I know this is a long shot but is there anyone in the leicester area or within 40 miles, who has a bitch due to whelp, who wouldn't mind letting me come and observe? I would really like some experience and won't get in the way. I am crb checked if that helps.

I am a teacher and work weds-friday but am available  the rest of the time and also these 2 weeks for easter. I know bitches don't whelp to a timetable but if anyone could accomodate my request, I will bring wine and cake by way of thanks?

I really hope someone can help

I don't know any breeder or bitch who'd welcome a stranger in the room during whelping. Many bitches will hold up whelping, sometimes leading to the loss of puppies, if they feel stressed, and the presence of a stranger would certainly be very stressful.

there are plenty of whelping video's on you tube might help a bit

I think it is excellent that you are thinking this way -there is nothing like first hand experience. However I agree with Jeangenie - a bitch that does not know you very well would be very stressed by having you there. You would be better off with a breeder you already know, where you can get to know the bitch well long before she is due to have pups. I had a friend here when my current litter was born -I had to call her over as another dog of mine had got injured and needed to go to the vet, I had a dog food delivery due etc, so I needed a second person here to help as I could not leave the bitch even for seconds and my husband had to go to work. This bitch knows my friend really well, has known her for a couple of years, meets her regularly, and is somebody she very much enjoys meeting. She was okay with her being in the same room, but there was still no WAY she was going to let her close to the puppies as whenever she got too close, she would growl.

This is exactly what I did for years, made friends and got myself invited to watch and learn, it is the best way to ever learn, however I had plenty of time to get to know the dams and the breeders, you need a calm and gentle personality so that any dam is ok with you being there, along with the breeder :-) as I agree it may be stressful at a later stage to just have a stranger pop in at the vital stage and unfortunately most people are not as trusting today, so many scoundrels around, it is not like it was when I was learning unfortunately.

However, don't give up, you may get lucky this time by someone wishing to give you a chance to learn otherwise immerse yourself in the dog world, get out there to competitions, meeting and greeting and becoming trustworthy, today people need to know that, and be there from the start to finish show your interest to see everything from the mating, the bitch being in whelp and finally the whelping that way any dam will know you along with the owner.

Best of luck. :-)

Mine would be perfectly happy, but I won't be having a litter until September at the earliest and I'm not in that area ;)

Thank you all so much for the advice.

I will keep trying to absorb as much as I can from youtube and try to get out there to make myself known. All info and advice is helping. The reason I ask is because the litter sired by my stud (other post) were all born breach. I am still green eared about whelping, but haven't read/seen this mentioned anywhere. 

I'm just a sponge and have read books such as'dogs and how to breed them', 'all about the german shepherd', 'the alsation - breeding and genetics', but although the older books discuss various presentation during whelping they say nothing more.

Has anyone else come across this? Is there anything else about whelping that books never mention?

Hind legs first is not breach but just as normal as front feet first. A true breach is when its bum first with hind legs pointing forwards. Pups can be born either way and its perfectly normal. The only time it is not is if the feet are bend backwards.
How about approaching the breeder you got your dog from would that be possible at all.
The Book OF The Bitch is an absolute necessity it should be your bible...
Aileen

In my current litter, more were born rear legs first than front first. And I had my first ever breech. Couldn't figure out what was coming out of her initially, thought it was a bit of placenta - and it was a tail!

I had my first-ever breech with my litter born on Friday; he held things up for a while but luckily he was number 6 so the birth canal was fully dilated, but like you I was surprised to see a tail appearing first!. Two minutes later he was followed by two more puppies side by side and born at the same moment (a boy and girl, so not identical twins in the same sack), something I've never seen before.

Your poor bitch! She had a tough time of it.

My first ever litter, first ever puppy to be born, tail first!

From what I understand,  they all came out bum first andshe struggled for quite some time. I know there are many variables which probably resulted in the loss of atleast 2 of the puppies but I do wonder if getting the vet involved would have been beneficial.

Sadly, the breeder of my boy was passed away. So I can't go back to him.

I am off to amazon to look for that book.

Prob the best way is to make friends with people who breed, my girls breeder had a litter a few months before she was born and I asked to watch and help out, this was agreed and after the first born I was called and I drove up there, thankfully it was an easy birth for the bitch.

To note the bitch knew me and was happy to have me in with her, if she wasn't or I didn't know her then I wouldn't of gone up or stayed

First pup in my first home bred litter was tail first, and about twice the expected size for a Bedlington pup.    He seemed to take ages,  but was fine.   Once I knew he was proper breech, and that the sack was broken, I got the KY jelly in there, which helped a lot, and also managed to bring the back legs into the proper position.   He was born very shortly after with a little help from me.    On reading about more births on this board, and comparing with subsequent litters, the length of time he took to be born wasn't long at all for a first pup.

The rest of the pups were also huge, but came either back legs first, or head first.   Apparently huge pups is normal for my lines :-)

The Book that helped me most besides The Book of the Bitch, was The Rearing and Whelping of Puppies    mine is spiral bound, very useful for keeping by the whelping box.   Very graphic, but clear pictures and language.

The likelyhood is, that veterinary intervention would be too late in the case of a proper breech pup, as by the time you know it's breech, it's nearly there!    The most important thing is to recognise a problem immediately, and know what to do.    I had already been involved in small animal breeding as a teen, and then Pedigree cat Breeding as an adult, before having my first litter of pups ;-)    I'd also spent 3months living in a NICU and learning heaps about caring for early newborns.   Not an experience I'd wish to repeat, but educationally invaluable and the skills are all transferrable  :-)

Far too many people go into breeding with little or no knowledge, of what is likely to occur, so well done you for trying to gain some insight :-)

Thank you for all your encouragement. I have ordered the book of the bitch and will look into the other one too. I have already read the others cover to cover many times but am really looking forward to this one.

As for meeting up, is anyone going to the show at the newark show ground on the 26th/27th of this month?

The only thing I wasn't told, was 'Expect the Unexpected' 2 litters...textbook. 2nd was something I still can't talk about & the 3rd was a huge pup blocking the birth canal, so c/section. I hope your first experiences go well, there is nothing that comes close to seeing newborn pups snuggling into a happy, healthy Mum :)

One of the books I ordered has arrived. The whelping and rearing of puppies was in excess of £160 if bought brand new. I got a decent 2nd hand copy and spent most of last night reading it. The whelping chart is a really good example. I had a different one in mind but this one is easier. The only thing I think I would include is probably a column for distinguishing features such as a white toe or largest/smallest pup etc.

Can't wait for other 2 books to arrive.

The best book I ever bought was printed back in the 60's.  I realise that the biggest changes made since then, is the feeding of our dogs.

But whelping is whelping.  And this was the most helpful book I ever owned.  I even found it more useful than TBOTB, although that would still be my 2nd recommendation.

Dog Breeding For Professionals helped me save lives due to the help on malpresentations.  It is worth a read.  I bought mine at a dog show at the 3 Counties Showground.  But friends have bought it on amazon quite easily.  This is the version I love.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dog-Breeding-Professional-Herbert-Richards/dp/0866226559/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398120231&sr=8-1&keywords=dog+breeding+for+professionals

Well theres a cover you don't see very often!

I will look into this one. Thanks Jean. I really appreciate everyones support.

Still waiting on the other 2 books :(

im in tamworth and i am a breeder i have a litter due anytime now.this is a maiden bitches first birth.u cn watch if u want.

That would be my guess too. I'm afraid I wouldn't let a stranger watch my maiden bitch's first litter!

Nope, me neither!

Thank you very much but on the wonderful advice of all the members here, I wouldn't want to risk the health of your girlie or her babies.

I am currently reading the titles suggested on this thread and they are very helpful.

>Nope, me neither!

Nor me.  Pretty unanimous then.  :-)