Help! My mother was horrified because we've been handling the new puppies, she says Buffy could reject them and that they should be left alone with her and not touched for the first couple of weeks. We've been cuddling them . Buffy doesn't seem to mind and she's certainly looking after them very well, they are all fat and contented. Please tell me I haven't done irrepairable damage! Yikes this is a minefield, the books didn't mention not handling them!

Jane

You have to handle them to check they are gaining weight and are healthy and soon enough to deal with their claws. A family bitch should not do more than look to see where you have gone with her pup and may get up and come to see if the pup cries, but no if she is well & content she will not mind you, the boss, looking at the pups, but not outsiders, except the vet, not yet. Jackie H

If you don't handle the puppies now they might react badly to being handled later on. If you're careful and don't let any strangers handle them i don't see what the problem is.

Fiona
x x x

Send your Mother back home AT ONCE!!!!!! Handle the pups as much as you can, its essential that they get this human contact. Try not to let others handle them for a couple of weeks and always makesure you are not wearing outside shoes & that you have washed your hands etc since being near other peoples dogs......don't go overboard with the hygene though or the little chaps will not build up any natural immunity.

>Send your mother back home AT ONCE!!!!!<

LOL @ Sam :D

LOL Sam! Though when she was in better health I used to get the Ma to come and stay when I had pups, as she spent at least as much time in the whelping box as me :-)

hi Jane,
we were allowed to hold douglas and his brothers at 4 days old.the kids were even allowed to stroke the pups and mom ,as they feed.douglas`s mum was a star and didnt mind one bit :)

LOL, fortunately she was only on the end of the phone but it's amazing how a grown, intelligent(?) woman can still be intimidated by her mother! Anyway she's never had puppies, she used to breed siamese cats which are probably more temperamental. Thanks for all your reassurances, I will continue to cuddle :D

Jane

>>she used to breed siamese cats

That explains her panic then. I know of two siamese cats that killed or tried to kill, the whole of their litters after their kittens had been handled by *humans* :-(

Heck, my kids handle the pups and our Himalayan kittens just as they are born and often after that. I have taught them exactly how you do it, and the moms have never been upset about it. Pups need tons of human contact to grow into a socially well adjusted dog.

Carissa

LOL @ Mother..now does this sound like anyones mother after they have just had their first baby.

"You don't do this and yu don't do that". "In our time we did this"...

LOL

Pam