is it ok to let the mother sleep with newborn puppies?

my dog just had puppies this morning and i don't want to separate her from the pups but she keeps stepping on them and sitting on them. any recommendations?

Most responsible breeders have someone stay with the b*tch for several weeks until they are big enough to withstand being stepped on.Many breed's dams will accidentally squash and kill pups. If you don't want that to happen to your pups I suggest you set up round the clock care to watch over them. My last litter I flew my adult daughter in to watch pups... and hired a puppysitter for when neither she nor I was available.Edit: As I said.. responsible breeders usually stay with their b*tches until they are certain the pups are safe. MANY large breed dogs accidentally kill pups when they get up, move around and then lie down again... especially if it is a large litter. While some people may find it acceptable to lose pups due to negligence this is what I was taught by my mentors ~ and I learned why when I asked someone else to watch my pups for 15 minutes while I took a shower, came back and 2 pups had been squashed to death. The person supposed to be watching them said "well, I didn't hear anything, she just stood up, turned around and laid down". With a litter of 13 it was hard for the b*tch to keep track of where all the pups were... and since the pups were 12 oz and the b*tch was 90 lbs.. they died quite quickly.

I totally disagree with the above answer.That's very common. Dogs tend to step on their pups when they're paying too much attention to the people & they often sit on them as a way to protect them from being handled. I know you want to be part of what's going on but you need to leave them alone. Puppies are tougher than you think.

Yes one dont let her step and sit on them. you just possibly let your mother cause brain damage to your pups. Lots of moms will do this but its up to you to make sure to get the pups out of the way. Why did you let your dog breed in the first place? Dont say it was an accident because you shouldnt have let her out of your site when she was in heat. Its your fault for not doing research in the MONTHS she was carrying. If it wasnt an accident, then shame on you for not doing research also.Now to answer yes the mother has to stay with the pups 24/7 cept for potty breaks and feeding and should not be unsupervised with them for the first couple weeks.

I've had quite a few dogs who had litters. They won't intentionally hurt the puppies, but as you've seen your dog is probably very exhausted and having a hard time keeping them out from under her feet. My suggestion is to stay up with her, and help her take care of them. Put the mother and the babies together some place warm (maybe your living room floor in a box?) and you sleep near by. When she wakes with them, wake up and help her. Just like any new mother of any species, she might need you to help her get through the first night, depending upon how her labor went, and how many babies she had. This can be especially important, because often times not all of the litter survives the first week. Some have trouble taking milk, others have trouble getting the milk/warmth they need when trying to fight against their siblings. If you see any of the baby's struggling you might need to intervene. If you have a vet, call their after hours/emergency number if you have a concern and they will be happy to help you.Also, don't do anything at any point that could startle or scare your new momma dog. She is on high alert and may feel threatened. In that case, she would go after you, and may accidentally injure herself or the babies. Keep the lights low, the noise down and if you have any kids tell them to stay out of the room. Remember that there are a lot of vets that will do 'check ups' for dogs who have had babies, and will come to your house and check out the momma and the puppies for potential problems or issues. goodluck!

to add to Animal Artwork, is the mother and pups in a big enough whelping box?probably not. make it bigger.

When my poodle had her puppies, she stayed with her pups for most of the time. I made sure the crate was big enough to hold "everybody". There was always somebody home in case anything happened, but nothing ever did. She sat on the pups occasionally, but none ever got hurt. When the puppies started crawling around I made another expansion. Stop worrying about the dog and fussing so much. They will be fine as long as you have a big enough box for them all. The real task begins when the pups are about a month old, then you have your hands full.

Of course she should be sleeping with them all night long and all day. They cannot regulate their own body heat.. She should be there to keep them warm, safe and be feeding them every couple of hours. The way to stop her is to keep her calm and sleep in the whelping box w/ her til she is doing okay and you are positive that the puppies are safe.. Sleep in there for at least the first week.

Are you insane or only 8yo??Bitches MUST be the litter 23 out of 24 hours!!!!

Yup, clear your schedule for the next two to three weeks and enjoy a 24/7 "vacation" of staying RIGHT NEXT to the box!!!!!!That is what RESPONSIBLE people do.

Yes, she SHOULD be sleeping with them. She will distance herself from them when the time is right.