Okay... so here is my dilema: This guy I know has decided that he is a breeder. He has been so irresponsibe(sp)! So i have just been trying to give him as good of advice as i can throughout his lame journy.Well anyway...he has a bulldog that schedualed for a c-section on the 16th. He called me last night and asked if i could dog sit for him. He said he would board his male, but he can't board his female and the puppies. He is leaving for a few days for thanksgiving, so that will only make the puppies like a week old! He wants me to take them for wed, thursday(thanksgiving) then pick them up on sunday. Well I don't even want him to consider boarding her and the new puppies, so i think i am going to take them. I am freaking out though, i don't know the first thing about having a bunch of week old bulldog puppies...although i know i know more than he does.....!?!?! I talked him into changing her food (thank goodness!!) he was feeding her pedigree! Plus i talked him into taking her to get an exray, they could see 4 puppies.
Plus, he said that he would pay me and to name my price.....what should i charge???
Your taking on a lot doing this. One thing that is so important with bulldog puppies is this, the mom can never be alone with the babies. NEVER. Bulldogs, because of their heavy bodies, have a tendency to roll over on the puppies because of their heavy bodies and they will suffocate and/or crush them. They don't mean to, it just happens. You have to take them to mom to be nursed, sit there with them while this is taking place, than you have to take the puppies back out unless you're able to stay there with them. You need heating pads and everything to keep the puppies warm. Maybe you could talk him into leaving them with the vet? Aside from all of the "normal" things that take place with week old puppies you have all of the added stuff with bulldog puppies. This includes getting up in the middle of the night, taking them to mom, staying there while they nurse, and so on and so forth. If I'm not mistaken at a week old you're going to have to do this every 2 hours 'round the clock. Are you going to be able to do this at night? Especially with Thanksgiving and stuff yourself? This guy is extremely irresponsible. He should not be leaving these puppies like that. They can't be boarded and honestly no one will board them, especially if they have any sense. I think a vet is the best way to go for this or someone who knows what their doing with bulldogs. These puppies are going to require your full attention 24/7 for the whole long weekend. I'm not saying you can't do it, I'm sure you can. You just need to think about what you're getting into and if you're not the best solution you need to talk him into the best solution.
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Saving just one dog won't save the world, but it surely will change the world for that one dog. -Richard C. Call
Personally I wouldn't want the responsibility. I also feel he is totally out of line - he felt he was responsible enough to become a breeder and bring a litter of pups into the world - he should be responsible enough to do exactly what he should - stay home with momma & puppies! Knowing he wanted to go away when the pups would be so young he should have skipped this cycle & bred her on her next cycle. If he didn't already have the trip planned when he had her bred, he shouldn't have scheduled the trip or cancelled it when he find out that she was pregnant.
Sounds like an expensive law-suit if you mess up. Listen esp. to what Zoe says, she knows that breed.
He is trying to put you into a position of ultimate trust.
I would never trust someone with a litter of my pups, unless I was dying, and tied down in a hospital....WITH BIG STRONG STEEL TIES, AND MEN WITH GUNS TRAINED ON ME [oh, heck no, they would have to wing me at least....]
I agree. Maybe see if he can ask a vet to board them. That is a lot of work caring for such young babies. If you have to watch them, i'd say charge the 50 bucks a day and get a contract signed between you and him so you are safe.
I would charge a heck of a lot more than 50 bucks a day to watch a litter of one week old bulldog puppies. If you do this.....Research! There are so many things that can go wrong. So many problems.
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Saving just one dog won't save the world, but it surely will change the world for that one dog. -Richard C. Call
Okay, so i told him everything that zoe said in the post about all the work that entails...and to be honest i don't think he had a clue that he had to separate the puppies from the mom! I pretty much told him that i think he shouldn't even leave to go on his thanksgiving vacation! He said that i was right and that he prob won't leave anymore. I have pretty much made up my mind that i won't do it....I could use the money, but it is not worth it. I just pray that he does the right thing!
