I know in Europe the number of puppies a bitch cares for is much less. I believe litters are "culled" down to 8. That is not a practice in the U.S. I'm happy culling of healthy puppies is not done here because I wouldn't know how to pick which healthy puppies should live or die.
We buy milk replacers if the bitch does not have enough to feed all her puppies, but I didn't have to do that. We kept Dora well fed and rotated the puppies on the nipples to be sure they all got enough to eat.
In this case it is survivable for the bitch. If I were you, I would also think to bitches-for-hire, as another possibilty. I don't know, if I express myself well, English is not my mothertongue. i mean to a bitch, which has only few puppies, and might feed other ones. The portion of milk for a single puppy would be higher in this case. Your bitch wouldn't be "overused", either. Of course it also has disadvantages, only reliable people and bitches are good enough.
@pisti801227 Your English is fine! We would call it a "wet nurse". But I don't think a kuvasz bitch would allow a strange bitch with her puppies. Dora was a fabulous mother. I also checked her nipples for infection called "mastitis" and kept the puppies' nail short so they didn't scratch her too much. We were lucky, Dora did not get mastitis.
She is such a good mother, next time we might breed her using frozen semen from a nice dog that died 20 years ago.
I myself feel sick of selecting puppies, though I know, there are methods of doing it, like when they start moving, they have to be put away from the sleeping box about two metres far (about three and a half feet), and for example the last two of the back-crawling puppies are to be put into a sleep. I couldn't do it either.
What a beautiful face she has!! Gorgeous :-)
crazypianolady 1 year ago
aren't they too many for a dog?
pisti801227 1 year ago
I know in Europe the number of puppies a bitch cares for is much less. I believe litters are "culled" down to 8. That is not a practice in the U.S. I'm happy culling of healthy puppies is not done here because I wouldn't know how to pick which healthy puppies should live or die.
We buy milk replacers if the bitch does not have enough to feed all her puppies, but I didn't have to do that. We kept Dora well fed and rotated the puppies on the nipples to be sure they all got enough to eat.
Gail
gailsdash 1 year ago
@gailsdash
In this case it is survivable for the bitch. If I were you, I would also think to bitches-for-hire, as another possibilty. I don't know, if I express myself well, English is not my mothertongue. i mean to a bitch, which has only few puppies, and might feed other ones. The portion of milk for a single puppy would be higher in this case. Your bitch wouldn't be "overused", either. Of course it also has disadvantages, only reliable people and bitches are good enough.
pisti801227 1 year ago
@pisti801227 Your English is fine! We would call it a "wet nurse". But I don't think a kuvasz bitch would allow a strange bitch with her puppies. Dora was a fabulous mother. I also checked her nipples for infection called "mastitis" and kept the puppies' nail short so they didn't scratch her too much. We were lucky, Dora did not get mastitis.
She is such a good mother, next time we might breed her using frozen semen from a nice dog that died 20 years ago.
Gail
gailsdash 1 year ago
@gailsdash
using a semen that is older than twenty? it sounds interesting. The "owner" must have been a very ideal boar.
pisti801227 1 year ago
@gailsdash
I myself feel sick of selecting puppies, though I know, there are methods of doing it, like when they start moving, they have to be put away from the sleeping box about two metres far (about three and a half feet), and for example the last two of the back-crawling puppies are to be put into a sleep. I couldn't do it either.
pisti801227 1 year ago
@pisti801227 That sounds like a ridiculous thing to do.What is the point of it?.Humans always amaze me with their stupidity.
tuguybear 1 year ago
@gailsdash
sorry, about seven feet.
pisti801227 1 year ago
Amazing! You have such a beautiful Kuvasz!
enderilles 1 year ago
hahahaha. They're so cute. We;re their eyes open yet?
EmilyBFF1997 2 years ago