I have just lost one of my pups.  He was so tiny we named him "Tom Thuumb", he only lived for 4 wks, and I hope in his short life, he experienced lots of love, and cuddles from us all.  He never put on any weight in the 4 wks, but was eating well.  I used to hand feed him.  If he had survived my daughter was going to have him.

I tried so hard with this pup, but it wasn't meant to be, this is the first one I have ever lost as an older pup, I also has a stillborn one in this litter.

My bitch had a big litter, for the breed, this is the last, I am giving up now.  Mum is going to be spayed when rest of pups go to their new homes.

Goodnight Tom sleep well at Rainbow Bridge.  Kim,and  Bobby look after Tim.

Mum and all the others. xxxxx.

Hi just to say i am so sorry for your loss ,my thoughts are with you ,i have been wanting to breed for 7 years ,but i read so much sadness on this site i keep putting it of.

Unfortunately that's part of the breeding process sometimes :( I've only had 2 litters where I didn't lose at least one of the pups, though none so late into their life. Breeding isn't easy for those who care. If you care enough when you lose one then you are probably one of the better breeders. It's those who lose one and really couldn't care less that I don't understand. We have to accept that sometimes pups die for reasons we'll never know, or understand. It doesn't stop us caring.

I'm so sorry for your loss.

I would be devastated to loose a pup so late on especially after hand rearing and working so hard to make him live, sometimes things are just not ment to be no matter how hard we try, I'm sure he did feel loved and cared for they are all the more special to us when hand reared. He put up a good fight marguerite and that was most definitely down to your love and care.

I am so sorry to hear about your loss. I guess it's the thing breeders all have to face at some point, and all dread.

At least she is at peace now, and you can be asured you did whatever you could for her. It sounds like there was obviously something seriously wrong that was undetectable. My thoughts are with you.

Sleep tight little man xxx I too recently lost a pup in my 1st litter and am still finding it desperately hard to cope with but I now have times when I can think of him and smile. As someone said to me it takes just a moment to fall in love.
((((((((Hugs))))))))  

I'm a believer in fate and this little man obviously wasnt meant to be. Better taht you gave him all the love and support in those 4 weeks, than for him to live a life of misery/be seriously ill, etc.
So hard though. My sympathys are with you.x

Just seen this Irene - so sorry about the little guy :(  I know you'll be very upset after giving so much love and time to him but sometimes Mother Nature knows best.  Give mum and "kids" a hug from me.

Teri x

My heart goes out to you.  My first litter produced just 2 pups, one was born dead.  I cried for ages, he is buried in my back garden.  Breeding is not easy, I agree with you.  Dont give up, I said the same that I would never breed again but I did.

So sorry to hear this Irene it is really sad.

At least this lil dude had plenty of love, hugs and kisses so the life he knew, although short, was fantastic and he was very very well loved xx
The moment you stop caring about losing puppies, thats when you should stop being a breeder.

That is right to a certain extent, but as a breeder you have to expect and accept that not all pups in a litter are destined to make it.

In animals with multiple births there is more chance of a pup going to term if the abnormalities are not sufficient to end the life early in pregnancy.  Stillborn and unviable pups are born because a later miscarriage would endanger the whole litter.

I have had a pup fail to thrive even with supplementary feeding and chosen to put to sleep before the eyes opened.  I had another that had symptoms of Liver shunt and went from being the largest pup to the smallest only gaining a few ounce in two weeks, by which time eyes were open and that was horrid.

So now I do not make heroic efforts to keep a pup going, if it is warm fed and still not getting anywhere with supplementary feeding and extra TLC I would put to sleep again.  Chances are the pup will not grow to be a healthy adult.