HELP My Female Yorkie does not want to feed her babies as much~! - YorkieTalk.com Forums

shannonsabados · 10-02-2009, 04:33 PM

Help is needed. Can anyone please tell me if it is okay for my female Yorkie to not want to be in the whelping box with her babies all the time? She had her litter of 5 on the 23rd of September. I am a little nervous that she is going to stop nursing the puppies! She likes to lay on the couch. She sometimes will lay on the outside of her box, but not inside with her babies? Her babies as of now are gaining weight, however she just started to act like this! I am scared. Can anyone PLEASE advise me??

Shannon

tjdmom · 10-02-2009, 04:45 PM

Yes, for the first several days Zoe wouldn't leave the puppies at all. But after the first week or so, she started to spend more and more time away from them. But I know she was doing a good job because they were not crying at all and if they did she immediately went to take care of them. Is that what's going on with yours? If so, I wouldn't worry about it at all.

shannonsabados · 10-02-2009, 05:23 PM

Well yes and no. Lola will go into her box when they do cry, however not all the time will she. I just placed her in her box and when her babies latched on for about 3 minutes she got up and moved to the other side of the box. They followed her to the other side where they latched on for about 2 minutes and she moved again. Now, I have 1 puppy sleeping on her and 1 nursing, I will have to go and check to see the status now, however it is stressing me out terribly!!!!!!!
The puppies seem to be okay for now, but I am so worried about the days to come????? Will she just go cold turkey on her babies? Why? How can I stop this from happening??!!

H-E-L-P

shannonsabados · 10-02-2009, 05:25 PM

By the way~ She has 5 babies!

Mardelin · 10-02-2009, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shannonsabados

Help is needed. Can anyone please tell me if it is okay for my female Yorkie to not want to be in the whelping box with her babies all the time? She had her litter of 5 on the 23rd of September. I am a little nervous that she is going to stop nursing the puppies! She likes to lay on the couch. She sometimes will lay on the outside of her box, but not inside with her babies? Her babies as of now are gaining weight, however she just started to act like this! I am scared. Can anyone PLEASE advise me??

Shannon

You may be fretting over nothing...Your pups are now a bit over 5 weeks and you can begin giving them Canned Goats Milk with equal parts of distilled water. Do this 2 or 3 times a day. With 5 pups, it's best for the mom anyway......she needs assistance and should have been done when pups were 3 1/2 weeks of age. The pups will be getting their milk teeth in the next few days and you can add puppy kibbles.

What you must remember is that mother's milk only lets down every 2 hours....if pups are gaining so, all is well. Your concern should be for mom....with 5 pups taking so much out of her she could be a prime case for eclampsia. As pups grow.....moms spend less and less time with feeding their pups, that where you step in and offer food.

livingdustmops · 10-02-2009, 05:26 PM

Is this her first litter? and how old is she?

bjh · 10-02-2009, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mardelin

You may be fretting over nothing...Your pups are now a bit over 5 weeks and you can begin giving them Canned Goats Milk with equal parts of distilled water. Do this 2 or 3 times a day. With 5 pups, it's best for the mom anyway......she needs assistance and should have been done when pups were 3 1/2 weeks of age. The pups will be getting their milk teeth in the next few days and you can add puppy kibbles.

What you must remember is that mother's milk only lets down every 2 hours....if pups are gaining so, all is well. Your concern should be for mom....with 5 pups taking so much out of her she could be a prime case for eclampsia. As pups grow.....moms spend less and less time with feeding their pups, that where you step in and offer food.

Mary, the pups are just 9 days old.

Amazing Yorkies · 10-02-2009, 05:35 PM

They stay with them non-stop for the 1st 3 days, then slowly take time away from them. Just keep an eye on them, I'm sure they'll be fine.

Mardelin · 10-02-2009, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjh

Mary, the pups are just 9 days old.

oops! sorry...somehow I miscalculated...I was thinking that mine were born on Augut 25 and 27....got confused.....

To the original poster please disregard my post

Her behavior does not sound normal.....

However, if the pups are gaining and not crying they are getting fed.

I've seen this behavior in some girls that have not been confined prior to whelping. I know it's difficult for some to do this, but she must be kept with the pups.

shannonsabados · 10-02-2009, 05:43 PM

Wow, thank you for the all the responses. Yes, they are only 9 days old. I do weigh them every morning and every night. As of right now, they are gaining weight. It just seems that Lola is getting less interested in them.
I do give Lola calcium pills from the vet. I make sure she is fully fed and content.
This is her second litter and I am done! She is done! Lola is about 2.5 years old. Her first litter, she stopped nursing at 3 weeks. She had a litter of 3. Three weeks was not too bad, but I was home all day and night to suppliment the feedings. Now, I am working and do not know what I will do if this happens.
I can not express enough that I am terrified that she will just STOP!

Thank you to all of you who have responded to this thread. It sure does help knowing that there is help out there! So, THANKS in a BIG way!

shannonsabados · 10-02-2009, 05:46 PM

Thak you Mary. Should I make her whelping box smaller? Maybe so she has no choice in getting up and moving? I just do not want to frce her too much or do I?
I am scared!

shannonsabados · 10-02-2009, 05:46 PM

Thank you Mary. Should I make her whelping box smaller? Maybe so she has no choice in getting up and moving? I just do not want to force her too much or do I?
I am scared!

bjh · 10-02-2009, 05:56 PM

My females start spending more time away from the babies when they are 9 days old. Laying outside the box is normal. As long as the pups are gaining and not crying then I think everything is fine. Mom does need to be confined in a x-pen or small area where she will ear her pups if they need her. Once the pups start walking I think it is best to setup the x-pen where mom can get away from the pups if she wants to.

Once my momma's pups are about a week old the mommas are ready to come out in the living room for short periods so I will get them out of the puppy room for a short while. That gives the momma chance to run around a little and stretch her legs. Momma dogs have a lot responsibility in raising their pups so it is important that the momma get lots of love and attention too.

Mardelin · 10-02-2009, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shannonsabados

Thank you Mary. Should I make her whelping box smaller? Maybe so she has no choice in getting up and moving? I just do not want to force her too much or do I?
I am scared!

What I do is put a whelping box within the whelping area. I have a whelping crib......It allows her to get away but, doesn't allow her to have free access to the house.....

Hopefully you can keep her nursing until the pups are 3 weeks of age...at that point they can lap from a plate.

tammy8833 · 10-02-2009, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mardelin

What I do is put a whelping box within the whelping area. I have a whelping crib......It allows her to get away but, doesn't allow her to have free access to the house.....

Hopefully you can keep her nursing until the pups are 3 weeks of age...at that point they can lap from a plate.

Hi Mardelin,

i would love to see pics of ur whelping area =)

to the op: sounds like she is taking breaks, but as long as things are going smoothly. gaining weight, they should be fine (who wouldnt want breaks with 5 babies..LOL)

and congrats!

10-02-2009, 04:33 PM	#1
shannonsabados YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Macomb Michigan USA Posts: 7	HELP My Female Yorkie does not want to feed her babies as much~! Help is needed. Can anyone please tell me if it is okay for my female Yorkie to not want to be in the whelping box with her babies all the time? She had her litter of 5 on the 23rd of September. I am a little nervous that she is going to stop nursing the puppies! She likes to lay on the couch. She sometimes will lay on the outside of her box, but not inside with her babies? Her babies as of now are gaining weight, however she just started to act like this! I am scared. Can anyone PLEASE advise me?? Shannon

10-02-2009, 05:26 PM	#6
livingdustmops Princess Poop A Lot Donating Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 6,728	Is this her first litter? and how old is she? __________________ Cindy & The Rescued Gang Puppies Are Not Products!

10-02-2009, 05:35 PM	#8
Amazing Yorkies YT Featured Breeder Donating Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 1,552	They stay with them non-stop for the 1st 3 days, then slowly take time away from them. Just keep an eye on them, I'm sure they'll be fine. __________________ Deb Sillers 816-261-8734 Cell ~ www.Amazingyorkies.com ~

10-02-2009, 05:56 PM	#13
bjh Donating YT 5000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Southeast Texas Posts: 7,959	My females start spending more time away from the babies when they are 9 days old. Laying outside the box is normal. As long as the pups are gaining and not crying then I think everything is fine. Mom does need to be confined in a x-pen or small area where she will ear her pups if they need her. Once the pups start walking I think it is best to setup the x-pen where mom can get away from the pups if she wants to. Once my momma's pups are about a week old the mommas are ready to come out in the living room for short periods so I will get them out of the puppy room for a short while. That gives the momma chance to run around a little and stretch her legs. Momma dogs have a lot responsibility in raising their pups so it is important that the momma get lots of love and attention too. Last edited by bjh; 10-02-2009 at 05:58 PM.

10-02-2009, 04:45 PM	#2
tjdmom Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: upstate ny Posts: 5,847	Yes, for the first several days Zoe wouldn't leave the puppies at all. But after the first week or so, she started to spend more and more time away from them. But I know she was doing a good job because they were not crying at all and if they did she immediately went to take care of them. Is that what's going on with yours? If so, I wouldn't worry about it at all.

10-02-2009, 05:23 PM	#3
shannonsabados YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Macomb Michigan USA Posts: 7	Well yes and no. Lola will go into her box when they do cry, however not all the time will she. I just placed her in her box and when her babies latched on for about 3 minutes she got up and moved to the other side of the box. They followed her to the other side where they latched on for about 2 minutes and she moved again. Now, I have 1 puppy sleeping on her and 1 nursing, I will have to go and check to see the status now, however it is stressing me out terribly!!!!!!! The puppies seem to be okay for now, but I am so worried about the days to come????? Will she just go cold turkey on her babies? Why? How can I stop this from happening??!! H-E-L-P

10-02-2009, 05:25 PM	#4
shannonsabados YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Macomb Michigan USA Posts: 7	By the way~ She has 5 babies!

10-02-2009, 05:43 PM	#10
shannonsabados YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Macomb Michigan USA Posts: 7	Wow, thank you for the all the responses. Yes, they are only 9 days old. I do weigh them every morning and every night. As of right now, they are gaining weight. It just seems that Lola is getting less interested in them. I do give Lola calcium pills from the vet. I make sure she is fully fed and content. This is her second litter and I am done! She is done! Lola is about 2.5 years old. Her first litter, she stopped nursing at 3 weeks. She had a litter of 3. Three weeks was not too bad, but I was home all day and night to suppliment the feedings. Now, I am working and do not know what I will do if this happens. I can not express enough that I am terrified that she will just STOP! Thank you to all of you who have responded to this thread. It sure does help knowing that there is help out there! So, THANKS in a BIG way!

10-02-2009, 05:46 PM	#11
shannonsabados YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Macomb Michigan USA Posts: 7	Thak you Mary. Should I make her whelping box smaller? Maybe so she has no choice in getting up and moving? I just do not want to frce her too much or do I? I am scared!