Looking Forward to Puppies…
Left to right (dogs): Rosie, Finn, Otis at 6 Months Old; Momma Waffles also pictured
Waffles (our Saint Bernard) is now over 6 months postpartum. Rosie (our Saint Berdoodle) is now a little over 6 months old! It’s got us thinking about when the next litters of puppies may arrive!
With that, come thoughts of preparation. We’ve been doing some brainstorming about the possibilities for our breeding area at The Furry Farmhouse.
With the last litter, we set up an area in our garage at home. We had a whelping box and several kennels to accommodate Waffles and her puppies. Obviously, we learned a lot, as that was our first experience with a litter of puppies.
We learned that when the time comes, it’s nice to make sure you have everything you, Momma, and babies need nearby.
We are a very hands-on family. We want to be there for Momma, for the puppies. We probably go overboard, but we cannot help it! We want to make sure that if anything goes wrong, we are there to help.
For us, that means having an area that is both comfortable for us and for the Momma and puppies. We need quick access to supplies, formula, medications, food, and water. We need organization to ensure if we need the vet, we have a phone number handy. And if we cannot get in touch with the vet, we have a backup plan.
I don’t think people realize the preparation involved and the COST involved with being a responsible breeder. Yes, our puppies come at a premium. But did you know that we spent over $7,000 in supplies to prepare for our first litter? Yes!
Between the cost of puppy formula, premium dog food, supplements for Waffles, veterinary visits, various puppy supplies, and various lodging supplies, it adds up!
It can also take a toll physically. The first week the puppies were born, it felt like having a newborn x 9 all over again! It didn’t help that I threw my back out the very first night they were born getting in and out of the whelping box. That coupled with lack of sleep is rough!
In looking to the coming months, we are considering many options. We plan to move the whelping area to The Furry Farmhouse, creating an area solely for our breeding program. As part of this move, we will have one room dedicated to whelping, complete with a bed for us to stay in and keep a watchful eye on momma and her babies.
Nearby, we will have access to a kitchenette, and COFFEE. My daughter, Ella, and I have been scouring Pinterest for whelping room ideas and decor. There are some really neat organizational ideas for supplies on there!
We have so many ideas and aspirations for these upcoming litters. And we can’t wait to share our progress with you! Stay tuned!