01/23/2026
🛌 🛋️ 🐾
I often get questions about the footing we keep in the whelping pen. You’ll notice it changes every so often, going from thick plush fleece, to thin cloth, and everything in between.
The first stage footing we use is gentle on brand new baby bodies, allowing them extra temperature regulation and comfort for as much sleeping as possible. Once the puppies hit growth spurts, they gain weight rapidly. At this point the soft plush footing has to go, so they don’t get TOO comfy and lay on their stomachs around the clock. The additional weight added to a soft, plush bed can often lead the puppies to be stagnant which is negative in many ways. One of which being the impact that has on their soft chests. They literally begin to flatten, which can lead to developmental and other health issues down the road.
Currently the pups are on a waterproof, washable, thin pad. The same thing can happen to their chests on this surface, although the more firm base does motivate them to rotate or move more often. To avoid those issues, we add a variety of textures and densities to help the puppies begin crawling properly, relieve pressure points and ignite their curiosity.
Occasionally puppies are born wanting to splay their legs to the sides and “swim” instead of pull. In those instances, we create a device that supports the proper positioning and direction of each leg, to teach their muscles proper motion. Unaided, “swimmer” puppies can develop the same flat chest complications later on.
There is much to consider when raising pups! We can always grow in knowledge, and that is our goal. Much of that knowledge is gained through time and experience. We’re always happy to answer any questions you have about how we raise our pups, whether you’re interested in adding a puppy to your family, or just curious. 😊
**Note the tiny little baby snuggling with Winnie 💕 That is “Sweetie (potato)” and she’s closer in size to a peanut 🥜 than a potato 🥔. She’s an itty bitty little thing & she loves her mama!
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