# Pregnant Pyr question



## Living Skies (Jan 23, 2012)

About a month ago now I was at a local auction and someone had brought in a 5yr old female Pyr to be auctioned off, now my wife and I had discussed getting an outdoor farm dog to help with the ever increasing coyote problem but this wasn't the way we had planned it. However once my wife sets her mind on something you better just get out of the way and once she saw this girl nervous and scared in the middle of an auction ring I knew I better make room in the car.

$85 later we now owned a 150lb female Pyr, she's a beautiful dog and I love her already so I thought...oh well this isn't bad. But....it has now become very obvious that Lola has come to us expecting. I'm not opposed to having a good little team of coyote deterrents I just didn't think I would be having them so soon, not to mention right near the onset of Saskatchewan's harsh winter. Obviously I know there's nothing to worry about with Lola with our climate, she is right at home since the cold weather and snow has hit. What I don't know how to handle is the upcoming arrival of puppies in this weather. I have a 8x10 shed set up with a large whelping box with lots of bedding, I have heat lamps set up on one end which I know she has no need for and she has room to move away from them but they are there if the pups require. She has already been using the shed the last couple days when before she was happier out in the open keeping a watch over things.

Being new to LGD's I just need some advice about how she and her upcoming litter will handle the weather and is there anything else I need to do to make sure everything goes ok? Keep in mind right now we are averaging -15C lows at night but it has gone down lower, I'm fully expecting the wife to have me move her inside at any moment...lol.

Thanks in advance for any help!


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## KrisD (May 26, 2011)

Feed her plenty so she doesn't burn calories in the cold it will also help her to produce more milk for the growing pups. They should do fine with the bedding and the heat lamps. Those pups will snuggle into mom's warm fur and they should be fine. This breed was made for this. In a few weeks those pups will be little teddy bears.


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## Chaty (Apr 4, 2008)

I agree make sure her feed is high in Protein, and make sure there is plenty of straw for bedding. You dont want a airtight shelter as she will get to hot. My pups that my girls had were born in the winter and they did fine. You might have a small or short fence that she can get over but not the pups for when they get older so they dont wander out. when they find their legs they get curious and will follow mom. Good luck I enjoyed all 3 litters we had here and she will be forever gratful to you for her rescue.


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

my honest opinion....if she whelps those pups in an open unheated building like that, the pups will probably not survive. During the birthing process, she will be unable to get them dry and warm in time for them to survive that cold. Once they ARE dry, they will be fine outside in the shed with heat lamps. I suggest you build her a smaller warm house inside the shed, and put a chew-proof heating pad in one corner so the pups can move onto it to stay warm. Bringing her inside for whelping is the best idea though. 


Also, don't plan on her litter becoming your own pack of livestock guardian dogs. Chances are, the sire of the litter was a passing mutt. The pups may inherit mom's LGD abilities but they also may inherit dad's herding, hunting, terrier or whatever abilities and they will be untrustworthy as LGDs. You will be able to tell more once the pups arrive.


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## lexa (Mar 30, 2012)

I would say with temps below -15C (1F!) even with heat lamps pups will most likely not make it.
I think unless you can go out there and feel comfortable and warm in that building in only long sleeved shirt, bring her in to have pups and raise them until they are at least a month old. Then they can move around you can move them into a set up that Barbadosheep describes.
I don't think that it has to do with a dog being an LGD or any other breed if pups will be ok or not. If you think of any wild canids they do not give birth until milder spring months. Their reproductive system is weired to insure survival of the pups. Domesticated dogs can have pups at random seasons only because they learned to rely on humans.


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