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-- Momma/Puppy question (http://forums.ukcdogs.com/showthread.php?threadid=114370)

Momma/Puppy question

A friend's dog had puppies yesterday and wants to know if the situation below is normal. (We've haven't had any puppies yet, so I didn't know.)

Inside the whelping area, they put a pillow that the dog usually likes to lay on. Well, she tore the pillow up and pulled out most of the stuffing. She had the pups during the early morning hours (1-5) and they checked on her periodically. One time when they checked on her, she had three pups nursing and the other seven were inside the pillow case!
If she put them in there, is that an indication that she's not interested in them?
Or was she just trying to keep them warm?
Friend took them out and swapped with the ones she was nursing and the dog licked them and let them nurse too. But my friend says the dog is looking a little "overwhelmed". This is the dog's first litter.

Its normal for her to shread the pillow. A dog will "nest" just before, during, and after whelping. I would take the pillow case out and the stuffing because the pups could sufficate in the case or choke on the stuffing. Put down some newspaper. It works well for keeping clean up to a minimum and gives the mother something to do as well. If she is overwhelmed, she will walk away from the pups for a while and rest then come back to them. Since this is her first litter, she's probably a little stressed but instinct should take over.