Hello, our first litter is now 3 weeks old and doing well, I was wondering when is the right time to introduce our older dogs to the pups. Mum is very relaxed with the pups and is now spending a little time each day with the other dogs. I don't want to do anything to upset her and cause problems.

thanks Jackie

Hi, and hope you get some good answers to this.

I have my pups in my spare bedroom (when I breed ;-) ) and they are in a puppy pen that fills half of the room. Mum can go in and out, but the pups can't. The other dogs can, if mum allows, sniff through the mesh to see what the funny noise is :-D As the pups grow they are far more interesting so they get more sniffs. As soon as they are old enough to run around (3/4 weeks) I start letting them into the garden (weather permitting) and this is where the other dogs meet them properly. That way the older dogs can escape if they want to, but can investigate to their hearts content. If there has been any arguing before I let the pups out (mum not happy about the other dogs nearby) then I don't let the other dog(s) near the pups when mum is about. If the weather is awful (like today) I would bring the pups into the living area one at a time and watch the interaction very closely.

One of my bitches (no longer with us) hated pups and would attack for no reason. She was never bred from, and was kept away from pups at all times.

I bring my pups into the kitchen at two weeks when their eyes open, so the other dogs are coming in and out all the time.  For the first week Mum won't allow them to come into the pups, and they respect her view,a and gradually as the pups become more mobile she is happy for them to have more to do with them.  the older bitches who have had pups them selves are usually not interested, but anyone younger, say a daughter from an earlier litter will be more interested and allowed to babysit.

Not having bred many litters, I have always allowed all the other dogs access to the Mum with her pups whilst they are still in the whelping box. Mine all live very closely together and the Mum always seems to like the company of the others around. Also, none of the others have ever done anything other than have a little peek into the box at the puppies. I don't know whether I have just been lucky but I do know that if I had any concerns on their reactions then I would alter everything immediately. When the puppies are older and up on their feet I confine them to approx 3/4 of the room behind puppy panels and the same in the garden (confined in an area enclosed with puppy panels. I had one bitch with my last litter that used to get so excited that the puppies where in the garden that she did circuits of the puppy panels to wind the puppies up. My concern would have been that if they had been free in the garden she may have run them down. So, yes, access, but controlled access for me.

I really leave my other dogs free access after about two weeks.  The pups are in the pen during that time and they can be seen but not touched by the other dogs.  Around 5/6 weeks when I let the pups around the house I just keep an eye on one of my bitches who is a bit nervous sometimes.  She has never attacked but she does warn them if they get too playful.  With the male, well he is like a baby himself when the pups are born.  He stays near them(outside of the pen of course) from the minute they are born.  Seems he does more of the mummy protection bit than the bitch herself.    Then when they are around the house he runs with them, plays with them just like a puppy himself.  He lets them bite him, scratch him.  He lets them do whatever they want really.  Yeah sometimes he holds them down very gently with his paw.  Its very funny actually because usually he is like an elephant the way he goes around in the house, but seems that he senses that the puppies are fragile and is therefore very careful himself.

I play it by what the mother wants. My eldest bitch didnt want the others near the first week - after that her daughter was allowed to observe at a distance, but no way would she let our boy in the same room. After they were in the pen and running about she had already "introduced" her daughter and was more willing to let the boy join in. Her daughter, though, would not let her near for a good 2 weeks, but was happy for the boy to "watch". She probably knew her mum would want to take over! :-D 

I feel strongly that while the pups eyes are still closed that the bitch and pups need somewhere quiet and away from the other dogs.  I believe in the wild only the bitch would be in the den with pups of this age.

I agree with the other posters.
I keep my mum and pups private and segregated until about 3 weeks then it's into the hussle and bussle of family life in their freedom pen. The others can see and sniff and mum can police just how close she wants the others. One mumsy one of mine always wants to get in and 'sort 'em out' because she thinks that no one else knows how to look after pups like she can. A close eye is kept on her but the others are moderately interested ... no more.

I am total agreement.
From the time the pups open the other dogs access all areas. Before then we only allow the others around under supervision. You do not know how 1st time mums will react to the others and it is difficult to predict how the others will react to seeing tiny pups for the 1st time. I have never had any problems with pups/adult interaction, but i have always made sure controlled and gentle socialisation prevents any issues.

Thank you for all  your replies. I think I will try taking one of our other dogs into  our front room ,where the pups are, to start with and see how Hetty reacts. I am planning to move the pups to the dog room which is next to the dinning room and kitchen and has access to the garden shortly, but want to see how the other dogs and Hetty re-act first, plus I want to wait until this cold snap ends as the front room is the warmest.
Jackie

depends very much on the breeds involved. for example i would let "certain" other bloodhounds meet pups under very very careful supervision, after about 4 or 5 weeks...however the deerhounds wouldnt be allowed near them until 9 or 10 weeks as they are liable to kill them! with my last litter I was most careful that our little lakeland didnt get to see them until they were several weeks old as anything small and squeaking is suitable for just one thing in her mind!

I was told by someone who bred lakies that it wasn't unheard of for a bitch when her pups first start running about to kill one by mistake.

i suppose its down to the breed you own and the lifestyle, ie my own dogs all live in the house with me, they travel in the van together, we never (touch wood!!)have fights etc, so all is well, i think mine would be put out if they were seperated in a big way, my old boy jak, has lay with his head on the whelping box for every birth bar one ( c-sec) in my living room!  if mum is happy for others to be nearby, its not worth upsetting them, my youngster is ver nosey, but meg the mum of my last litter was perfect, she let her have a look have a sniff, then literally pushed her out of the way when she had enough! my cat is even allowed to see whats going on, i think it makes it more of a tempting naughtiness to deny it for any of mine!  my lot have a look, sort of look at them as if to say oh, its just puppies, and go off again. if there is a puppy squak, then my old girl is normally the 1st on hand to check everything is ok!

Well I let the dogs meet the puppies yesterday, Hetty (mum) was fine with them ,in fact I would say she was showing them off to the other dogs. However out 2 younger boys went totally silly and ott so I had to remove them. The 2 older boys had look and went and led down, no real interest. Our other girl who is older than Hetty but has not been bred was fasinated(sp) and I think she would try to take over if she could. She certainly mothered our younger 3 when they arrived as pups. So I think we will take it slowly over the next few days and hopefully the 2 younger boys will calm down, they are a large breed so I won't be taking chances with them and the pups as they could easily hurt the pups accidentely

Jackie