What to do when 2 week old puppies whine at night?

Question

When the puppies whine, it is normally just one or two. They whine like they are hungry, and the mother will not stay in the box with them. By the time we get the mother into the box to feed, the puppies have woken up the whole house (including the children 4 & 2). Does anyone have any suggestions on how to make the mother stay with the puppies during the night? We have her in a appliance box in our bedroom.
Or how to get her to feed when they are hungry? It seems like she is staying away from them more and more.

We are not keeping the mother and the puppies seperate. She just gets out of the box and wonders thru the house at night. Normally I find her in my husbands recliner. OR there are times when she is in the box with them and just not attending to them when they whine.

Answer 1

Maybe they're not hungry and simply miss the mother. If you put a windup clock with an audible tick in with them, they may be fooled into thinking their mother is still with them.

Answer 2

I would say the mom needs water and her food near her. They are puppies, sometimes it helps to just sit by them and try and calm them. I would also ask your vet and/or a trainer near you. Some mothers might just be like that. Where I got my puppie from the mother was like that. If you have friends that have an older dog (female!) that you think would be a good mother see if she will try and foster them, this might work or not. That is what the parents of my pup had to do. Otherwise try the animal society and see if they can get an older female home to come in and foster the young ones.
Hope this helps! Good luck.

Answer 3

If it is a new mommy that is to be expected. You really dont want to force her to stay with the babbies she could accidently lay on one or even get agressive if she feel traped. dont know what breed you have but mostley the mom is going to take care of the babies in her own time unless the puppies start to look starved I wouldnt worry. If she has a large make sure she is producing enough milk her **** should be full. It probley wouldnt hurt to bottle feed em once a day if there is a large litter. Just keep an eye on the pups health and dont force the mom to much.

Answer 4

Where earplugs...

No just kidding. Go to the pet store buy what they call "bitches milk" and a little bottle. Read the directions on the milk because of the age of the puppies and the thickness of the milk you might have to dilute it slightly with water or what ever is recommended and feed the puppies the mommy might be having a hard time and the puppys might not be getting enough milk.

Also once mommy sees you feeding puppys she gets more interested in taking care of here puppies could be jealousy I don't know. She could be scared of the puppies crying and making her nervous if she doesn't have enough milk for their appetites.

Answer 5

why is she seperated from her puppies anyway??? or does she just get out of the box and wander away??

it sounds like she is not being very "motherly" to them and that could be a problem. if she's not feeding them properly, then you may end up with underweight pups...not very good when trying to sell them in a few weeks.
i'd get with your vet and see if he/she has any recommendations.

if you are seperating her from her pups, i would put her back with them. maybe your room is too big for them. try putting the box in a bathroom or a utility room so they are close together.

take care.

oh, and the ticking clock is a good idea and classical music helps calm dogs, too:)

Answer 6

Try putting them in a pet taxi or some other container with a closing door. Take the mother out to pee b4 bedtime then fasten her up with the pups until morning. You could also put a hot water bottle wrapped in a cloth in the box with them and they will snuggle up to its warmth thinking its their mom.
Is she a young mother? My neighbor had a cocker spaniel that did not want her babies and they fastened her up with them for sleeping and feeding. When the babies were old enough to get along without her, they sold them all and spayed her because she had no mothering instincts.

Answer 7

Hi, a really good way to help them is a radio playing at low volume. It is great company for them. Also, get a old teddy and lie beside them so they have a surrogate mother while real mum is taking a breather from her tiring puppies. Place it in there before you go to bed, and radio to break the silence for them. Remember they are used to having a lively household that suddenly goes silent every night.

Answer 8

I am a dog breeder and what I do when I encounter a problem with this is put her in a small room over night such as the washroom and shut the door so that she has no choice but to stay in there with them. I'm guessing that this is her first litter? You may also want to move the puppies to the living room close to your husband's chair as it seems that that is where she wants to be. I hope this helps you

Answer 9

I would try to confine her to the same room as the pups, not necessarily in the box, but just in the same room. If she is not paying much attention to them, she may just reject them all together. She may be too young, or it's her first litter and she doesn't know what to do. Or maybe she's just not the "mom" material. Keep a close eye on the pups, weigh them every day if you can, on a small kitchen scale, and record their weights. If they continually drop, they may need you to intervene and raise them if they are to survive. Contact your vet if you need help on what to do! Good Luck!

Answer 10

If you can wrap a hot water bottle with a towel and put an old style ticking clock (also wrapped in a towel) in the box, this will comfort the puppies.
Mom is going to absent from them more and more.. it is just how they do things.