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Originally, in the beginning (30 years ago,) we were a very small breeder and raised our dogs in our house. However as we grew in size we decided it was best to have a facility for our breeding parents and puppies. In our County we are allowed to have 4 dogs in a household. So, being County, State, and Federally regulated we have a kennel in walking distance from our house on our 5- acre lot.
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A front view of our facility.
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Our Nursery
Newborn puppies:
When the puppies are born we keep them and mom in one of these 5-sided metal kennels. This kind of kennel provides more warmth for the newborns. Until 4 weeks of age, puppies cannot regulate their own body heat. We also provide them with a heating pad, beds, and a space heater if needed. Throughout the day, mom is let out for exercise and to go potty.
"Newborns
At birth, puppies are blind, deaf and toothless, unable to regulate body temperature, or even urinate or defecate on their own. Puppies depend on their mother and littermates for warmth, huddling in cozy piles to conserve body temperature. A puppy separated from
this warm furry nest can quickly die from hypothermia--low body temperature. Cold, lonely puppies cry loudly to alert Mom to their predicament. Puppies first experience the sensation of being petted when washed by their mother's stroking tongue. The bitch licks her babies all over to keep them and the nest clean, and also to stimulate them to defecate and urinate.
Neonatal Period: Birth to Two Weeks
From birth, puppies are able to use their sense of smell and touch, which helps them root about the nest to find their mother's scent-marked breasts. The first milk the mother produces, called colostrum, is rich in antibodies that provide passive immunity and help protect the babies from disease during these early weeks of life. For the first two weeks of life, puppies sleep nearly 90 percent of the time, spending their awake time nursing. All their energy is funneled into growing, and birth weight doubles the first week. Newborns aren't able to support their weight, and crawl about with paddling motions of their front legs. The limited locomotion provides the exercise that develops muscles and coordination, and soon the puppies are crawling over and around each other and their mother.
Transitional Period: Week Two-to-Four
The second week of life brings great changes for the puppy. Ears and eyes sealed since birth begin to open during this period, ears at about two weeks and eyelids between ten to 16 days. This gives the furry babies a new sense of their world. They learn what their mother and other dogs look and sound like, and begin to expand their own vocabulary from grunts and mews to yelps, whines and barks. Puppies generally stand by day 15 and take their first wobbly walk by day 21. By age three weeks, puppy development advances from the neonatal period to the transitional period. This is a time of rapid physical and sensory development, during which the puppies go from total dependence on Mom to a bit of independence. They begin to play with their littermates, learn about their environment and canine society, and begin sampling food from Mom's bowl. Puppy teeth begin to erupt until all the baby teeth are in by about five to six weeks of age. Puppies can control their need to potty by this age, and begin moving away from sleeping quarters to eliminate." (Shojai, A., Complete Puppy Care, 2017)
At birth, puppies are blind, deaf and toothless, unable to regulate body temperature, or even urinate or defecate on their own. Puppies depend on their mother and littermates for warmth, huddling in cozy piles to conserve body temperature. A puppy separated from
this warm furry nest can quickly die from hypothermia--low body temperature. Cold, lonely puppies cry loudly to alert Mom to their predicament. Puppies first experience the sensation of being petted when washed by their mother's stroking tongue. The bitch licks her babies all over to keep them and the nest clean, and also to stimulate them to defecate and urinate.
Neonatal Period: Birth to Two Weeks
From birth, puppies are able to use their sense of smell and touch, which helps them root about the nest to find their mother's scent-marked breasts. The first milk the mother produces, called colostrum, is rich in antibodies that provide passive immunity and help protect the babies from disease during these early weeks of life. For the first two weeks of life, puppies sleep nearly 90 percent of the time, spending their awake time nursing. All their energy is funneled into growing, and birth weight doubles the first week. Newborns aren't able to support their weight, and crawl about with paddling motions of their front legs. The limited locomotion provides the exercise that develops muscles and coordination, and soon the puppies are crawling over and around each other and their mother.
Transitional Period: Week Two-to-Four
The second week of life brings great changes for the puppy. Ears and eyes sealed since birth begin to open during this period, ears at about two weeks and eyelids between ten to 16 days. This gives the furry babies a new sense of their world. They learn what their mother and other dogs look and sound like, and begin to expand their own vocabulary from grunts and mews to yelps, whines and barks. Puppies generally stand by day 15 and take their first wobbly walk by day 21. By age three weeks, puppy development advances from the neonatal period to the transitional period. This is a time of rapid physical and sensory development, during which the puppies go from total dependence on Mom to a bit of independence. They begin to play with their littermates, learn about their environment and canine society, and begin sampling food from Mom's bowl. Puppy teeth begin to erupt until all the baby teeth are in by about five to six weeks of age. Puppies can control their need to potty by this age, and begin moving away from sleeping quarters to eliminate." (Shojai, A., Complete Puppy Care, 2017)
Puppies 2 weeks and older:
Once the puppies are a little older we move mom and her puppies into a larger 3' by 3' or 4' by 4' exercise pen depending on litter size/ size of mom. We do keep the temperature of the whole nursery around 80 degrees all the time.
"Socialization Period: Week Four- to-Twelve
Following transitional phase, puppies enter the socialization period at the end of the third week of life; it lasts until about week ten. It is during this socialization period that interaction with others increases, and puppies form attachments they will remember the rest of their life. The most critical period--age six to eight weeks--is when puppies most easily learn to accept others as a part of their family.Beginning at four weeks of age, the bitch's milk production begins to slow down just as the puppies' energy needs increase. As the mother dog slowly weans her babies from nursing, they begin sampling solid food in earnest. The environmental stimulation impacts your puppy's rate of mental development during this time. The puppy brain waves look that of an adult dog by about the 50th day, but he's not yet programmed--that's your job, and the job of his mom and siblings. Weaning typically is complete by week eight." (Shojai, A., Complete Puppy Care, 2017)
Following transitional phase, puppies enter the socialization period at the end of the third week of life; it lasts until about week ten. It is during this socialization period that interaction with others increases, and puppies form attachments they will remember the rest of their life. The most critical period--age six to eight weeks--is when puppies most easily learn to accept others as a part of their family.Beginning at four weeks of age, the bitch's milk production begins to slow down just as the puppies' energy needs increase. As the mother dog slowly weans her babies from nursing, they begin sampling solid food in earnest. The environmental stimulation impacts your puppy's rate of mental development during this time. The puppy brain waves look that of an adult dog by about the 50th day, but he's not yet programmed--that's your job, and the job of his mom and siblings. Weaning typically is complete by week eight." (Shojai, A., Complete Puppy Care, 2017)
Puppies 7 weeks and older:
If the weather is nice, we will put the puppies outside to play and get fresh air. We have now upgraded the tent pictured left to two metal gazebos that are 10' by 10'. The gazebo's are great because it provides shade and has a zip-able mesh mosquito netting.
Our Breeding Dams and Sires:
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Our breeding parents are housed in a heated facility with access to the outdoors. Each male has his own individual area and housed with 2 to 3 females in compatible groups. Our breeding is controlled. They are also provided with food 24/7, fresh water, beds, and treats and toys. Our breeding adults retire around 5 to 6 years of age, so that they have over half their life left to live in a pet home. Most small breeds live until 13-17 years of age. According to AKC, you can breed a dog until they're 12 years old, however, we feel that the second half of their lives should be as a spayed/neutered adult in a pet home.
We are considered a small breeder. We do have a "larger" number of dogs, however, it is necessary to keep the gene pool wide and not inbreed. |
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