How to Help My Dog Cope w/ Loss of Puppies

[blklabgrl]

Hi Everyone,
I wanted to get some advice on how to help my dog cope after her puppies have been adopted out to new homes. They are eight weeks old now and will be finding new homes within the next week and I want to know how my dog will react once her babies are gone and how I can help her. She has been very attached to her pups since birth - always protecting them and watching them when as I cared for them (i.e feeding, bathing, playing) - she ALWAYS wants to be involved. It took her about a week after they were born before she was comfortable w/ me picking them up, but was still VERY hesitant to let me be involved. She has even let them nurse (once a day) up until three days ago (as I said, they are 8 weeks old) - even though she has stopped producing milk. For the past 3 weeks or so, I have taken all the pups one by one on -what I call - "big adventures" by themselves w/out mom to get her use to the idea of them being gone - and them use to not being around her or their brothers/sisters. However, the last couple of days or so - I've noticed that my dog just kinda mopes around their area - laying in their box or on their pillow (which she hasn't really done for about 3 weeks) and just being very depressed like. I'm starting to wonder if she knows that they are going to leave. Any advice?? Thanks in advance!