Hello, I'm new here, just signed up, I'm very sad to say that I was extremely niave and extremely unprepared for my dog to have puppies. I have 3 dogs Philly (Male about to be 2 years old on Jan 14th) Cookie Dough (Female a year and a half) and Deezzel (Cookie's twin brother)
On Dec 3rd 2007 Cookie Dough had 4 healthy puppies, unfortunately we had only known for a week that she was even pregnant, we thought we had did our best to keep all the dogs confined and away from each other when we couldn't supervise, especially when she was in heat, when she was in heat we would have them completely separated all the time no matter what.
The Pups are now a little over 4 weeks and I'm so confused, when can they start to be house trained? Some of the pups come when called by name, and some sit when told, but not all the time. I see this as a good sign that they are ready to learn. Are they too young to start training? Can I start crating them separately? Or should I leave them in with mom and the other pups all together?
Even though this was completely unexpected I'm trying to make the best of it, trying to make sure we have 4 healthy, well trained, happy puppies.
Any advice will help

Thanks A Bunch
Jess

At 4 weeks of age there is little to no training possible, best left alone with thier mother, suggest looking for good homes for them now so they'll be ready to go when they get eight weeks of age. SPCA is really good place to start and they have a inexpensive spay/nueter program. you didn't say what kind of dogs you have

Philly is Jack Russell/Rat Terrier Mix, and Cookie Dough and Deezzel are Jack Russell with a tiny tiny piece of Chawaja (Forgive me if I spelled that wrong.) I have already found homes for 3 of them and we've decided to keep one.
But that raises another question... should I get rid of them all at once? Or should I do it one by one? Will this effect Cookie (mom)?

Well, I do not think you should get rid of them all if you couldn't find them a permant home. Actually you made a terrible mistake and you should take a big responsibilty for bringing them to this world. Please don't be an arrogrant owner where you just say" well I can just take them to humane society and someone will find them a home." If you truly want to clean up after your mistakes then clean things after yourself and get your dogs fixed.

If this is an accident, I would be serious about spaying and neutering all dogs. I advise you to get your dogs fixed seriously. If you are kind of tight with money, I am sure there are low cost spay/neuter clinic in your area. I would start with spaying female dogs first.

Any breeding accidents are not funny. I am not happy about it so I'm sure other people aren't either.

 Quote: Lindsay Janes

Actually you made a terrible mistake and you should take a big responsibilty for bringing them to this world.

If this is an accident, I would be serious about spaying and neutering all dogs. I advise you to get your dogs fixed seriously. If you are kind of tight with money, I am sure there are low cost spay/neuter clinic in your area. I would start with spaying female dogs first.

Any breeding accidents are not funny. I am not happy about it so I'm sure other people aren't either.

 Quote: Jessica Swigart

I'm very sad to say that I was extremely niave and extremely unprepared for my dog to have puppies...
we thought we had did our best to keep all the dogs confined and away from each other when we couldn't supervise, especially when she was in heat, when she was in heat we would have them completely separated all the time no matter what...
Even though this was completely unexpected I'm trying to make the best of it, trying to make sure we have 4 healthy, well trained, happy puppies.
Any advice will help

What's done is done. She openly admitted right off the bat that she made a mistake. Let's not crucify her for trying to make the best life for the puppies by asking for help.

 Quote: Jenni Williams

What's done is done. She openly admitted right off the bat that she made a mistake. Let's not crucify her for trying to make the best life for the puppies by asking for help.

But if you read her second post, she typed.

 Quote: Jessica Swigart

should I get rid of them all at once? Or should I do it one by one? Will this effect Cookie (mom)?

My post was specific for that statement.

Did this get posted twice???? I responded to this question but don't see my answer.....

Maybe you can repost or rewrite? I didn't see anything that you posted.

She said she had found homes for three of the Pups of which she has done well. and was keeping, or thinking of keeping one of them,
Then she was a bit concerned that if she let all three go to there homes all in one go it may affect the Mother.
i call that caring not otherwise, thats the way i read Jessica's post,
and those of us you have never made mistakes in our life are very fortunate indeed,
Me, i have made Hundreds and will make more, thats human nature, the thing is not to make the same ones each time

 Quote: mike j schoonbrood

Did this get posted twice???? I responded to this question but don't see my answer.....

There are two identical threads going on. I said after your post "Can we merge these threads?"

I know what you were replying to, Lindsay, and in general I agree, but I thought it should be pointed out that she was doing the best she could from this point on, and we shouldn't jump all over people who are taking positive steps in correcting mistakes. Or we will not help any dogs, and it's all about the dogs.