# How much time should the bitch stay with pups



## poppydog1

Our JRT had 7 pups last Sunday, she stayed with them constantly for the first few days, now she seems to leave them for a hr or so and sit with us in the living room, the pups are on a a heat mat and are gaining weight every day, im frightened that she will abandon them is this normal ??


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## shetlandlover

Are the puppies in the room with you? 
If not have you thought about moving yourself into that room with a book or tv?

I had my whelping box set up in the lounge and slept in the lounge, infact the only time I left the room was to go to the loo. My girl did leave the pups for odd times during the day, for a rest.


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## swarthy

poppydog1 said:


> Our JRT had 7 pups last Sunday, she stayed with them constantly for the first few days, now she seems to leave them for a hr or so and sit with us in the living room, the pups are on a a heat mat and are gaining weight every day, im frightened that she will abandon them is this normal ??


All bitches are different - most bitches will spend time away from the babies are the first days - that could be 3/4 days or it could be a week +

If the pups are being fed & toileted OK, you are able to maintain their body heat (but not too much in this erratic weather) and they are not whinging (often a sign of a hungry puppy) - then they should be OK.

Keep an eye on mum and how the pups are chasing after food - I always tend to feed mum in the whelping box for the first few weeks - my last litter - the babies were trying to get at mum's food at just two weeks old, hence I started weaning them, it was a good job I did as mum stopped feeding by 4 weeks - whereas my eldest bitch was still feeding at gone 8 weeks (although obviously pups were fully weaned in terms of 5 meals a day at that point)


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## pearltheplank

They are all individual  My girl was quite happy to leave her pups briefly from a few days for food and toilet breaks. From about two weeks she left them of an evening and night to sit with me but always went back as soon as they shouted. She turned out an excellent mum, even to the point thst she would throw up heroen food for them till they were about 4 months old. So try not to worry


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## poppydog1

The pups are content not crying etc, will keep an eye on them


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## bluegirl

I agree some make great mothers and some are fair. I would only encourage her to be with them at feeding times if she is moving away. It could be she's sore along the milk bar, it could be she isn't taking to motherhood,it could be she's too hot, it could be she's just getting fed up because they see her as a free meal ticket and she's not prepared to spend 24/7 with them for this reason. As long as she's getting in at feeding times, whether its on her own or with encouragement and she's feeding and tending to pups you can do the rest. 
Weigh your pups so you know they are gaining weight and ensure you get the smaller ones on the back teats too so that the gap between bigger and smaller is not allowed to become too big.


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## poppydog1

pups are gaining about 20-30g daily and all have nearly doubled in weight


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