mum in with the pups or take her with me? I'm worried that if for example someone was to knock the door she may get excited and bark and jump on the pups. So far she is doing very well but is a bit clumbsy and does lay on them for a cuddle.
Thank you

Pugs are notoriously bad mothers, and my own bred are very natural mothers, and I'd not leave a first time Mum unattended for the first week, if she is being less than careful.

Okay so next Tuesday when my children go back to school should be fine to leave them together when I do the school run (they will be nearly 2 weeks?)

Personally I wouldn't leave them alone together at all if you have to pop out, so if you go out she is shut out the room or goes with you, but personally I would be reluctant to want to them until they are at least 4 weeks unless you have someone to cover while you're out to watch them.

These pups can't regulate their own body temperature yet.  I would be very reluctant to leave a toy litter for the first 4 weeks at the very least.  I would hate to come home to a dead puppy.

The most they would be left is 1 hour, if I took mum with me so nothing happened and left the house warm and the heat mat on do you think that would be okay? My children go back to school next Tuesday after half term and I have no one to look after the pups at all.

I'm not completely happy about mum being taken outside with you.  I would be concerned about the bitch picking anything up (like Parvo) and bringing it back to pups.

My boys school is a 10 min drive then a 3 min walk from car park to the school, I could probably leave her in the car to be honest, or keep her at home just seperate from the pups if I make sure she feeds and cleans them before we go do you think that we be better?

If it was me I would prefer to leave her in the car for a very short time.  I would race back as soon as poss.

Okay thank you for the advice, still have a week to decide and see how they are getting on then, thank you :)

I would take her with you or leave her in a separate room for that short a time, the puppies will be fine without mum for 20 minutes.