Omg

I was just cruising Freecycle, and came upon this ad....

Wanted: old pet bed for 8 new puppies and a larger dog house

My dog suprised me last night with a litter of 8 new puppies in the
snow. They have a small house and she keeps sitting on them. If
someone has an old pet bed they aren't using, I can sit them in it and
say can lay around it and still nurse them.

Also if someone has a larger dog house that would be great. Someone
said I could have one then backed out. I could really use one now. If
someone has the larger Igloo style that would be great.

Any additional info on babies would also be appreciated. I haven't had
babies in 25 years. I'm like a nervous grandpa with 8 new grandkids
now.

It SNOWED this week and nightime temps have been in the low teens.

Does anyone have any good puppy care links I can send to this guy?
It doesn't sound like he's interested in bringing them indoors, out of the freezing temps. I don't want to scare him off, but I need to send him some info that will make him realize that puppies can't regulate their body heat and it's too damned cold to leave them outside.

How sad !!!!

Maybe if you contacted him and *talked* to him?

I'd be willing to talk to him, but I don't really have a lot of puppy rearing experience so I need some of the experienced breeders on board to suggest some links I can send him as well.

All I can do is tell him to bring the poor things inside and keep them warm and to keep Mom from sitting on them.

A lightbulb in the dog house would help a lot, so would a towel nailed over the opening. In this weather with puppies outdoors I will be surprised if he has ANY survivors, but you never know. Mother nature can triumph over some amazing obstacles at times.

HAY would likely be better than bedding that can get twisted and trap puppies, and is a pretty good insulator.

The other important thing is high quality food for the mother so she can feed the puppies well.

So sad to think that ANY dogs are out in this severe cold we have had the last week here. Luckily the next week is supposed to be very nice, so maybe if some of them are still alive they might make it.

Thanks Red, I was hoping you'd come along. Any good links for puppy rearing you can think of off the top of your head?

I'm afraid he wants a large dog house - to keep mom from squishing them. But don't you think that'd be a bad idea because it's going to be harder to keep the puppies warm if there is too much room, right? I mean, more room doesn't mean mom still can't squash them...right?

Straw is better than hay for warmth if he can get it.. and has less seeds to get in pups eyes etc (but its not as soft)

If he is unwilling to put in an incandescent light (which will work wonders) then if he piles the snow all around and over the dog house will help insulate. The dog house MUST have a flap.

Its amazing how warm a properly insulated dog house can be.. but drafts will negate any warmth created by mom.

Thanks. I'm going to send him a message now. Fingers crossed.
(I'm actually quite amazed they've survived so far. It's been so frigid here).