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Kennel Tips - Puppies

Prepare Your Puppies for Tying Out
Everyone knows how tying puppies for the first time is so much "fun". This works for halter breaking foals so we tried it with the pups.

Before you tie them out, put on a collar and a length of chain (as long as the pup) and let them drag it around. The constant stepping on it and pulling on the neck, plus the noise, teaches them to drag the chain beside them. This does not eliminate the first few jolts when they are tied, but we have not had a pup get tangled in his own chain and get injured. A couple of half hour sessions is usually enough and is well worth the time.

Remember not to leave pups running around with chains on unsupervised!
Submitted by Dale Teege, Ontario, Canada, 9/20/00

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More on Preparing Your Puppies for Tying Out
Up to this point, the pups have been living in the pen together and eating out of the same bowl or two. Begin the transition two or three weeks before they will be separated and placed on a chain. Start out at each meal by tethering the pups and feeding them. Remove the pups and place them back in the pen as soon as they are done. This will get them use to the chain, but the food will be their primary focus. After several feedings, leave them on the chain for a few minutes after they finish eating and provide reassurance. Continue to extend their time on the chain after feeding for the next couple weeks or even longer.

We have seen that the pups are mostly quiet and experience very little trauma once they are permanently switched to the chain. A positive association with the food and the chain was created and, as a bonus, they eagerly come to be tethered when let loose in the dog yard.
Submitted by Alan & Barbara, Alaska, 4/17/03

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Safety Rails for Whelping Boxes
Use 2x4 rails to prevent bitches from laying on puppies...

In your whelping box (we use a 3 ft x 3 ft dog house) put 2x4's horizontally around the interior about 3.5 to 4 inches from the floor (screw the 2X4 from the outside of the house with long screws).  When the female is having pups, the puppies can go under the 2X4 and be protected when she lay down to deliver other pups.  Pups sometimes get killed when the female lay down and is too busy delivering the new pups and just "squish" another one. This is very good for new mom or nervous dogs...

Submitted by Magali Philip, Nenana, Alaska 4/29/02

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