My girl is 5 days away from her due date, all is going really well, she is eating well and still taking resonable walks. Today though, my boy is showing her an awful lot of attention, very sweet, licking her neck, ears and eyes, rather much like he does when she is about to come in season. Any ideas why he is doing it? I presume it is a sign that her hormones are rather interesting to him. Anyone had this, and at what stage of the pregnancy?
Thanks

5 days away means she is due any moment, she could easily start today, and will have an awful lot of extra interesting smells -including blood once she starts. She needs to be away from your male dog at all times now.

Thanks Marianne
He is kept away from her, but they have just been sitting with me in the kitchen and I saw this behaviour and thought it was possibly a sign that she is going to deliver early.
I have been sleeping downstairs with her for the last few nights, with the other dogs in a seperate room, hoping she will go to 63 days but expect it coulld be from anytime now.
Her appetite is still very good though so I take it as a sign that it won't be today?

Some bitches will still eat . Best sign is temperature dropping by a couple of degrees ,as her body starts preparing ,, then about 12 hours. Most males like  the smell of pregnant bitches .I don't walk bitches in public areas , near full term , for that reason , also I am worried what they might come across  bug wise. I don't take them out when they have pups , the garden will do .

Ooh exciting times for you loobyloo, it always makes me smile when others say that it won't be today as she still has an appetite, my girl ate her brekkie just before starting contractions and also ate between puppies, she also delivered in the middle of the day  lol. Good luck, keep us posted.

> my girl ate her brekkie just before starting contractions

yep so did mine, i had to catch it has it reappeared between puppies and contractions :-(

My girls never skip a meal, labour or no labour.  Greedy chops that they are!  We've even had a puppy "fall" out mid snack on several occasions. No pushing, no panting, just concentrating on eating!

Getting back to your post.  My boys are interested in my pregnant girls when labour is imminent. Before there are any clear signs of labour, things are starting to happen and there is obviously a hint of aroma that is alluring.  Not uncommon for my boys to test their luck and court the girls at this time.

Thanks everyone for your replies.
Thanks too Chris, I thought this might be the case, I'm sure he would try to court her if he could!
Will keep you all posted when there is any news (or before if I need any advice).

Mine too, ate her breakfast and lunch and had the first puppy at 5.30 pm!

I dont let my bitches eat just before or during whelping, you never know if a general anesthetic may be needed.

"We've even had a puppy "fall" out mid snack on several occasions. No pushing, no panting, just concentrating on eating!"

LOL, just had to have a giggle at Chris' remark above!

I guess allowing eating/not eating during or near labour is a personal preference.  I'm happy for mine to eat if they want to.

My vet tells me that whilst they are intubated for surgery their airway is protected.  If the bitch has eaten 12 hrs or less before I've told the vet.  At extubation he ensures the head is down and the Mum is in a position where should she vomit (none have) her airway is safe and of course, he's on hand anyway to take appropriate action.  Therefore, I've not been concerned about starving a bitch in case surgery is required I suppose simply because although potentially it's a possibility it's not a foregone conclusion and because my vet is comfortable about it.

I believe my vets (don't have experience of other vets) will perform emergency surgery (not just C-Sections) on animals that are not fasted as the emergency aspect overrules things and with sensible actions the risk of anesthetising a none fasted animal is outweighed by the need to act fast.

As I say it's a personal thing.  I'd rather mine kept their strength up during a long labouring period by eating (only if they want to) rather than enforce starvation on the off chance they may need surgery.

I know it's a strange one isn't it!

A few times they've been eating their own food, many a time though they've been begging mine (& getting their own way). 

The last bitch that did it was having pizza whilst she delivered her first pup.  I was sitting down and she was on her hind legs with her front paws on my lap being hand fed pizza.  Must have been the gravity that did it!  No push, nothing!  I knew she was in labour but wasn't expecting a delivery quite so soon as I was with her 24/7 and had been observing for signs that things were progressing to the delivery stage.

Funny old things that they are! Mind you my breed are greedy so filling your face obviously comes a higher priority than acting like the textbook matron!

>The last bitch that did it was having pizza whilst she delivered her first pup.

ROFLMAO!!  :-)

Sorry, have visions of this greedy guts in Pizza Hut!  :-)