How to adopt a family member’s future puppy?
November 6, 2024 9:09 AM Subscribe
My partner’s father’s dog is pregnant. We are in a position to adopt at least one of the future puppies. What do we need to know about timing, best practices, etc?
I assume there are hundreds of things online about this, but I’m not sure how to search for the situation exactly. (So, in addition to specific answers I will gladly accept links to further reading.)
I’m annoyed that this dog is pregnant, because my partner’s father is not a super responsible dog owner. However, I’m happy that we can take one of the future puppies. But we don’t really know any best practices about when and how to take a new puppy, or if there’s anything we should make sure is done before we take the puppy.
If we adopted from a shelter, I assume there’s a bunch of stuff they would do (vaccines, check-ups, etc), and all of that stuff will fall to us - but what is that stuff? And when does it need to happen?
As a bonus question: should we just let these puppies go to a rescue/shelter? I know that’s not an ideal situation, but on some level I feel like they know what they’re doing in a way that we don’t?
I assume there are hundreds of things online about this, but I’m not sure how to search for the situation exactly. (So, in addition to specific answers I will gladly accept links to further reading.)
I’m annoyed that this dog is pregnant, because my partner’s father is not a super responsible dog owner. However, I’m happy that we can take one of the future puppies. But we don’t really know any best practices about when and how to take a new puppy, or if there’s anything we should make sure is done before we take the puppy.
If we adopted from a shelter, I assume there’s a bunch of stuff they would do (vaccines, check-ups, etc), and all of that stuff will fall to us - but what is that stuff? And when does it need to happen?
As a bonus question: should we just let these puppies go to a rescue/shelter? I know that’s not an ideal situation, but on some level I feel like they know what they’re doing in a way that we don’t?
Best answer: If shelters there are anything like here, they are incredibly full right now - some Covid rush-to-get-a-dog owners are experiencing err, life cycle issues and either have let their dogs get pregnant or are dumping them. So if you're thinking of having some or all of the puppies go to a rescue or shelter (rescue is better in many cases if you know a good one), start on that like, today, because it will take time. Puppies are expensive to rescue if easier to place, but right now there's just a glut.
For puppy questions:
- Here's a link that might be helpful and it links to some other articles around puppy care etc.
- Best to stay with mom and if possible siblings until 9-10 weeks as this helps with a lot of stuff including bite inhibition.
- yes you'll need shots. I recommend you get pet insurance from the start so that none of your conditions are pre-existing; it is expensive and can be bad, but it also can be great. I have Trupanion and my puppy developed some stuff and even though he's still young it's been worth it (not dollar for dollar but invoices Have Been Paid at times that the chunk would have been a lot.)
- you didn't ask about having a puppy but I have a 17 month old one and it had been almost 20 years between dogs and dog ownership has changed a lot! For the better but I have intel. So if that would be helpful let me know.
posted by warriorqueen at 10:04 AM on November 6 [1 favorite]
For puppy questions:
- Here's a link that might be helpful and it links to some other articles around puppy care etc.
- Best to stay with mom and if possible siblings until 9-10 weeks as this helps with a lot of stuff including bite inhibition.
- yes you'll need shots. I recommend you get pet insurance from the start so that none of your conditions are pre-existing; it is expensive and can be bad, but it also can be great. I have Trupanion and my puppy developed some stuff and even though he's still young it's been worth it (not dollar for dollar but invoices Have Been Paid at times that the chunk would have been a lot.)
- you didn't ask about having a puppy but I have a 17 month old one and it had been almost 20 years between dogs and dog ownership has changed a lot! For the better but I have intel. So if that would be helpful let me know.
posted by warriorqueen at 10:04 AM on November 6 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Above the fold you mention "at least one" of the puppies. I would absolutely not adopt more than one. Look into "littermate syndrome". Also, puppies are A LOT.
r/puppy101 can be a helpful resource. I feel like it skews towards people who struggle with their puppies, but still might be helpful.
You also need to consider if you live in an area where parvo is high risk. The puppies should receive their first distemper/parvo/etc vaccine b/w 6 to 8 weeks. But it's a series of 3 vaccines spaced several weeks apart, and they aren't fully covered until two weeks after their last vaccine. (Rabies vaccine will typically be given around 16 weeks.) That's why in some areas of the country, it's advised to basically keep puppies isolated from other dogs (and from walking on the ground outside of a yard) until they are fully vaccinated or have had at least the first two distemper/parvo shots. But this has to be balanced with the fact that the peak window for socialization for puppies closes b/w 12 to 16 weeks.
A veterinarian local to you would be the best person to discuss this with. There are also other non-core vaccines that the vet can advice you about since it depends on the area you live in and also your own lifestyle (will the puppy be out in nature a lot, is lyme common, etc). You'll also want to get the dog on some sort of flea/tick and heartworm preventative, but again, a vet can advice you about the timeline for that.
It's also generally recommended that puppies are dewormed. This should be done multiple times before the puppy leaves the mother. Again, a vet should advice you/partner's stepfather about this.
While keeping the puppies with the mother until at least 8 weeks (ideally up to 10 to 12 weeks) is important, it's also very helpful to expose the puppies to other stuff early on. Get them used to being handled, expose them to different types of flooring, all sorts of stuff. However, I'm not super knowledgeable about this (since I'm not a breeder). I would honestly look for resources aimed at breeders to get a better idea about this. Of course, this assumes your partner's stepfather will allow you access to the puppies to do this kind of stuff, since it sounds like he won't be inclined to do this on his own.
should we just let these puppies go to a rescue/shelter? I know that’s not an ideal situation, but on some level I feel like they know what they’re doing in a way that we don’t?
A lot of this depends on where you are located. In New England, I know many rescues/shelters get dogs shipped from other parts of the country (especially southern US). But I would also say that it's never going to be good for young puppies to be in a shelter environment, and lots of rescues can't necessarily provide foster homes.
Also, the breed(s) involved will make a big difference. If these are bully breeds, unfortunately, that could make things tougher. If these are small breed puppies, or purebred or a mix of two breeds (so like a beagle and a golden or something), then that might be easier.
How recent is this pregnancy? If the pregnancy is quite recent, and if you can convince your partner's stepfather to do it, many vets will do a spay abort procedure on a very early pregnancy. But you really need to do that quite early, and dogs only have a 60 day gestation, so... but there are a lot of dogs in need of homes.
posted by litera scripta manet at 1:51 PM on November 6 [1 favorite]
r/puppy101 can be a helpful resource. I feel like it skews towards people who struggle with their puppies, but still might be helpful.
You also need to consider if you live in an area where parvo is high risk. The puppies should receive their first distemper/parvo/etc vaccine b/w 6 to 8 weeks. But it's a series of 3 vaccines spaced several weeks apart, and they aren't fully covered until two weeks after their last vaccine. (Rabies vaccine will typically be given around 16 weeks.) That's why in some areas of the country, it's advised to basically keep puppies isolated from other dogs (and from walking on the ground outside of a yard) until they are fully vaccinated or have had at least the first two distemper/parvo shots. But this has to be balanced with the fact that the peak window for socialization for puppies closes b/w 12 to 16 weeks.
A veterinarian local to you would be the best person to discuss this with. There are also other non-core vaccines that the vet can advice you about since it depends on the area you live in and also your own lifestyle (will the puppy be out in nature a lot, is lyme common, etc). You'll also want to get the dog on some sort of flea/tick and heartworm preventative, but again, a vet can advice you about the timeline for that.
It's also generally recommended that puppies are dewormed. This should be done multiple times before the puppy leaves the mother. Again, a vet should advice you/partner's stepfather about this.
While keeping the puppies with the mother until at least 8 weeks (ideally up to 10 to 12 weeks) is important, it's also very helpful to expose the puppies to other stuff early on. Get them used to being handled, expose them to different types of flooring, all sorts of stuff. However, I'm not super knowledgeable about this (since I'm not a breeder). I would honestly look for resources aimed at breeders to get a better idea about this. Of course, this assumes your partner's stepfather will allow you access to the puppies to do this kind of stuff, since it sounds like he won't be inclined to do this on his own.
should we just let these puppies go to a rescue/shelter? I know that’s not an ideal situation, but on some level I feel like they know what they’re doing in a way that we don’t?
A lot of this depends on where you are located. In New England, I know many rescues/shelters get dogs shipped from other parts of the country (especially southern US). But I would also say that it's never going to be good for young puppies to be in a shelter environment, and lots of rescues can't necessarily provide foster homes.
Also, the breed(s) involved will make a big difference. If these are bully breeds, unfortunately, that could make things tougher. If these are small breed puppies, or purebred or a mix of two breeds (so like a beagle and a golden or something), then that might be easier.
How recent is this pregnancy? If the pregnancy is quite recent, and if you can convince your partner's stepfather to do it, many vets will do a spay abort procedure on a very early pregnancy. But you really need to do that quite early, and dogs only have a 60 day gestation, so... but there are a lot of dogs in need of homes.
posted by litera scripta manet at 1:51 PM on November 6 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Oh, also, food! Seriously, you really need to look into resources for breeders, b/c I am sure there are guidelines about when to start introducing food and all that. I believe it's recommended to feed the nursing mother puppy food as well - she will need A LOT of calories with nursing puppies.
There is a lot of misinformation out there, but basically, you want to stick to big name brands that follow AAFCO/WSAVA guidelines, have the money to do feeding trials. The main recommended ones are Hill's, Purina, and Royal Canin, but I think Iams/Eukanuba also meet this. Purina Pro Plan is what I would recommend for the best quality at a lower cost compared to Purina/Royal Canin.
You should also talk to a vet (or breeder resources? Not sure) about how to support the mother. I've heard sometimes mothers can reject puppies. You'll need to have a whelping box or something like that.
Also, just be prepared for the fact that some or all of the puppies may not make it. Especially if your stepfather is not particularly responsible.
posted by litera scripta manet at 1:55 PM on November 6 [1 favorite]
There is a lot of misinformation out there, but basically, you want to stick to big name brands that follow AAFCO/WSAVA guidelines, have the money to do feeding trials. The main recommended ones are Hill's, Purina, and Royal Canin, but I think Iams/Eukanuba also meet this. Purina Pro Plan is what I would recommend for the best quality at a lower cost compared to Purina/Royal Canin.
You should also talk to a vet (or breeder resources? Not sure) about how to support the mother. I've heard sometimes mothers can reject puppies. You'll need to have a whelping box or something like that.
Also, just be prepared for the fact that some or all of the puppies may not make it. Especially if your stepfather is not particularly responsible.
posted by litera scripta manet at 1:55 PM on November 6 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Sorry to be blunt, but this sounds awful. Irresponsible dog owners are in no way up to the task of raising puppies. Did you know that 50% of dogs are euthanised because of "behaviour problems" before their first birthday? It's no wonder, with all the backyard breeding and puppy mills churning out dogs who've had the absolute worst start in life. It is so freaking easy to mess puppies up for life (I used to run puppy classes, so I've met a lot of dogs from different circumstances). You're much more likely to get a dog whose temperament is unstable, one who suffers from significant health issues later in life and is incredibly difficult hard to raise. If the parents haven't undergone genetic testing, they can pass on really unfortunate, painful (and expensive) medical issues such as hip dysplasia, endocarditis, exercise induced collapse, progressive retinal atrophy, tracheal collapse, and so much more. And honestly, puppies are a ton of work even when everything in their early life went well.
Your relative might be underestimating the need for his involvement. Mother dogs absolutely require human support raising puppies, especially if it's their first litter. Some mothers have trouble nursing or reject their puppies (and then it's on the humans to feed every couple of hours, day and night). And even the perfect mother can't weigh the pups, or get them handled and thereby used to human contact. She can't provide medical help, either. There is so much to think about after the puppies are born: The umbilicus should fall off after a few days, and the area needs to be checked daily for signs of infection. Puppies have to be checked for hernias and cleft palates. Young pups are exactly as fragile as human babies (maybe more so, because they're smaller). Threats include: sepsis, hypothermia, dehydration, and hypoglycemia. Puppies lack the ability to shiver and to keep their core warm by reducing blood flow to the extremities. When they get too cold, they can't eat and may die, so they need regular temp checks (you can't tell by touching them).
About shots: The puppies are only protected by nursing if their mother is fully vaccinated, and if they're actually drinking her milk within a few hours of birth. Mom should be in veterinary care for the entire process, and a good vet will make sure she has all her shots. There are two vital vaccines I know about that are not included in a regular fully-vaccinated adult dog (there might be more). One has to be given to the mother during pregnancy, the other is administered to three-week-old puppies.
If all this sounds overwhelming, that's because it is. Responsible breeders are absolutely wiped out during the neonatal period, and often right up until the puppies move out. The cleaning alone is insane. Add to that the research, setting up a warm and comfortable puppy-safe room with access to a backyard (vital for house training), assembling a whelping box (with pig rails!), meal prep, handling, weighing (plus charts), temp checks, socialization to different people/sounds/surfaces/etc., the vet visits, the inevitable bouts of diarrhea/ear infections/colds/bladder infections, dealing with all the urine, feces and lochia in the whelping box and then the whole room as puppies explore, trying to find future families (difficult, with the post-Covid surplus of dogs and "breeders"), very short nights because puppies begin clamouring for their breakfast at 5 am...and I'm sure that's not all.
Maybe your relative will be swayed by the costs involved for even bare-bones dog breeding. These numbers are a few years old and I'm in Europe. In America and today, I feel fairly confident that you can probably double most of them.
Preliminary Costs (at minimum)
blood test mother (70,-), swab sample (100,-), possibly medication for infection (100,-), progesterone test (160,-), Herpes Canis vaccination (110,-), ultrasound examination (35,-), supplements during pregnancy (60,-), high quality food for mothers-to-be (100,-)
total preliminary costs per litter = 2,285
Costs of Litter (example of 9 puppies)
high quality food (I would advise against big brands; try to find independent testing/reports that actually look at ingredients) for mother through nursing period (160,-), laundry and disinfectant (500,-), puppy food (750,-), veterinarian including vaccination/chip (1,400), litter inspection + pedigrees (700,-) = 3,710
Total Costs: ~ 6,000, if everything goes perfectly (as in, no C-section, no spontaneous bleeding, no puppies stuck in the birth canal!) Everything going well is really unlikely, for a novice "breeder", young/inexperienced mother (?), with a lack of care. Doubly true if the pregnancy was unplanned.
I got these numbers from this page (auto-translated, so not well-written). I've also had long conversations with responsible breeders.
If at all possible, tell your relative that this pregnancy should be terminated (there are non-surgical options, and it's possible at least half-way into the pregnancy). I know that seems sad. It is sad. But homeless dogs are sadder. Plus, nobody asked this girl if she even wants to be a mother. If she's younger than three or older than six, that's extra-stress on her body. Instead of having her go through this for just the joy of hanging out with young dogs, why not foster a puppy (or a litter)? Volunteer in puppy preschool. Adopt a homeless dog who was a puppy just a few weeks ago, and now is destined for life in the shelter system.
Here's a general article on canine neonatal care, and this one, about puppy development, might be helpful for you, too.
I assume there are hundreds of things online about this, but I’m not sure how to search for the situation exactly. (So, in addition to specific answers I will gladly accept links to further reading.)
If you want to be a kind and proficient dog guardian, read everything by Patricia McConnell (especially "For the Love of a Dog" and "The Other End of the Leash", watch all YouTube videos by "kikopup" (Emily Larlham), peruse this reddit group, read up on "calming signals" (Turid Rugaas is the author to look for here), read "Don't Shoot The Dog" by Karen Pryor, perhaps look at some books by Leslie McDevitt if you're interested in sports or smart training games, maybe read some Ian Dunbar articles about bite inhibition, and ignore Cesar Millan's existence as if your dog's life depends on it.
Then, adopt a dog from a reputable rescue or a responsible breeder. And if you can't talk your relative out of his (very bad) plan, please get him connected with local responsible breeders, rescues, and vets. Sometimes, kind-hearted breeders will take in a mother with a litter for a few months, providing them with the best possible care. Rescues might know about foster families willing to take on a litter (with mom), too.
I agree that your "at least one" is concerning. Never adopt littermates. I wouldn't adopt even one of these puppies, as a novice dog guardian. But two? Please don't, here's why.
Lastly, in your quest to find a good puppy, try to find a responsible breeder or rescue with this type of stimulating setup. You can also watch this video if you're just feeling down about the whole situation, it's pretty adorable. You might think this is all just fun for the puppies, but actually, their brains are being soaked in new experiences. This is vital, because dogs just develop so fast. A puppy spending his first eight weeks in a shed is going to turn out about the same as a child who spends her first, let's say, four years in a barn. This type of trauma and neurological starvation won't be overcome, no matter how loving future environments may be.
posted by toucan at 3:04 PM on November 8 [1 favorite]
Your relative might be underestimating the need for his involvement. Mother dogs absolutely require human support raising puppies, especially if it's their first litter. Some mothers have trouble nursing or reject their puppies (and then it's on the humans to feed every couple of hours, day and night). And even the perfect mother can't weigh the pups, or get them handled and thereby used to human contact. She can't provide medical help, either. There is so much to think about after the puppies are born: The umbilicus should fall off after a few days, and the area needs to be checked daily for signs of infection. Puppies have to be checked for hernias and cleft palates. Young pups are exactly as fragile as human babies (maybe more so, because they're smaller). Threats include: sepsis, hypothermia, dehydration, and hypoglycemia. Puppies lack the ability to shiver and to keep their core warm by reducing blood flow to the extremities. When they get too cold, they can't eat and may die, so they need regular temp checks (you can't tell by touching them).
About shots: The puppies are only protected by nursing if their mother is fully vaccinated, and if they're actually drinking her milk within a few hours of birth. Mom should be in veterinary care for the entire process, and a good vet will make sure she has all her shots. There are two vital vaccines I know about that are not included in a regular fully-vaccinated adult dog (there might be more). One has to be given to the mother during pregnancy, the other is administered to three-week-old puppies.
If all this sounds overwhelming, that's because it is. Responsible breeders are absolutely wiped out during the neonatal period, and often right up until the puppies move out. The cleaning alone is insane. Add to that the research, setting up a warm and comfortable puppy-safe room with access to a backyard (vital for house training), assembling a whelping box (with pig rails!), meal prep, handling, weighing (plus charts), temp checks, socialization to different people/sounds/surfaces/etc., the vet visits, the inevitable bouts of diarrhea/ear infections/colds/bladder infections, dealing with all the urine, feces and lochia in the whelping box and then the whole room as puppies explore, trying to find future families (difficult, with the post-Covid surplus of dogs and "breeders"), very short nights because puppies begin clamouring for their breakfast at 5 am...and I'm sure that's not all.
Maybe your relative will be swayed by the costs involved for even bare-bones dog breeding. These numbers are a few years old and I'm in Europe. In America and today, I feel fairly confident that you can probably double most of them.
Preliminary Costs (at minimum)
blood test mother (70,-), swab sample (100,-), possibly medication for infection (100,-), progesterone test (160,-), Herpes Canis vaccination (110,-), ultrasound examination (35,-), supplements during pregnancy (60,-), high quality food for mothers-to-be (100,-)
total preliminary costs per litter = 2,285
Costs of Litter (example of 9 puppies)
high quality food (I would advise against big brands; try to find independent testing/reports that actually look at ingredients) for mother through nursing period (160,-), laundry and disinfectant (500,-), puppy food (750,-), veterinarian including vaccination/chip (1,400), litter inspection + pedigrees (700,-) = 3,710
Total Costs: ~ 6,000, if everything goes perfectly (as in, no C-section, no spontaneous bleeding, no puppies stuck in the birth canal!) Everything going well is really unlikely, for a novice "breeder", young/inexperienced mother (?), with a lack of care. Doubly true if the pregnancy was unplanned.
I got these numbers from this page (auto-translated, so not well-written). I've also had long conversations with responsible breeders.
If at all possible, tell your relative that this pregnancy should be terminated (there are non-surgical options, and it's possible at least half-way into the pregnancy). I know that seems sad. It is sad. But homeless dogs are sadder. Plus, nobody asked this girl if she even wants to be a mother. If she's younger than three or older than six, that's extra-stress on her body. Instead of having her go through this for just the joy of hanging out with young dogs, why not foster a puppy (or a litter)? Volunteer in puppy preschool. Adopt a homeless dog who was a puppy just a few weeks ago, and now is destined for life in the shelter system.
Here's a general article on canine neonatal care, and this one, about puppy development, might be helpful for you, too.
I assume there are hundreds of things online about this, but I’m not sure how to search for the situation exactly. (So, in addition to specific answers I will gladly accept links to further reading.)
If you want to be a kind and proficient dog guardian, read everything by Patricia McConnell (especially "For the Love of a Dog" and "The Other End of the Leash", watch all YouTube videos by "kikopup" (Emily Larlham), peruse this reddit group, read up on "calming signals" (Turid Rugaas is the author to look for here), read "Don't Shoot The Dog" by Karen Pryor, perhaps look at some books by Leslie McDevitt if you're interested in sports or smart training games, maybe read some Ian Dunbar articles about bite inhibition, and ignore Cesar Millan's existence as if your dog's life depends on it.
Then, adopt a dog from a reputable rescue or a responsible breeder. And if you can't talk your relative out of his (very bad) plan, please get him connected with local responsible breeders, rescues, and vets. Sometimes, kind-hearted breeders will take in a mother with a litter for a few months, providing them with the best possible care. Rescues might know about foster families willing to take on a litter (with mom), too.
I agree that your "at least one" is concerning. Never adopt littermates. I wouldn't adopt even one of these puppies, as a novice dog guardian. But two? Please don't, here's why.
Lastly, in your quest to find a good puppy, try to find a responsible breeder or rescue with this type of stimulating setup. You can also watch this video if you're just feeling down about the whole situation, it's pretty adorable. You might think this is all just fun for the puppies, but actually, their brains are being soaked in new experiences. This is vital, because dogs just develop so fast. A puppy spending his first eight weeks in a shed is going to turn out about the same as a child who spends her first, let's say, four years in a barn. This type of trauma and neurological starvation won't be overcome, no matter how loving future environments may be.
posted by toucan at 3:04 PM on November 8 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks for the amazing answers, everyone. My gut feeling was that this is not a great situation, so I appreciate the advice and recommendations both for potentially taking a puppy (not more than one!) and for looking into terminating the pregnancy.
I'm going to strongly advocate for terminating the pregnancy. I'm not sure how that will go over, but it seems like the most responsible thing to do. I think my partner's family has very different ideas about animal ownership than I do, which is frustrating, but I can at least talk to them about it.
posted by hapticactionnetwork at 10:41 AM on November 10 [1 favorite]
I'm going to strongly advocate for terminating the pregnancy. I'm not sure how that will go over, but it seems like the most responsible thing to do. I think my partner's family has very different ideas about animal ownership than I do, which is frustrating, but I can at least talk to them about it.
posted by hapticactionnetwork at 10:41 AM on November 10 [1 favorite]
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If you don't already have a vet, call and establish yourself at a vet. Ask them these questions.
Your puppy should stay with mom until 9-10 weeks old, but should get its full set of core shots (Distemper, Parvo, Adenovirus minimum) before then, about 6-8 weeks. Then it will need another round of core shots shortly after you bring it home, including rabies and lepto, and you should also microchip it at this time. But I'm not an expert (I was just extremely involved with my first dog who I got from an extremely involved and communicative breeder) and you should consult with your vet.
And your relative, because all those puppies need shots before they're weaned.
posted by phunniemee at 9:23 AM on November 6 [5 favorites]