# separating bitch and dog before having pups???



## tasha0333 (May 9, 2012)

Hi all!

Does anybody know if i should separate my dog from the pregnant bitch?? she is due to have her pups by c-section, and just wondered if i should give her some time on her own to nest??? also aferwards is she should be on her own or not??
Would appriciate any help
Thanks
Natasha


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## bethj (Feb 18, 2012)

Hi, we seperate the bitch about a week before puppies are due to prevent her bieng knocked or bumped we didn't want any pups being "knocked off the wall" and cause any to die


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## Jugsmalone (Apr 11, 2011)

I did not separate my dog from my bitch until she had had the pups. My dog and bitch were fine.

It depends on what your other dog is like with the bitch TBH i.e. if he's a boisterous boy then maybe best to separate just before she is due.

Good luck with the birth of the pups.


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## bluegirl (May 7, 2012)

I don't separate before hand unless the bitch seems to want quiet time, other than that we keep the normal routine. my dogs all get on very well and they are close as a family. After the birth I keep the bitch separate as bringing her back to the others can sometimes cause tensions for the new mother as she tries to protect her pups ( even though the other dogs are not able to even sniff them, let alone see them). You may be surprised how her personality temporarily changes following motherhood.

I remember the first time we introduced our male to the pups, think they were about 3 wks old, maybe slightly older and he stood in the room and the look on his face was classic "Oh S**t, this is nothing to do with me, get me away from these ankle nippers now please" and he was out like a shot (btw, he wasn't the sire).


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## swarthy (Apr 24, 2010)

I don't separate my dogs until mum starts in the early stages of labour - as your girl is having a planned c-section - then this situation is unlikely to arise (if it does, you need to move your boy away at that point).

Obviously the other dogs are then kept out of the way until the puppies are here, and then I let mum make her own decisions on when she is ready for the other dogs to be around - with my eldest girl, she went and found one of my other girls when the babies were a few days old - it was so sweet - the other girl knew her boundaries from the off and used to lay on the settee peering over into the whelping box - but didn't go any closer until the babies started being weaned (when of course, there was loads of food around ).

I am sure your girl will guide you as to what she wants.


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## Firedog (Oct 19, 2011)

I normally leave mine together up til early labour although i do seperate the bitch at night for the last few days.I have 3 bitches two have had pups.Bunty is Jades mum.Normally i have them in the dining room with a secure gate and i sleep downstairs so i can keep an eye on them.During this time the dining room is off limits and we eat in the lounge.Anyway when Bunty had pups Jade managed to sneak in and sat by the basket and just watched goings on,Bunty didn't mind in the least.Situation reversed i couldn't let Bunty near Jades pups as she would have hoiked Jade out the basket so she could nurse the pups herself.At the moment we have four 4 1/2 week old pups,Jade is fine with Bunty being around them but is not at all happy about the other bitch being near them,she doesn't trust her.I feel the same,so i'm not sure whether she is picking up on my anxiety but it isn't worth taking the risk.I'm sure your girl will tell you what she is comfortable with.


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