At Copper Mountain Cottage, we are a small breeder of the highest quality and provide only the best care for our Guys & Gals as well as our new puppies. Our parents are health tested and cleared by lineage, to ensure that our puppies are free from genetic health problems. Our incredible whelping room ensures our puppies are healthy, happy and safe as they grow. Each day our dogs receive multi-vitamins, diatomaceous earth, probiotics and are provided a healthy diet rich in protein. They are each groomed every month. On top of that, they have freedom to run and play and get lots of love, training and exercise. We are NOT a kennel, wholesaler of dogs, or a pet shop. Before their heat, our mommies each have a complete veterinary examination. During their pregnancy, they receive ongoing exams, ultrasounds and x-rays to make sure the puppies are developing properly.
We pride ourselves on the love, support and care we provide each of our babies.
They are a Veterinary Clinic/Hospital specializing in canine reproduction serving the Wasatch Front and Intermountain Region. Their certified veterinarians oversee the health of all our pups with testing, well checks, pre-natal and post-natal care, as well as all of our newborn care. Beyond first-rate pet care, their clinic is a comfortable and very calm environment for our mommas and our puppies. Check out what people are saying about them:
The Very Best Care Available
South Mountain Canine Reproduction & Pet Care
Welcome to the Nursery!
At Copper Mountain Cottage, our puppies are delivered and raised in our state-of-the-art whelping room. It is climate controlled so we can keep those new babies at a toasty 85 degrees for the first 48 hours and then at the perfect 75 degrees after that. It has an UV Air purifier to scrub the air night and day! The lights are on dimmers so we can check them at night without hurting their little eyes. The room is kept sterile - no shoes and no visitors allowed during those first precious weeks. They have their own dog door to the outside which leads to Puppy Playland - a separate yard just for momma and puppies with water features and a shaded kennel for outdoor stimulation (highly monitored playtime). The yard is tended to multiple times a day and the nursery is mopped and sterilized once a day.
Only the best for our babies and our mommas!
Don't dogs just give birth under the back deck?
Not at our house! There is an immense amount of care and support given to our mommas during their delivery. It starts with the awesome pre-natal care they get with multiple vet visits, supplements, proper nutrition and pampering. Halfway through their pregnancy they have an ultrasound which will better estimate their due date. We then begin feeding them at least twice a day with extra protein in the form of eggs and bacon (they eat like queens, for sure!). About a week before their due date, they have another pre-natal check at the vet to make sure they are progressing in a healthy way and the uterus and birth canal look good for delivery. The vet will also X-Ray the momma to get a final count of puppies and make sure the puppies are developing well. We can even see if they have toenails yet! At this time, we also confirm the delivery date.
About the Birth!
Twenty four hours before her due date, we begin to monitor the momma's temperature. She gets round-the-clock couch priority at the house and constant belly rubs. She is never left alone during that time so we can monitor when contractions begin. Once her temp drops, we know that delivery is coming soon! The momma will become a little restless and understandably uncomfortable. The active labor process usually takes about 12 hours. Everyone pitches in to give her lots of love and rubs and verbal confirmation and support. This may seem silly, but it's actually imperative to the early neurological stimulation and support of the puppies, as well as the momma. You see, puppies whose momma got lots of belly rubs while she was pregnant actually become accustomed to the touch of a human hand before they're born. And mommas who are relaxed and comforted by their families during birth are more calm. The result is puppies that are born into a calm environment to a relaxed momma have calmer temperaments as they grow up.
You can read more about this concept here on the AKC website.
As the momma gets closer to delivery, we move out to the puppy nursery. The thermostat in the nursery is cranked to about 85 degrees (brand new puppies cannot maintain their own body temperature) and the puppy incubator is warmed up. The nursery has already been scrubbed and sanitized in preparation for the birth. For the last hours, we lay in her bed with her, rubbing her back (we are excellent massage therapists) and monitoring her contractions. We have our vet's emergency contact info mounted on the wall to make sure we have quick access to help if we need it. Her bed is filled with newspapers, towels and even a big comforter so she can dig and nest as she contracts and is still comfortable when she needs to lay down.
When it's time for her to deliver the first pup, we let momma do her thing for the most part. She has wonderful instincts to remove the birth sack, sever the umbilical cord and clean up the puppy. There are a few things we do to assist though. Sometimes, the momma can get distracted removing the birth sack from the tail forward. The problem with that is there is no oxygen in the birth sack and if it is not torn from around the face, the puppy can suffocate. Our momma trusts us immensely and allows us (while wearing surgical gloves) to tear the sack away from the face. This allows the baby to breathe and then we step back and let the momma continue to work. If she is cutting the umbilical cord a little too long for the pup, we will gently pick the pup up and place the cord between our fingers and present it to the momma so she can finish tearing the cord near my fingers without cutting it too close or too long. We have all the supplies we need on hand in case the cord is bleeding or any other complications occur. As soon as the puppy is cleaned up, the momma will lay back to rest and we make sure the puppy begins nursing right away. This helps the mommy bond with her baby and also helps her to continue to contract in order to deliver the next pup.
When the next puppy is born, both puppies are put back on momma to nurse and the cycle continues until all puppies are born. We know exactly how many puppies to expect because of her exam and x-ray she received that week. As soon as she has delivered all the puppies, we remove the wet newspapers and towels so momma and babies stay clean and dry.
When the momma stands up to begin delivery of the next pup, the newborn is removed from her whelping box, weighed and moved to a small incubator with a heating pad and a hinged lid that is placed at the momma's eye level. The incubator has an open side so her nose can touch the puppy. This makes sure that the newborn is in a safe place so they are not trampled while she circles and digs during her new contractions. It also keeps their body temperature up and ensures they are nearby momma at all times.
We then set up a cot in the Nursery and proceed to sleep with her there for the first three nights to make sure puppies aren't squished and momma is happy and comfortable.
This may seem like a crazy process, but we have found it to be the best way to take care of our mommas and make sure they receive the love and care they deserve. It also is the safest way to make sure all of our puppies have the best chance at survival and the start of a wonderful life.!
We believe all this love and hard work is the the key to success and
the reason we have never lost a puppy during childbirth!
At Copper Mountain Cottage, we choose to use
