Mating and Pregnancy Stages Explained and items you will need
Planning the mating
The first stages of the bitches season is she will began to bleed (Some do have silent seasons, but i will not go into this in this section). The first 1-7 days not much changes and she will continue bleeding until roughly day 8-9 and she will start to stand when her hind is scratched.
Standing heat means she will be receptive to the males advances. This is the most noticable change in her behaviour. In Pugs, she may flag her tail to one side, and flirt in front of the males face. A test is to run your hand down her back, if she is in standing heat, she may flag her tail.
Standing heat means she will be receptive to the males advances. This is the most noticable change in her behaviour. In Pugs, she may flag her tail to one side, and flirt in front of the males face. A test is to run your hand down her back, if she is in standing heat, she may flag her tail.
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A well trained stud will not attempt mate until the correct time which is when she is ovulating and is at the optimum time in her season. He senses this by the smell of progesterone that she will give off during ovulation, to do this he will smell her vulva, lick her and usually grind his teeth as he tastes. Breeding will take place on days roughly between days 9-11. Although from experience i have mated girls as late as day 18 and had full size litter.
When the female ovulates, it take 48 hours for her eggs to ripen before they will allow penetration of sperm. Sometimes the bitch will not take to the male, just the same as in humans. This is usually about the time you go mental at the stud owner, saying her dog is no good or not believing that you actual mated her. It is not always the studs fault that your female did not go on to have a litter. |
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There are a number of reasons a Female will fail to conceive. ideally always use a proven male, one that has sired other litters.
Week one
The countdown to birth begins from ovulation, although it can be difficult to monitor ovulation independently and without testing your bitch's body temperature daily. Your bitch may begin to exhibit some signs of morning sickness, just as can happen with humans. Keep up your usual feeding and exercise regime, but consider adding a nutritional supplement in consultation with your vet to support the pregnancy and your bitch's changing needs. Ideally you would not use any flea treatments or wormers during the period of gestation.
You must remember to notify your vet that your bitch is possibly expecting. An large number of people neglect to tell their vet and when the birth is expected and something goes wrong. Make sure your vet knows the due date and make sure you know what the clinic's emergency policy is, in case you need help during the whelping. The last thing you need in an emergency is to have to find call the vets in a panic at the last minute and have to deal with a stranger who doesn't know you and doesn't know your bitch. Get all the contingencies lined up well ahead of time.
You must remember to notify your vet that your bitch is possibly expecting. An large number of people neglect to tell their vet and when the birth is expected and something goes wrong. Make sure your vet knows the due date and make sure you know what the clinic's emergency policy is, in case you need help during the whelping. The last thing you need in an emergency is to have to find call the vets in a panic at the last minute and have to deal with a stranger who doesn't know you and doesn't know your bitch. Get all the contingencies lined up well ahead of time.
Week two
During the second week of pregnancy, the cells which will develop into your puppies begin to grow and separate, and the tiny new embryos descend into the uterus for the remainder of the period of gestation. Your dog should still be fed and exercised normally during this time.
Week three
During the third week of gestation, the embryos will begin to implant into the uterus, where they will receive the vital nutrients and life support which the bitch's body provides during their time in the womb. The foetuses are under a centimetre long at this stage.
Continue to feed and exercise normally, but begin to monitor your bitch for increased appetite and provide for her developing needs accordingly. Do not make any sudden or unnecessary changes to the content of her diet.
Continue to feed and exercise normally, but begin to monitor your bitch for increased appetite and provide for her developing needs accordingly. Do not make any sudden or unnecessary changes to the content of her diet.
Week four
Towards the end of the fourth week of pregnancy, a vet or experienced breeder may be able to detect the presence of the developing puppies by gently palpating the abdomen.
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The eyes and spine of the foetuses begin to develop, and their faces begin to take shape. The foetuses grow to around 1.5 centimetres long during week four. Your bitch's teats may begin to swell at this stage, and she may have a thin, clear discharge from the vagina. In the 4th week you may notice thickening of her sides, between her ribs and hip bone.
The fourth week of foetal development is considered to be one of the most formative stages of the pregnancy, when the growing puppies are most vulnerable to damage and developing defects. At this stage of development, begin to limit rough play and particularly strenuous exercise in your dog. Consult with your vet about your bitch's changing nutritional requirements and find out if you may need to feed any supplements. |
Week five
Amniotic fluid in the uterus increases in order to protect the pups around day 32 of gestation, and so you or your vet will no longer be able to detect the presence of puppies by palpating the abdomen. From week five onwards, the puppies are much less susceptible to developmental issues and defects. The individual toes begin to form, and claws and whiskers start to grow. The foetuses also develop their male or female sexes during this time.
At this time the fetuses begin to look like dogs; their toes, whiskers and claws all are developing. They have become boy and girl puppies, eyes that were open now close. (When eyes are developing in the uterus, the eyes are developed in an open position and then they close and remain closed until about ten days old or so.)
Your bitch's weight will begin to noticeably increase at this stage, and you should increase her food rations now if you have not done so already. Feed little and often, and start to introduce your chosen puppy food into the mix.
If you have decided to have an ultrasound scan done on your bitch during pregnancy to try and ascertain the number of puppies and identify any problems, this is usually performed during the fifth week.
At this time the fetuses begin to look like dogs; their toes, whiskers and claws all are developing. They have become boy and girl puppies, eyes that were open now close. (When eyes are developing in the uterus, the eyes are developed in an open position and then they close and remain closed until about ten days old or so.)
Your bitch's weight will begin to noticeably increase at this stage, and you should increase her food rations now if you have not done so already. Feed little and often, and start to introduce your chosen puppy food into the mix.
If you have decided to have an ultrasound scan done on your bitch during pregnancy to try and ascertain the number of puppies and identify any problems, this is usually performed during the fifth week.
Week six
Your bitch will have a noticeably larger tummy and her pregnancy will be obvious to most people. Her tummy will grow on a daily basis, and her nipples will become noticeably darker. The puppies will begin to develop their markings and the skin pigmentation that will eventually determine their colour and looks.
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If you haven't yet...start adding cottage cheese and an egg
Most dogs show at 6-7 weeks. You may notice a normal discharge somewhere in the last couple of weeks. The discharge is clear and has the consistency of thick vaseline and is odorless. If you notice a discharge that is green or bloody and fowl smelling seek a vet.Increase the food which your bitch is given to as much as she wants to eat. Increase the ratio of puppy food in her diet. You may well be feeding a multivitamin supplement at this time too. Do NOT feed calcium rich foods during pregnancy, ESPECIALLY in the last 10-14 days. Do NOT supplement with calcium during the time dams are pregnant. Some dams need the extra weight, and you can give puppy food. |
Whelping area and box (see whelping) should be put up in a quiet area (not the kitchen if active) and she should be encouraged to sleep there. For an active kitchen the whelping box can be moved to the kitchen when pups are 3 weeks old. (Large breeds at 2.5 to 3 weeks, and toy breeds at 3.5 to 5 weeks).
Whelping box should be big enough for your dam to stretch out in, and have a doorway to go in and out. You do not want your dam to have to JUMP in and squish a puppy. Whelping box should have a guardrail to help eliminate suffocation and trapping behind dam
Start to prepare the bed or box which the bitch will use for whelping, and make it comfortable and inviting for her and well padded. Decide where you want to locate the box for the birth and first few weeks of the puppies' lives, and encourage your bitch to begin sleeping there.
Whelping box should be big enough for your dam to stretch out in, and have a doorway to go in and out. You do not want your dam to have to JUMP in and squish a puppy. Whelping box should have a guardrail to help eliminate suffocation and trapping behind dam
Start to prepare the bed or box which the bitch will use for whelping, and make it comfortable and inviting for her and well padded. Decide where you want to locate the box for the birth and first few weeks of the puppies' lives, and encourage your bitch to begin sleeping there.
Week seven
Your bitch will begin shedding the hair on her belly in preparation for the birth- this is totally normal and no cause for alarm! The puppies will continue to grow and develop, and now look almost completely fully formed.
Try to make her eat a balanced diet, not just meat. But if your dam starts getting fussy, doctor up her meals with cooked chopped beef heart, liver, chicken hearts etc.
Towards the end of the seventh week, stop feeding the puppy food you have been introducing and go back to feeding her regular nutritious food- as much as she will eat. This triggers the bitch's body to begin to store calcium from the rich puppy food she has been fed until this point, an important mineral during the later stages of the pregnancy.
Preparation and supplies you need when going into week seven
Try to make her eat a balanced diet, not just meat. But if your dam starts getting fussy, doctor up her meals with cooked chopped beef heart, liver, chicken hearts etc.
Towards the end of the seventh week, stop feeding the puppy food you have been introducing and go back to feeding her regular nutritious food- as much as she will eat. This triggers the bitch's body to begin to store calcium from the rich puppy food she has been fed until this point, an important mineral during the later stages of the pregnancy.
Preparation and supplies you need when going into week seven
- Have your vets phone number handy.
- Have your vehicle filled with fuel.
- If needed, have a babysitter on call.
- Ideally you will have a friend on call to assist you, and drive to the vet with you if needed. If you are having a large litter or specialist breeds such as Pugs, Bulldogs, Frenchies etc you need a second person as some pups may need reviving while others are being born.
- Whelping box with guardrails
- Scissors to cut cord
- Hemostats to crimp cord
- Hand sanitiser
- disposable tray/bag for afterbirths (make sure you count that there is one for every puppy expelled from the bitch!
- Surgical gloves
- K-Y jelly
- Electric Heat Pad or/and Incubator (and/or backup hot water bottle for vet travel is something like a shoe box) We find an incubator beneficial for short nosed breeds due quite often having struggling puppies and c-sections and needing that extra TLC to ensure they are fully supported in their first few weeks
- Dental floss or string to tie cord if needed
- Keep small towels/flannels/paper towels in the whelping box with heat pad or in the incubator to warm them, some puppies need to be vigorously rubbed with a warm towel and revived
- Sterile syringes
- Bulb aspirator
- Rescue remedy for puppies that we are struggling to feed (fading puppies) in the first few hours.
- Thermometer
- Book and pen for recording dam’s progress, puppy weights
- Ensure your phone is always fully charged.
- Scales (kitchen scales will do for small puppies)
- Bottles and canine milk replacer/lactol
Week eight
Your puppies could be born at any time from now onwards, so be prepared! Avoid any rough and tumble play or stimulation which might lead to the onset of early labour, as ideally your pups should spend another week in the womb. Your bitch will probably begin 'nesting' at this stage, and you may even be able to see and feel the puppies moving within her tummy when she's lying down.
When the dam is resting you can sometimes see and feel the pups moving. Pups can be born at any time now, but keeping them in for another week is much healthier, so avoid rough play.
Towards the end of week eight, your bitch will start producing colostrum, the forerunner to her nutrient- rich milk, and then the milk itself. Continue to feed as much as your bitch will eat and prepare for the birth!
When the dam is resting you can sometimes see and feel the pups moving. Pups can be born at any time now, but keeping them in for another week is much healthier, so avoid rough play.
Towards the end of week eight, your bitch will start producing colostrum, the forerunner to her nutrient- rich milk, and then the milk itself. Continue to feed as much as your bitch will eat and prepare for the birth!
Week nine
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Feed as much as your bitch will eat, but be prepared that her appetite may drop off as the time of whelping comes closer.
Birth is imminent. Make sure you are ready! Your bitch should be well established in her whelping bed and nesting by now. She will likely become quiet and more introverted than normal, preparing for the birth. At the first signs of labour, ensure you call your vet and pre-warn them you are expecting a litter in the next 24 hours. This allows them to be prepared for your call if you need them in the middle of the night. |
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- The first way is to take her temperature every day as the date draws near. A dog's normal temperature is 101*. A bitch that is getting ready to whelp will show temperature fluctuations between 101* and 98*
- She may lose interest in food and stop eating. This is normal.
- She may be paying a lot of attention to her back end- looking round at her vulva, licking it and generally indicating by her actions that something is happening. She may also be panting and shivering, which can make it seem as if something is wrong, but is totally normal and not cause for concern.
- She may become very clingy and not like being left alone.
- She may have a light discharge from the vagina, and the outward appearance of her back end may become enlarged and more prominent.
- her stop -- it is natural maternal behavior. Tell her she's a good girl!
- Some bitches show nesting behavior for a few days ahead of time and some don't do it until they are within 12 hours of delivery. Nesting behavior consists of her taking all that newspaper and blankets you neatly placed in the box and tossing it all over the place, digging into it, laying down in it, and then getting up and "re-doing" it a million times. Either way, that is your cue to get comfy on the sofa with your duvet next to the whelping box and expect to be in for the long hall, put on the kettle, and be prepare.
When is is showing any of the above symptoms, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE let her outside to the toilet. Unless it is daylight and you have someone with you. Just as with humans they may feel they need to go to the toilet but are actually in the early stages of pushing a pup out. If this is the case she could have one in the garden, go under a shed or in a flower bed and give birth to the first one.
Have all you apparatus lined up somewhere ready to grab when you need it.
Here is a time lapse video we filmed in 2015
PLEASE NOTE:
*Puppies are removed and laid on a heat mat in a heated box during some birthing contractions in order to protect them from being stood on by the mother.
*Puppy rails are also removed from the whelping box while birthing to allow for more space inside the box. These are refitted once all puppies have been born.
*All have their umbilical cords cut and tied by hand in order to reduce open hernea's due Bracyecephalic dog breeds often chewing the cords to short.
*All puppies are vigorously rubbed dry which also helps to stimulate their breathing and are weighed and tagged straight after birth to ensure each one is gaining the correct weight daily.
*All scissors, clamps, clothes, cords and bottles are sterilised before birthing
*Puppies are removed and laid on a heat mat in a heated box during some birthing contractions in order to protect them from being stood on by the mother.
*Puppy rails are also removed from the whelping box while birthing to allow for more space inside the box. These are refitted once all puppies have been born.
*All have their umbilical cords cut and tied by hand in order to reduce open hernea's due Bracyecephalic dog breeds often chewing the cords to short.
*All puppies are vigorously rubbed dry which also helps to stimulate their breathing and are weighed and tagged straight after birth to ensure each one is gaining the correct weight daily.
*All scissors, clamps, clothes, cords and bottles are sterilised before birthing