Just starting a new topic to go along with the great female discussion..The importance of a naturally maternal mother..I recently had a litter out of my female Stretch vom Leerburg and my stud Andante v.d. Vogel Haus (aka doodlebug). I have to say that Sabre (stretch) was the best mother I could ever asked for. I kept a pup back and to this day she is great with him. She has taught him many things. It is very interesting to see her interact with him and "show" him things. I took them swimming and he kind of stood on the edge and I just let Sabre teach him to go in. She would "tease" him with the toy and then back up a bit in the water til he finally came in. Then she would run up and down the bank with him. She finally started to swim out (on her own) til he would follow her a ways and then she would turn back with him and play on the edge of the water with him. I just let those two do their thing and it was fascinating to watch how she was teaching him. I think it is very important to have a confident mother to raise pups. I couldn't have asked for a better one in Sabre. I think Ed needs to write an article on the importance of a good mother when raising a litter of pups and how it can effect their outcome as adults...

Why dont you write this article?

 Quote:

Originally posted by Tim Leigh:
Why dont you write this article?

LOL...Great joke <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Not about the bitches, precisely, but I had a male whippet who would steal food and take it to whatever litters were on the ground. He would also be thin as a rake from barfing his own dinner for the puppies. He would go into the nest and play with / wash the pups as soon as the bitch would let him.

He was a good stud dog, and his daughters were outstanding mothers.

I love to watch the way bitches teach their pups. One of my favorites is when they teach them about "ownership". Bitch chews *stick, bone, whatever* with great relish and the pups look on greedily. One or two get nailed for being forward and touching it. Then she elaborately sets it aside and looks off to the horizon -- and makes anybody who touches it squeal. It's so pretty and almost ritual <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Bitches do such a good job of teaching manners.

We had an old gramma-dog who passed this year at 22 (whippies live forever). She taught all the pups manners, and spared me a lot of work. Just a little reinforcement of what she already taught. She housebroke 'em all.

 Quote:

Originally posted by Tim Leigh:
Why dont you write this article?

YEAH K, why don't YOU write it?? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Great idea Tim!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Karmen is right though, a good mother is so important. I get really REALLY irritated when I hear of breeders who pull puppies at birth cause the mom will eat them, kill them or not take care of them. These offspring go on the continue the cycle of non-existent parenting skills. In my opinion, no matter how awesome a working dog this female is, if she can't or won't take care of a litter on her own (after one chance) she shouldn't be bred again and wouldn't if she lived here.