[Akaangela]

I am new here but wanted to ask a few questions. My moms Basset is going to have puppies soon. Mom is acting like Calley (her female) is a queen . She has made a den out her crate (it is 40x28x30 (I think those are the rough esetements of the crate). She has started taking her tempature and it droped from 100.2 (at 5pm) to 99.4 (at 9pm)tonight. So soon we will have puppies. The vet took an exray and said 6 maybe 7. He said he counted 6 heads and extra vertabra so that is where the 7 maybe comes from.

This is a first litter for everyone, dog, mom and myself and we are excited. I have done a lot of reserch on GSD's and have the book Monks of New Skeet. Is this ok to use on Bassets? They have many different things you should do to socilise puppies and make sure their temperment is the best it can be.
You should see all the stuff they have gotten for the puppies and for the new mom. : She is getting SO spoiled. Can you spoil a mom too much?
Can you hold the puppies too much? I get to doggie sit since they have to be gone on memorial day weekend and they so dont want to leave.
The puppies will be about, maybe (who knows when they will pop out)at the oldest 8 days. Please tell me that is way to young for them to be traveling (they would be in an RV with all their own things).
I know next to nothing about bassets, but wanted to ask as I will be responable for these guys. I might even get to have pick of the litter if I want it (I have no idea what to look for in a good basset can you give me some clues)?

 

[Soundtrack]

You may find the crate a bit small and awkward to work with. I suggest running out and getting a kiddie wading pool, it's easy to clean, easy to access mom and pups during the whelping and fits nicely inside a standard ex-pen once you need to put up a barrier.

One difference between bassets and many other breeds is it's quite common for the mother to accidentally lie on the pups and crush them. This can happen in minutes so you have to be vigilant 24/7 on this issue. I never leave them alone for the first 2-3 weeks, if I do have to go out for some reason I separate the mom from the babies.

All the socializing in the New Skete book should be fine for bassets.

The only worry about a mom being too spoiled is that she may prefer your company to that of the pups. Some spoiled dogs will actually resent having to stay with them.

My pups get plenty of handling, I'll sit in the pen and let them crawl on me, and I often have to reach in and pull them out from under momma.

 

[Barbara Winters]

Sounds like your Mom has everything under control as much as can be anticipated. Just to be sure, do you have a vet that's available 24/7 just in case of emergency? I've know quite a few bassets that have needed emergency c-sections. I know of one person who had to spend $3000 at the emergency clinic because she found out her vet didn't do c-sections and it was too late to make other arrangements.

Interesting that we've had more breeders on Cyberhound in the last week than probably all year. I guess spring is in the air.

[ May 21, 2005, 10:49 AM: Message edited by: Barbara Winters ]

 

[Nicole510]

Yes...they are too young to travel. A puppy shouldn't be out of the house until it's first set of vaccinations and possibly it's second.

 

[Barbara Winters]

gone on memorial day weekend and they so dont want to leave. The puppies will be about, maybe (who knows when they will pop out)at the oldest 8 days

I suggest they stay home as the pups might only be a couple of days old if that and that's too much responsiblity for one young inexperienced person, IMO. And that's assuming all pups are healthy. Tell your folks to stay home.

 

[joanr]

Let's all give Akaangela a hand for being concerned about socailizing the pups!
Joan

 

[Akaangela]

Thank you for your advice. I am far from inexperenced in dogs and no longer young (I wish I was) I have a lot of experence with GSD's and very little with bassets. I don't live with my mother so I am not around them all the time. This IS the first litter of pups for us all but my mom is much more prepaired than I am. Belive me if she didnt have to leave she wouldn't but this is out of her hands.
I am asking all these questions for many reasons. I have pick of the litter, if I want. I dont want this to be a spur of the moment and I want to make an informed decision. I dont know much about the breed. Mom's dogs are very sweet, a bit on the stubbern side but behaves for her.
Not only that but I want to help her make sure that the people who have put deposits on the pups get the best pups we can raise (I know already I wont be able to stay away from puppies )Mom did make me promice if I want pick of the litter I have to be right there helping raise them, and take the one I pick to obedence classes, puppy soclization, etc. Of course, I will also have to sign the puppy contract also, just like everyone else (my mom likes all her ducks in a row).

Now dont get me wrong, I have read all about bassets and mom is always telling me things about her dogs but I wanted to get an "outside" opion just to make sure mom wasnt coloring things a bit (she just loves her dogs). Do any of you know what I mean? I dont spend much time alone with them (the dog) as they are firmly bonded to mom. They will do as she says, even if it is somewhat reluctantly, but they ignor me when I tell them to do something. Is this typical? I know my GSD obays me like that. Other people he knows he dosent have to mind, unless I tell him so.

As far as the vet goes we have the best vet in Oregon! He is very experenced and will do a C-section (heaven forbid) if needed, however he feels one should not be needed as Calley is in exclent health, but he will be on call and we know his number by heart (he dose all of our animals).

 

[Nicole510]

Yes, that's normal and can be normal for any breed. Some dogs mind everyone and some only mind their owners, women, men, etc.

Dudley ignores me, and I live alone, unless I use my deep "I mean it" voice. He IS getting better but there are days when it's a chore just to get him to sit.

I have 3 Boxers and a mix as well as Dudley. He is similar in play but very dissimilar in attitude. My Boxers want to constantly be with me and make me happy...Dudley wants to make himself happy.

 

[Basset Momma]

Bassets are a bit dissimilar from other breeds in that pleasing "their people" is not a high priority. We raised golden retrievers years ago and thought they were the best breed ever- until we brought home our first basset. I've had more enjoyment from my bassets than I would have dreamed from a pet. They are stubborn- but affectionate. After puppy sitting you may have a better idea on if you would want one- but for our family we've really loved them- Good luck with the wee ones- and post pictures if you can-

 

[Akaangela]

Well she had them on the 27th. OMG they are so cute! She had 4 boys and 3 girls. I was there for the birth (started at 9am) and I got to watch and help her. She seemed to like having someone here and mom got to come home at 1030 so she was here also for most of it. Mom and puppies are doing great. Mom is a bit off food (she has always been a picky eater) so I am giving her some satin balls and anything else she will eat. They are so cute, oh did I say that already???

 

[Betsy Iole]

Basset puppies (and possibly Cocker Spaniel puppies) are the cutest in all of Dogdom. Unfortunately, their extreme cuteness seduces people into making impulse purchases without having any idea of what's involved in raising and training a basset puppy. Good breeders need to be extra picky about the homes those precious pups go to.

 

[Buttercup]

Congrats on the new little bassets!!!! Please post some pics if you can, we all just die for baby basset pics (okay, we die for any basset pics)

 

[Akaangela]

I will try and post some photos. I am really sad as during the night (I was doing checks on her every 2 hrs) it looks like she laid on one of her puppies and it died I am so upset and so afraid to leave her alone for even a moment now. She has been very withdrawn since she lost her pup. She dosent want to eat or leave them even to go outside to potty. It happened between 11pm and 1am. It was a little boy. Everyone else is doing fine. I read in one of the books that they should have a whelping box with a rail to prevent this, but our vet said a crate would do just as good.

Here is one of her pups

[ May 30, 2005, 04:18 AM: Message edited by: Akaangela ]

 

[Akaangela]

another photo

 

[Akaangela]

How about another one?

 

[Basset Momma]

Oh they are beautiful... We lost one in the same way- I had a wading pool- we had used in years past for our Goldens... but our basset was curved just the wrong way and pressed it up against the rail- I cried- Momma basset was very distressed- We hand fed her as she didn't like to take the time to eat- another breeder had recommended Pet milk with Karo syrup and egg... so we started making milk shakes and she took those well- Good luck- and continue to share

 

[Aruuuu]

Very cute puppies! But as far as your vet's advice about crate vs. whelping box -- not good, as you've learned the hard way. There are other things you can try, a wading pool is one, but the safest way to go is with a whelping box that has a pig rail. Vigilance is still required, of course, 24/7, but the pig rail helps.

HOWEVER, as sad as it is to lose a puppy -- these things happen, no matter how careful we try to be. So don't beat yourself up over this, learn from it and move on. Enjoy the remaining pups in the litter -- and please post pix as they grow up!

 

[Akaangela]

This is mom and dad Calley and Barney

 

[Buttercup]

Beautiful pups, beautiful parents!!!!!!! I'm so sorry you lost one