BluetickChick
UKC Forum Member
Registered: Jun 2006
Location: Chunky, Mississippi
Posts: 102 |
the way I see it, the pups are already here and as far as affecting how the mama dog looks, that has already happened... She is already producing milk, so her looking like she has never been bred is not going to happen... She want ever be quite as tight as she once was, but if she looked as good as you said she did before the pups, then you will have no problem at all finishing her out after the pups. You may not ever win the world show with her but getting a title on her shouldn't be hard at all for you.
I understand that you didn't want to breed her before you finished her out in the shows, (because that is how I am with all my gyps.) but the fact is that it has happened and you can't undo that. Killing those puppies is not going to make her automatically stop producing milk and it sure isn't going to take away the fact that she had them.
I suggest you let her keep her pups. but do not let them stay on her to long. it is ok to start weaning them at about 2 1/2 to 3 weeks, and have them completely weaned by 4 weeks. this will not affect the pups much at all as long as you supplement them with replacement milk until they are 6 weeks old. (not bottle feeding, but just mix the powder replacement milk into their food so they still get all the nutrients they need.) taking them away from mom at 4 weeks will help out a lot with her keeping her "shape" because this way poor mama dog want have 8 big pups holdin on to her tryin to eat all the time. You should start offering the pups "Liquid puppy food" as soon as their eyes open. the best way i have found to make liquid puppy food is to mix 1 part puppy food to 2 parts mixed replacement milk and let it soak for about 2 hours. then get a blender and mix it together until it is completely soupy. (this is very messy, but it helps the pups get use to solid food.) after they start eatin that ok, go ahead and start making it where it is firmer every day until the pups can eat regular soaked food with out having to blend it. (they should be doing that within a week and a half after starting the weaning process.) continue to feed them puppy food soaked in replacement milk until they reach 6 weeks of age and then puppy food soaked in plain water will work just fine, and by 7 weeks they should be able to get down hard puppy food.(but it want hurt to continue soaking it…)
Since you want be selling these puppies don't waste your money on expensive wormer. if you use liquid ivermec for your big dogs you can use that on them. (I can help you with dosage amounts if you would like.) also their is no need in you wasting a lot of money on shots. once again your not raising these pups to sell your just raising them to keep them alive long enough to give them to someone else. so don't worry about taking them to the vet for shots. Go to your local feed store and they should sale 7 in 1 shots which will work just fine for these pups, and it will only cost you about $5 a shot. or you can buy from Upco.com I have used them several times before and never have had a puppy get sick. the shots cost under $2 a piece if you order from them. (I can give you more information on that if you would like.)
to get rid of the pups after they turn 6 weeks old, I suggest you run an ad in the paper like Plottluver said, put flyers up around town, and if you can, ask your local feed store if you can bring them down there one Saturday mornin and give them away. people are a lot more likely to take them if they can see them.
one of my favorite dogs is my sisters Lab/Bluetick mix that I raised for her. He is solid black like your pups and he is an amazingly smart dog. (he is also turning out to be an excellent squirrel dog for my brother in law.) Just because these puppies may not be convenient doesn't mean you should kill them. they will turn out to be someones favorite pet. And if you do things right it want be to much trouble or money to raise them... and don't worry about finishin mama out, she will make it. this want have any affect on her huntin ability and it will have Very Very LITTLE affect on her showing. Plus You CAN NOT UNDO WHAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED! So just do what you can to not make things any worse and Make the BEST out of a BAD situation!
If you need any help, feel free to ask, and I will do the best I can to help you!
Best of Luck with Them! God Bless and Happy Hunting,
Shelly Embrey
BluetickChick@msn.com
(601) 227-1616
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Chunky River Bluetick Coonhounds
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