Let's talk about an often unmentioned, often over-looked subject. Traction. Why? Because it is important for the health and longevity of your puppy/future working dog. And it all starts at birth. One of the biggest pet peeves of mine are photos of other breeders, whom either don't know any different or just don't care, with litters of newborn to 3 wk old pups in a whelping box without any type of bedding material. Now I know that many people use kiddie wading pools and other repurposed or homemade whelping boxes to not only save money but also because they think that they are good enough for the occasional litter and are easy to clean. Also, they fear using blankets due to possible smothering and suffocation (and rightly so), plus the added laundry can be a real chore. Pine shavings can cause eye irritation and allergic reactions plus it is dusty and messy to use in the house. BUT! In nature, litters are born on the dirt, with maybe some leaves or dry grass, usually dug into a nest shaped like a bowl. Now. I am certainly not advocating this type of delivery nor setting by any means, however as a breeder maybe we should try to replicate some of the important features of this "nest" for our litters. Why is it important? The shape of the bowl not only keeps the pups within a confined area so that they don't crawl off and get cold, but the puppy pile keeps them warmer, and makes it easier for the mother to make sure that she is not laying on anyone. The bowl shape is also important for another crucial reason- it helps with the formation of the hip socket and all important ligament attachment called the Teres ligament which keeps the hip in the socket. If that ligament is torn or the site of attachment injured in any way, laxity of the joint occurs which means that the ball does not fit in the socket tightly like it should. This laxity causes uneven and early wear and tear on the socket and ball, which causes the body to lay down uneven bone which causes arthritis /dysplasia of the joint. One of the most important time frames for the formation of the joint is from birth to 8wks of age, closely followed by 8 to 16 wks for small breed dogs. During that first 8wks of life, you want the pups to be able to use their hind legs as much as possible, and for the pups to be able to get those legs underneath themselves so that they can "stand" by 2-3 days of age. You do not want to see pups dragging themselves around the whelping pen by their front ends with the hind legs sprawled out behind them. And you also do not want to see that happening due to slick plastic or wooden flooring in the whelping box. Not only is it hindering the proper growth and development of the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bone in the pups, it is putting a strain on the front end joints and all of that useless scrabbling for traction can lead to injury. One of the easiest ways to give a pup the traction it needs is to lay down a soft, durable, non slick, material. Don't over think it! You do not need to buy bespoke made whelping pads (although they can be nice!), instead head to your local Goodwill or thrift shop and buy some rubber backed bathmats. Get enough it cover the entire surface of the whelping box and make sure you have spares for when original set is in the laundry! The smaller mats are actually easier due to being able to switch out the dirty ones without having to change the whole box and they are easier on your washing machine too! This nice thing able the mats is: They are reversible! That's right! You can put them fluffy side up or rubber on top. And once your litter is 4wks old and starting to wean, possibly using a litter box, you can either wash and save for the next litter or toss them. I went with a more "durable" solution for my litters because I wanted something a bit more "permanent". In that regard I searched for and found what I consider the perfect fit for my litters. I found a non-slick, raised pattern, water proof, heavy duty, thick rubber backed indoor/outdoor door mat that was made of a material that was not abrasive for tender skin, could be hosed off and sanitized, and dries quickly. These mats came in 2 sizes, 30" x 48" and 48" x 60". I have enough of each that I can have one or a set of the smaller ones in the whelping area, one in reserve, and one outside drying on the fence. Since I use an aluminum 4ft diameter "fire ring" with a rolled top to prevent sharp edges, I just set the ring on top of this/these rugs and that's it. The raised/indents of the pattern in the rugs gives additional traction in that they give the pups bumps and dips to dig their feet into, making it easier for them to "stand" with their hind legs by giving them something to push off of. Another little "trick" that I do is that when the pups are around a week old, I clip their toenails, which develop a rather sharp "hook" on the end...but I only clip the front ones that first week! This is for mom's comfort as the pups nurse and "dig" with their front paws and also to keep them from catching a sibling in the eye with those hooks! By leaving the back nails longer, this gives the pups that added ability to dig in with their hind feet and by giving them a touch less traction on the front, makes them rely more on their hind end for power. So far so good and I am really liking the results. But I will touch even further on that later on in the blog as well! For now, signing off!
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