Dog Breeding Information Part 2

So, you're expecting puppies! You're going to need a whelping box for your Mama-to-be. Start looking around the house for old sheets or towels you're willing to donate to your dog. You can also go buy new ones! Just make sure they are clean and fresh for the big day.

You can google "whelping box" and literally come up with thousands of plans and ideas. For our small dog, we bought a large rubbermaid container and cut a hole out of the side. It should be high enough the small puppies can't accidently crawl out, but large enough your female can come and go as she pleases. I used a lighter to melt the cut edges, taking off the rough parts and any hanging plastic. The result is a light weight, easy to clean, and easy to store whelping box! I've seen many folks recommend a small plastic child's wading pool, but in the winter these are impossible to find :).

If you want to know how many puppies to expect, vets offer x-ray services. Don't take your dog in more than a week before her due date though, as it takes that long for the skeletons of the puppies to begin solidifying so that they actually show up on the x-rays. Before that, you're likely to only be told "Yep, she's pregnant!"

Using a rectal thermometer, you can begin taking your dog's temperature (rectally, of course) a week before she's due. Keep a chart handy, and keep in mind, the normal temperature will be in a range of 99°F to 102.5°F. Try to take it in the morning and in the evening, as a sudden rise in temperature, then a drop, will indicate the puppies will be born within 24 hours. So, to be clear, when your dog's temperature drops below normal, she's about to pop!

Place her whelping box in a quiet area, away from other dogs or children that want to run and play. We let our girl lay on her blankets and just hang out in her box to get her used to the idea of spending some quality time in there.

Labor Signs

Other than the temperature dropping by several degrees, your dog may begin shivering, panting, vomiting, experience restless, or try to hide in a nice, quiet place. She may also begin "Nesting", digging in the carpet or her blankets and avoid eating. The closer she gets, you'll notice her licking her back end as well.

You will be able to see the contractions as she starts having them, and you can even see her pushing! The best thing to do is leave her alone (don't invite twenty of your closest friends and their children over to watch) and speak calmly and soothingly to her. If she strains to have a puppy and does not have one within an hour, it would be an appropriate time to call a vet and or an experienced breeder. Most dogs have their pups within 20 minutes of beginning to strain.

The Birth

Don't be afraid if your dog starts screaming during the birth of the puppies, the first one especially. Grown human women do the same thing! By nature, some will only grunt, some will scream, and others will mix the two as they see fit.

Dogs are perfectly capable of cleaning their own babies and biting through the umbilical cords. However, if she has a very large litter, she's going to be very tired and sometimes the last puppy or two will need assistance. If you have to remove the amniotic sac, start peeling at the head and work down. Clean the mucus from the nose and rub them with a towel to get the circulation going.

If you have a puppy born backwards, don't panic! I was scared to death when I saw a tail sticking out instead of a head. Give the mother a few more pushes before you jump in to help. Don't pull by a foot, try to grab as much of the baby as you can and pull WITH her pushing and contractions. This will make it much eaiser on the three of you. If the puppy is clearly stuck and neither of you can remove it, again, call a vet or an experienced breeder!

When our dachshund had her pups, she had 30 minutes between Puppy 1 and 2, 15 minutes between 2 and 3, and 45 minutes between 3 and 4. Don't assume she's done because she doesn't have another one in less than 15 minutes! When the dogs are done, you'll know. Contractions will ease and she won't appear to be in distress. We let our dog lick her pups to her heart's content- she enjoyed cleaning them and bonding with her new babies. Be wary, she may not want you handling her babies at first and try to keep cats or other animals away from the whelping box- Mama will not hesitate to use force to drive home the "Stay Away" message.

After the Whelping

After the whelping, make sure your female is on a high quality dog or puppy food, and that she is allowed to eat as much as she wants. Having puppies nursing on her will increase her need for calories! She should also have access to fresh, clean water at all times.

If your female doesn't want to eat or drink, don't worry! I'm going to share a few tricks with you.

Try putting a little bit of a chicken boullion cube in some water and make chicken broth, then add it to her food. This extra treat will usually tempt her in to eating and has the added bonus of getting water into her as well! With our diva, we'd have to hold the food bowl in the box with her (or put it off in a corner of her box) to get her to eat. Do not put the water bowl where the puppies can crawl in to it and drown. Other treats such as boiled chicken or wet dog food can be added to food to make it more appealing as well.

If your dog is house trained, you may still need to invest in some puppy pads- our girl refused to leave her box for longer than to potty on the floor of the bathroom where she was staying at first. We would have to literally pick her up and take her outside, and then let her back in immediately so she could return to her children.

Don't worry if your dog refuses to leave her box! Once the "new" wears off, and it may take a week, she'll be out and about again. Maybe still not as carefree as her days prior to motherhood, but she will want to get away from the kids occasionally. Don't be afraid to spoil her and pamper her, especially for the first week or two! If it takes a tap dance to get her to eat, then put on that top hat and get to dancing!

A bloody discharge for about a week after birth is perfectly normal. You should only worry if it is a bright red blood. This indicates an internal problem and you should call a vet immediately!

Try to avoid breeding your dog on her next heat cycle. She needs time to enjoy life and her human family, and recooperate from having her own children.

Congratulations on the puppies! Now you can relax and enjoy the havoc the little darlings are going to cause until they wean and find their new homes! But it's a beautiful havoc.