After many years of planning a litter i finally put my girl to stud four weeks ago.We travelled over two hundred miles for a highly sought after male and got two fifteen minute ties which went smoothly,she was mated on days 11,13 and stood no bother for the stud and he was very keen.However it has been far from plain sailing as she went off her food and at first i thiught it may be morning sickness.On week 2 she had three mornings that she brought up bile and then that passed but i thought for morning sickness this was early.When she wasnt eating i took her to the vet who diagnosed tonsilitis and said the reason she wasnt eating was because her throat was sore so she continued not to eat so prescribed critical illness food as very high in protein,i watered it down and syringe fed her it and he also gave her a course of norvocal antibiotics.we are now on day 29 and although still no appetite she is taking the food by syringe no problem,yesterday i noticed her teats are large and pink and when she is lying down she has got a round tummy which wasnt there before,also yesterday i noticed she was damp down below and when i felt it was sticky and clear.Today at the vet check up i have been told that she couldnt possibly be showing at this stage(an average for her breed is 6)he didnt feel her tummy because i didnt want her stressed any more already as she doesnt like the vets.My question is could she be showing at this stage she is a medium breed.She wont leave my side and has gone from being affectionate to really clingy,any advice or personal experience is appreciated.thanks.x

My bitch didnt show any signs at this stage. Why dont you get her scanned? It doesnt have to be at a vets if she doesnt like the vets, and it is usually done with the bitch standing, if you just want confirmation of pregnancy rather than numbers it can be over and done with within a minute or two.

My bitch was put to a dog just over 3 weeks ago.  She is eating like a horse and putting on weight like I don't know what.  She was also sick twice a sort of bile on Wed & Thurs of last week but I have started giving her her brekkie before she is let out now which has stopped the grass eating/sickness.  I figured that was just an empty stomach thing?  Also, my girls mammories are developing and much pinker than before.

agree with drover!

Hi thanks for your comments,i just wondered if there would be a discharge with a phantom?

yes alot of phantoms are the same as the real thing!

My bitch didn't show at all at that stage. At 5 weeks she was at the vets anyway for an ear problem so he had a feel and thought "she might be" and it wasn't until she was 6 weeks that we thought she might be getting rounder. She was at the vets at 8 weeks and he said (without feeling her so just judging her size) that she was probably having a small litter. She had 11! So I would say it is early days for you atm.

So do you think with her stomach being harder and rounder she is probably having a phantom?

Phantoms can show in exactly the same way as a real pregnancy. The only way you will know for definite is to have her scanned, otherwise you should treat her as pregnant.

wish there was a like button :)

Well after taking my girl to the vets yesterday to be scanned for peace of mind to find out if she was having a phantom,i received great news and she is in whelp.I Would like some advice on whelping pens and i was wondering if you buy the crush bars seperate.

hi 1st of all congratulations :) we always make our own whelping boxes its so easy to do and it dont cost alot :) i dont use rails.

The only puppy I lost from crushing by the dam Rails would not have prevented as it was in the middle of the whelping box. 

Both Mum and I were exhausted after a long (midnight to Midnight first stage) labour and birth and fell asleep to find dead pup on waking. :(

Hi White Lilly thanks for that.I am really excited and also nervous.lol.Do you not think the rails are any good?

Oh Brainless sorry to hear that :( I think thats something every breeder dreads.

no i dont fior the same reason brainless as put i dont leave the mum and littter for 2weeks at all (some1 will sit with them while i shower/loo) i sleep/eat/read pups lol

and even then accidents can happen, especially if your a lone breeder.  Also sometimes even when bitches are left pretty much to get on with it, they are lucky and no losses occur.

I always use pig rails for my large breed and it has saved many a pup as you often see them right behind the bitch but under the pig rails. We make our own whelping box (burn it after each litter) and make pig rails out of broom handles.

> Do you not think the rails are any good?

I find them invaluable with our large breed (50k+), as they can be quite clumsy. Even so, one of us is with bitch & pups constantly for around 4 weeks, even with rails.

On the other hand, for our one and only so far Toy litter, there was no need for pig rails. Our lightweight dainty bitch was a very careful mother. And of course, the litters are much smaller.

So I guess it depends on your breed and the experience of other people with the same type of dogs as you.

Good luck, it should be an exciting time for you, and very rewarding too.