This is written to caution ALL first time breeders of some hazards that my befall newborn puppies.

Several times I have tried to prepare first time breeders about leaving the bitch with her whelps unattended. A Bullmastiff is a very large breed of dog that cannot control its movements when one pound puppies are squirming by them. When left unattended fatalities occur. You will need to put a 48" exercise pen around the whelping box to keep mom out when you are not able to be right with the pups.

The pups cannot regulate their body temperature for the first week, therefore, YOU must control the temperature. Their internal body temperature must remain above 98 degrees. If it drops to 94 degrees or below, hypothermia can set in and they will FREEZE TO DEATH.

You will need to feed them every two hours for the first week. After that, you can go to three hour feedings and extend the feeding times as they grow.

The next hazard to watch for is electrical cords. If you use a heating pad for warmth, wrap the cord in heavy duty electrical tape to insulate the cord. This is not fool-proof, but will add extra protection against puppies chewing on it.

If it is winter time, and you must use a heating lamp, watch for dehydration and burning of the eyes, nose and mouth. These are highly sensitive areas and the burning can happen in just a few moments. This will cause blindness in the pups. I like to use a tube sock filled with rice and heated in the microwave for warmth!

Puppies will tend to suck on one another’s umbilical stumps and genitals. This can cause infections such as staph and strep. It can also cause umbilical hernias or damage to their genitals.

Another hazard is bacteria due to not keeping the whelping box clean. Bacterial infections can cause fatalities in the dam and her whelps.

If the dam has a c-section, cleanse the incision before and after each feeding by using an antibacterial cleanser, such as phisoderm. Make sure all nipples are thoroughly cleaned before all feedings whether the puppies were a natural delivery or a c-section.

Keep ALL other dogs away from the whelping box whether the dam is with the whelps or not. Other dogs may want to "play" with the babies, and will crush them in their exuberance. Some will destroy the whelps on purpose.

Anything that can distract the dam, such as strangers, other dogs, and kids may cause undue upset to "mom." This can cause her to destroy her pups, lose her milk supply and snap at the intruder. Keep the maternity ward as quiet as possible. If necessary, place the pups and their heat source in a Vari-Kennel. You can regulate the temperature and the mom cannot do any unintended damage to the pups.

Dams normally do not try to hurt their babies. First-time moms are terrified of these squirming, babies that are trying to nurse on them. You must be understanding and calm during the time it will take for her maternal instincts to take over. This may vary for each bitch and each litter. However, some dams never reach that maternal stage. Therefore, YOU ARE MOM.

Breeding your female is not to be taken lightly. When breeding you must take all precautions and know all the hazards you may experience during that time to assure healthy, happy, well adjusted pups. Even if you do everything right, there is still a chance you may lose the entire litter and the dam.

The puppies have not asked to be born and it is YOUR responsibility to do everything in your power to protect them.

If an EXPERIENCED breeder gives you helpful suggestions, please use those suggestions. They are only trying to help you prevent tragedy.