Dog Breeding preparation Time

You will need a whelping box to get your female to sleep there prior to delivery. However comfortable the box is, she may try and make her own den under the front porch or backyard playhouse.

If you see her trying to make an outside den, keep a close eye on her and move her inside until delivery. For most dogs the area should be 6-8 inches high on all sides. It should be high enough to ensure that the pups don’t wander off but low enough for the mother to scale the wall easily. You will want to keep lots of warm towels and blankets handy in a dimly lit room at time of delivery and the bedding will need to be changed daily.

Your bitch will also begin to lose the hair around her nipples and at times she may lactate earlier. You may not be needed during delivery but stay close by just in case. When the first pup arrives, your mother dog will need to break the amniotic sac open and begin licking and stimulating the newborn to breath. If your dog is pre-occupied or does not appear to know what to do, you can help her by making sure that all fluids have been cleared from the pup’s mouth.

Afterbirth discharge should follow the birth of each puppy and will generally be eaten by the mother. If you have a large litter, you may want to remove the afterbirth and keep the towel clean and dry. If your new mother is chewing off the umbilical cord too close to the pup’s body you can also assist in this problem with sterilized scissors.

Some dog breeds can go many hours’ in-between delivering pups but other breeds should not have more than a 15-minute gap between deliveries. Prior to delivering, talk to your vet.