My first litter is due soon and was just wondering if there are any silly little hints and tips you experienced lot can give me. dont get me wrong i know what i should be doing, just wonder if there are any little tips... you know the ones they forget to print in the books.

Have plenty of coffee on hand! Put your vet on speed dial if you haven't already. Hopefully you won't need them but you can never find the number when it's an emergency ;-) An extra pair of hands can be helpful, but only if the bitch is used to them (ie another member of the household) Make sure that the car has plenty of petrol, just in case. Have you warned your vet that she is getting near?

Hi it is a very exciting time, no matter how many litters you have seen born. I would say watch for the calm before the storm our bitches have always had a long sleep just before whelping, also have everything that you could possibly need close at hand when the whelping begins as you don't want to be leaving her to search for something.  last but not least enjoy your time, you won't do it that often and it really is a very special time.

best of luck with your whelping

Make sure you have LOADS of washing powder that is suitable for babies (fairy non bio or a similar own brand) and have at least 2 pieces of vet bed / polyester fur if that is what you are bedding them on - You will be surprised how many times you will need to change it and wash it - Your poor washing machine will wonder what is going on!!

Also - Don't put any fabric softener in when you're washing. I did that a couple of times out of habit and it smells to strong and will upset your bitch.

I would say 3 or 4 bits of bedding.  Our bitch was very messy leaving muck on the bedding.  3 were ebing roated untill a coupel fo days of rain then it was 4...

Make sure your vet is aware she is due so they on call vet knows there may be a job.

Be prepared with the whelping kit, have eveyrthing to hand so you know where things are.

Make sure pen and paper are handy for noting details of which pup comes in which order. 

Most of all, get some sleep now because you wont be getting it later. :)

So very true ice queen. Get all the sleep you can now. We are hand rearing a single pup at the moment. Sleep what is that ? Bless him he is two weeks old today his eyes have opened today and he is thriving. I thought I was calm but that went out of the window when she started Rescue Remedy was a life saver for me and her. A set of electronic scales to weigh them daily. Good luck when the time comes.

Make sure you have a little home made incubator ready (pillow in a box with heat pad covered over with a towel), it worked well for us as we have a large breed of dog once cleaned by mum and fed if possible it stops her sitting on them when she is having the rest and they are safe and warm.

just to second alot of what has been said, before the birth make sure you tell your vet a litter is due, have the number in your phone, make sure your phone is charged!  Petrol in the car, car ready to leave immediately (facing the right way) Silly i know but in an emergency these little things help.
For the birth, a box for puppies to be put in during labour as mum may tread on them when delivering the next puppy, water bottles, blankets (lots of) bag beside the whelping box for dirting washing as you get it, bag beside the box for the placenta and muck!
A fridge full of Redbull and a pot full of coffee....you will need it.
Then kiss goodbye to your comfy bed for a least 4 weeks....sleep forget about it, my babies are 14 days old and i havent seen my bed for 17 days

Lastly...i wish you the best of luck and hope all goes well for you and your girl :)

I don't really have any further advice to give since you have had some good advice from others on here..

But I was wondering, what sort of advice and help you give to bitches who come to your boy.. Your website Quotes "TOP LEONBERGER STUD DOG"  could you not simply apply the advice & guidance you give owners of bitches who come to you, to your own litter ?

Now I am intrigued!   Tanya - are you really proposing using your puppy at stud before having elbows/hips/eyes checked/scored?   

Are you aware of your Breed Society requirements?  

You must be a wonderful judge of dogs if you can tell that he will be an excellent stud dog when at the moment he could be all over the place - rear end high, lollopy in the ring etc etc etc!   He may well turn out to be wonderful - but please don't count your puppies before your puppy is mature!!

no, my leo is not to be a dad lol... tho can see why you would think this lol. the bitch is not a leo. my leo is still too young, he has just turned 13 months and i have not updated the webs in a long time. sorry for the confusion. BUT he is due to have all his health tests very soon. both of my other breed are tested and the mating is legit and conforms with society rules. so you dont need to worry on that score. the website was me getting carried away when he was a baby. i am big enough to admit that. he was my first leo and i let my imagination run away with me lol. however all his tests will be done as you can now see that he is "put together nicely" but on the off chance someone does want to use him, at least he will be health checked first.
again sorry for the confusion
x

>Available for Stud from 29th October 2009... he is still far too young

I'm sure all health tests will be done in time. So if we can stick to the thread and offer advice before beating her down....If anything goes wrong in the whelp i hope she would turn to us as well as her vet.

When i toilet babies i use sensitive skin baby wipes no fragrance and they are suitable for delicate puppy skin. The moist wipe i think copies mummy's tongue as if she was toileting them. Helps them stay clean and massaging helps with constipated puppies. Mums milk is of most importance so don't top them up unless its absolutely necessary (my pups wouldn't take from the bottle) but i had lactol to hand. If you have sky+ record all the vaguely reasonable programmes for you to watch in between feedings. If she is a large breed you wont be able to leave her unattended EVER she could easily squish one and not realize. Trim her hair round her back end and tummy to make it easier for babies to nurse. Eat decent healthy meals, as i remember when my girl was in the first hours of labour i had food poisoning from pizza and was being sick outside the whelping box and trying my best to be strong for her. Buy wormer from viovet or petdispensary.co.uk as its a ton cheaper from buying from the vets. 10% oral solution panacur stuff. Thats all i can think of atm, i weaned my pups onto the barf diet and started them on lamb ribs gnawing at them, then mince, tripe hearts etc, by 5 weeks they could strip a chicken wing in seconds.

Im sure you will be fine, and intervene if you need to during the birth