Traveling with Newborn Puppies

[Tortoise]

Where are you going to and from where?
If your not letting her be with the pups you need to let her be able to see them. If she hears them and cant see and touch them she and pups will be a wreck.

 

[cassie]

Where are you going to and from where?
If your not letting her be with the pups you need to let her be able to see them. If she hears them and cant see and touch them she and pups will be a wreck.

They should be kept separate from her for their own safety. I have separated pups from their mother and as long as she knows where they are everything should be fine.

 

[cassie]

Thank you everyone. I will definitely drive then. I really didn’t want to fly but thought maybe a short trip would be easier on her, but since it seems like that’s too dangerous we won’t go that route.

I’ll make more stops for her, I was just concerned about her bringing back germs/parvo/chemicals etc to her puppies if I let her walk around on grass or pavement in new areas. That’s why I was thinking I could have her use the pee pads. I will keep the puppies separated from mom during the trip and just stop for feedings.

I don’t think I will do a sedative. Normally I take her in the car to go hiking or to parks. She pants heavily and shakes the whole time there as well as having her eyes incredibly wide. 9/10 times on our way home, she is tired enough that she sleeps on the way back.

How should I setup the puppies box? I have small soft sided kennels and small-ish wire kennels. Should I include hot water bottles or just keep the heat high enough in the car?

As long as the puppy's box has a nice blanket for them to lie on the puppies will be fine. Puppies pile on each other to keep warm. They will not need a heating pad nor should you have to crank up the heat in the car to uncomfortable levels. You don't want to cook them. If you are concerned about germs, you can wipe the mother's feet with some sort of disinfectant wipe as you put her in the car.

 

[Tortoise]

Be sure she can see them! Don't care what others are saying. An already nervous mother that can't get too or see her potentially crying puppies is not good for mother or puppies or you for that matter. Even a mother that hears an already weaned pup crying will want to get too that pup.

 

[Tortoise]

They should be kept separate from her for their own safety. I have separated pups from their mother and as long as she knows where they are everything should be fine.

She is keeping them separate. My problem is the mother needs to be able to see and touch them. Like through a cage. I have had plenty of puppies too. Used to breed and show dogs and worked for a vet. I know of what I am saying too. Also know of a lot of people/breeders that had lots of puppies. A dog that isn't already nervous wants to be with their pups when they start crying. A dog that is nervous and now you have her in a car and not able to get too her nursing puppies is bad enough. Now you want her to not be able to see or touch them. That's a recipe for a possible disaster.

 

[cassie]

These pups are three weeks old, not newborns. At this age mothers spend considerable time away from their puppies. If the puppies are crying it means they are either cold or hungry and those issues can be addressed. Other than that they will be cuddled up sleeping. I never had an issue with the mothers if I had to separate the puppies for whatever reason. Maybe my mother dogs were not as nervous as yours. That said, some crates come with a divider. The last one I bought did.

 

[Beah10]

I can sit in the backseat with her and the puppies. She’s a small rat terrier so I can fit back there with the kennel. I do want to have them separated just to make sure she doesn’t accidentally step on anyone. I can put the puppies in a soft sided airline size carrier. It has mesh “windows” so I can sit it between me and her kennel.

I will pick up some sanitizing wipes, I didn’t even think of that! Thank you!

 

[Tortoise]

These pups are three weeks old, not newborns. At this age mothers spend considerable time away from their puppies. If the puppies are crying it means they are either cold or hungry and those issues can be addressed. Other than that they will be cuddled up sleeping. I never had an issue with the mothers if I had to separate the puppies for whatever reason. Maybe my mother dogs were not as nervous as yours. That said, some crates come with a divider. The last one I bought did.

We are talking an already nervous dog and she's in a car not her familiar home.
If she's a good mother dog, she will want too know why her pups are crying and will want too see them. When they are weaned, that's when the mother gets more relaxed about their cries, but will still check on them. Maybe my females were better mothers and those of all the people I know that bred dogs too. It's mother instinct. In fact my one dog did the exact same thing I am saying when it came to my son. My son made a noise or cry and she ran into check on him and then came and alerted me that he was needing something. It's what they do.

 

[Tortoise]

I can sit in the backseat with her and the puppies. She’s a small rat terrier so I can fit back there with the kennel. I do want to have them separated just to make sure she doesn’t accidentally step on anyone. I can put the puppies in a soft sided airline size carrier. It has mesh “windows” so I can sit it between me and her kennel.

I will pick up some sanitizing wipes, I didn’t even think of that! Thank you!

It's fine to have them separated. It's not fine to keep her from seeing them. It is best if you can sit back with them. However if you didn't want too, as long as she can see and touch them, even just with her nose, basically to smell them through a cage, they would be fine.