Hi there, i am completely new to this forum, and to dog breeding in general but i am after some advice. I have had a good read through the other threads and have a good idea but wanted to ask for some feedback. I have a bitch (small breed), Ruby, she is due to whelp (based on 63 days) on Easter Sunday or Monday. However, I am trying to figure out if it is going to be slightly sooner. I have done her temperature once, last night, and will do it again this evening, and the reading was 100 degrees. But her milk has been in since Friday so i'm thinking it will be quite soon. She has completely gone off her food, i.e. she even refused her denta stix treat which she normally goes crazy for. She has started scratching about behind the sofa in the evenings, even though we have set up a whelping box and her own room, but i guess she wants to be close to us. And she has had lots of mucus showing for a few days, which increased alot earlier this afternoon. Would be great to get your feedback to see if i am looking out for the right things, also if you think i should be starting to stay up with her at night now?

Thanks

Hi Diasyjayne
It sounds like Rubys babies are not to far away I wouldn,t want to be leaving her on her own if she were mine.
Do you have the book of the bitch ?
Its invaluable for novice and experienced breeders alike.
Maybe your girls breeder will be able to help and advise but if not there are some very experienced breeders on here who I,m sure will be able to answer your questions.
I just wanted to offer you some support and to say keep close to her and good luck ,
let us know of any progress.
Sharon

That's great, thankyou. I do have that book, it's great isn't it.

Thanks for the support, will let you know how she goes.

The earliest I have had a bitch start is 58 days so I now always count that day as the first possible and from then on don't leave the bitch at all.  Good luck!

Hi daisyjayne ,her temp should drop more yet around 96/97 ...12/24hours before she starts in whelp ,i know some dogs might not drop that much my girl did and it was the only sign i got as she didnt dig and didnt pant much at all ,i just knew it was time for her she just became still ,this lasted 12hours and then out poped puppy 1 :) 2omins later we had 3 puppies ,1hour rest and out popped no4 and that was it she cleaned them and went to sleep with them :) they will be 3weeks old on thurs !!
pups where born day 61 !
good luck i hope all goes very smooth for your girl :) xx

joanne

Sounds like you will need to get the camp bed out pretty soon :-)
All the best.

Hi daisyjayne, and welcome.

Safe to say that you are looking out for the right things.  Even if her temperature hasn't yet dropped, given everything else you've noticed, I agree that you shouldn't be leaving her at night any more.  Good luck, and don't hesitate to call for help on here if needed.  You will find that we all wait agog for news!  :-)

Lovely to have so much feedback, thanks so much, it all helps. I did her temperature again last night around 6pm and it was down to 98.9. Then i took it again around 9pm and it had gone back up to 99.8. This morning we're back up to 100. But she did have strings of mucus around her back end which i hear is indicative. So, i'm just sitting tight and keeping a good eye out. She ate a little bit this morning which makes me feel better as she hasn't really eaten anything for 2 days. So exciting though, could see the little cuties moving around last night, can't seem to keep my eyes off her.

Think we might be getting close today, she's very tired, just laying on her side all the time. Whereas usually she jumps up to say hello as soon as you come near. Also, her temp is down again. Fingers crossed it will be soon, she looks so uncomfortable and tired of not being able to reach her backside to clean herself. Bless her heart!

Morning jayne ,sounds like it not be long :) good luck , :)

any news daisyjane? hope she was ok?
I keep checking for news but it has been a while now.

Sorry, with all the activity i haven't been online for a while. So, on Good Friday, about 1pm, she started panting alot. But by about 3pm she was back to her old self. Then, just after 8pm, she started panting again, and then the contractions started. However, this went on for and hour and a half so i called the vet just to let her know and to be on standby. She said to wait another half an hour and check to see if there was any sign of a pup. Still nothing, so I packed up Ruby, and her cage and off to the vets by about midnight. When we got there, the vet could see a pup, but Ruby has a really small cervix apparently so they had to help her out with the first pup. A very large bitch pup apparently but unfortunately wasn't alive. They recommended she have a c-section as soon as possible so they took her straight in. No more than 40 minutes later, the nurse came out with a bundled up towel, 6 little boys, all fit and healthy, and hungry. Bless them. About an hour later Ruby came out, very tired and shake as you can imagine. And we all went home at around 3am.

Ruby was completely confused by the whole thing and not entirely convinced by the 6 new arrivals screaming at her. So, we popped them all in the whelping pen, and then put her in with them, and walked away, keeping an ear out and peeping round the corner occasionally. She soon took to them, cleaning them and they were all feeding pretty quickly. They are all doing really well. We have one little runt, but we are just giving him a hand to get the best milk and he's growing quickly.

Thanks again for all the advice, was really helpfull.

congratulations!

i'm sorry abut the one you lost, but is healthy boys is great news

Aww bless, sorry it didn't go so smoothly and you lost the little girl but congratualtions on your 6 lovely boys x x

Pleased to hear you got six healthy pups. Well done to you and Ruby.

sorry to hear about the little girl ,6 boys :) wow ,guna keep you on your toes very soon :):) well done!

I'll close this now but congratulations on your safe arrivals