hi can anyone give me any really goods tips as iam, getting ready for my staffy to have her puppys in 10 days i read loads of useful things on here that have really helped me. ive brought book of the bitch and read that and tried to find out all the information i can so that iam ready but it never seems anoth to be honest any help greatfully recieved sam.

Hi, Where to start!!

I strongly suggest that if you haven't got any you order at least 2 and pref 3 pieces of Veterinary Bedding to fit her whelping bed/box. This is a syntheitc "fluffy" bedding that was first used (I think) for premature babies. It is very warm and lets fluids pass through it (so you need to put layers of newspaper underneath it to soak stuff up) and will not support bacterial growth. It is very comfortable for the bitch and puppies, and the pups have a good grip, so they can pull themselves along easily when they are tiny. Its greatest use is that it keeps puppies warm, chilling kills more puppies than anything. You can buy it from pet shops but it is much cheaper to order it from a doggy site on the internet like: www.oakenshaw.co.uk You can buy a really big piece much more cheaply and cut it down. They wash wonderfully and dry very quickly. Use non-bio powder. Do wash them before she whelps as they shed fibres until they are washed, especially where you have cut them.

The whelping box should be big enough for her to lie down "flat out"+ about 6" bigger on both sides. Dont have one much bigger than this or the puppies may not be able to find her easily while they are still blind. The sides should be high enough to stop pups falling out but low enough so she can jump in, she will be more agile one she has whelped, about 9" high perhaps. I use the big oval plastic beds for whelping and turn the "entrance bit" to the wall so they dont fall out.

If she is whelping indoors in a room you can heat she will probably not need an overhead heat lamp but a heated pet bed ( from petnap-0800 0277952) and pay the extra for the metal covered lead. I wouldn't bother buying the fleecy cover, it will go under the vet bed. They are very helpful and will deliver quickly. Measure the length from bed to socket and they will make the lead the right length.

When she is due she will probably go off her food just labour starts. If you want to you can take her temp every 6 hours or so. Normal is 101.5 When it starts to drop she is "on the way" and by the time it drops to about 98 she is nearly there. TRy and arrange for the house to be quiet, this is not a time to have visitors or childen running in and out.

Let your vet know she has started labour and keep the number handy- its surprising how pages wont turn when you're panicking!! Make sure the car has plenty of petrol in, and have ready a back seat cover, a big cardboard box with a vet bed in. A "microwave" hot water bottle is very handy to have. This is just in case you have to go to the vets. If you do, take towels too, in case any are born in the car. Dont forget to have the mobile charged up!!

She will pant on and off or continuously and shred anything within reach ( so dont leave her on the sofa on her own!)- once they in labour I give newspaper to lie on in the bed so she can shred that up, but keep the vet bed handy, to slip under her when she starts pushing. Once labour starts always take her out on a lead, if you give her the run of the garden, she may well try and dig a hole "nature's instinct" to have her puppies in, and if she starts to, she may not want to whelp anywhere else, or she may actually have the first puppy outside, if its dark take a torch!! Delivering a puppy and having a poo looks much the same from a distance!! Try and stay relaxed (!!) and carry on with chores as normal, letting her follow you around if she wants to, but stay cheerful and matter of fact- dont be too sympathetic or she may think something is wrong -when it isnt.

Keep a close eye , without her realising if poss, so that you know when she pushes for the first time. write the time down. If she does not deliver a puppy within 1 1/2 hours of the first big push ask the vet for advice. The pushing contractions should gradually get closer and closer together, if they slow right down and or stop - ring the vet.

Have ready: lidded bucket for spare afterbirths, bin bag for dirty paper/vetbeddding.
a pair of old bluntish scissors that have been boiled for at least 30 minutes, keep them submersed in the water til you need them. Most bitches will deal with chewing through he cord themselves, but sometimes you have to cut it, if the afterbirth doesn't come with the puppy straight away, or if with the first couple of puppies, she just cant reach round cos she's too huge. Cut your finger nails on your "using" hand quite short and file them so they are smooth. I leave my thumb nail a little longer in case I have to break a birthsac, they are very tough and slippery!

You will also need lots of clean towels, preferably hand towels or big ones cut up. Babies nappies are perfect and can be boiled before and afterwards. Puppies must be rubbed quite roughly when born to get them going and dry them quick. If the bitch is a first timer they are sometimes a bit hyped up and dont do it themselves, or by the time the next puppy is coming they are concentrating on getting it born and forget about the ones that have been born which must be dried as soon as poss.

When a puppy is delivered, if the bitch doesnt start opening the sack within about 10 seconds, break the sac at the head end and peel it back from the head, if she doesn't nose/lick it quickly, then hold it head down for a couple of moments and dab a dry towel to its nose to mop up any fluid there so it can start breathing. She should start eating the afterbirth and then when she gets to the cord chew through it. It looks awful, but dont worry she is very unlikely to injure it. If she just sits there looking helpless, hold the afterbirth above the puppy and give it a gentle squeeze, "strip" the cord down to the pups tummy, this is too give it as much blood as possible.
about 2" from the puppy's tummy, rub the cord roughly between the your thumb and forefinger nails, to break down the blood vessels. If you just cut the cord, without doing this first it may start bleeding. Once you have mangled the cord a bit, cut it with scissors. You may get one or two drops of blood but if it actually is dripping out , pinch the end of the cord hard, this will stop it. Do all this in full view of the bitch - dont take it away, and tell her she is a clever girl!! The puppy must either be licked vigorously by the bitch or you must do it with a towel.

If you can be in the kitchen so much the better as you will need to do a lot of handwashing!
Every couple of hours give her a drink of water with the chill off with a tablespoon of glucose to 1 litre, this will keep her hydrated. As a rule you will know when she has had the last one as she will settle down and accept a light meal, I always give them scrambled egg for the first meal with a little boiled rice. Dont feed her too much for the first 48 hours, its fluids she needs. Do give her extra calcium from the first meal and throughout lactation. if she has eaten the aftebirths she will have lots of goodness from them. I wouldn't let her eat them all, if she has more than 4 or 5 puppies or it may make her very loose. Dont upset her though, if she really wants them all then let her have them! She will have a dark red/brownish discharge that gradually lessens after a week or so, this is normal. If it is black or green ask your vet for advice.
Once they are all born, check inside the mouth for cleft palate, a gap in the roof of the mouth, running from front to back. Sadly if any have cleft palates, they may have to be put down - they will not be able to feed properly. Gosh I have just re read all this and think I had better stop now!!

If you can't find a lidded bucket buy a nappy bucket from Mothercare - they are about £6.00.

Good luck with the pups,

Chris

well i think most things have been covered in the last post I always have someone else with me and have always needed them, another pair of hands is essential in my books, the next is DON'T PANIC as i have done in the past, if you are like me and constantly siotting next to the whleping box have a couple of magazines wiith you or if you are in a room with a tv have a few good films to watch!!!!!!! my bitches 1st stage lasted 36hrs!!!!!!!!!!!!! another was 21hrs PLENTY of towels no matter how many towels i had to hand i still needed more as its not always easy to change the newspaper in between each pup especially if the mum dosn't want to get out of the box!!!!!!, have some cotton handy as i have had to tie a couple of cords before when they have been bitten too short{oh and have never had a heniar{can't spell} from such an insisdent} it may sound silly but don't always go with what the books may say I had a bitch push for well over 2 hrs and had a healthy pup 5hrs later{after phoning the vet who said don't panic!!!!!!} have a camera to hand as when my first lot were born i wished i had photos good luck with the pups emma xx

I nearly forgot a cardboard bow or washing basket is ESSENTIAL to put the pups in whilst the others are being born if she is like mine she ends up standing on them or burying them whilst nesting so thats always handy making sure it is clean and well lined with towels or warm bedding

Gosh I've just been reading with huge interest, feeling emotional at times at the thought of seeing her give birth but then when you say try to stay calm and relaxed I laughed out loud ;-) There is no way in this world I would be relaxed, I was starting to panic at reading some of the things that could happen, god help me if it were real life :rolleyes: I think I'll just stick to purchasing and leave the breeding to the experts.

I've been present at a few caesarians which was amazing but seeing your own bitch whelp must be fantastic. What a knowledgeable lot you are. Good on ya!

Despite to best laid plans a bitch can and does catch you out lol. My last litter where born in my bedroom with a whelping box, newspapers, vetbedding etc all ready and waiting, what did she do?

Carried her donut bed upstairs plonked it by my bed sat on it and pushed her first puppy out! No digging or shredding of paper, puffing or panting the more normal sign of whelphing, we'd had that 2 days prior and the vet and I had decided it was a false alarm after her playing me up for 3 nights solid! There was no way on earth she was going to have her puppies in the spot provided along with all the essentials we think we need for a sucessful *stress free* not whelp.

After an hour she had produced 4 happy strong healthy pups who where all settled sucking with mum sound asleep! I moved her and her family to the 'designated' whelping area with vet bedding etc left to attempt a salvage operation on her donut bed. 2 hours later my daughter checked on the new family only to find mother muching away happily on another afterbirth but no sign of the accompanying puppy. I arrived on the scene to fing that the missing puppy was actually hanging from mums mouth still attached to the afterbirth!

She has raised this litter for the first 3 wks in her donut bed with vetbedding under the central insert, no matter how hard I tried to keep her and her family contained I'd only have to turn my back for a second and she'd be off with them one by one to her bed! Decided that as this would be her last litter she could do it her way until they became mobile but by then she was grateful of a puppy pen with a crate and bedding for the kids and of course her DONUT bed outside opposite where she could and does keep a watchful eye on her brood lol.

Who said breeding dogs was fun?

Oh tell me about plans going wrong, My partner spent ages building me the most wonderful whelping box, anyway my bitch went into labour 5 days early sunday night she just nested a bit in the box on and off all night{its next to my bed} all day NOTHING all afternoon NOTHING started a little pushing at 3.30 pm by 6pm NOTHING she decided she DID NOT want to go in the whelping box she sat in an old sofa in the sideway{outside but covered roof} she pushed happily and was settled on the sofa{single sofa too} by 6.45 phoned vet who said give it till 9 as there was no nasty discharge i kept trying to get her to try and settle in the whelping box BUT NO the vet even said take her for a drive,but as long as she wasn't on this sofa she made everything stop well by 8.30 i had to let her stay on the sofa or face a trip to the vets she then happily produced her first puppy on the sofa in the dark surrounded by the other dogs{if they wandered away then so would she} sitting happily watching,luckily i managed to slide a clean towel under her , it was FREEZING outside!!!! As soon as the first pup was born i ran upstairs with it wrapped firmly in a towel with her following thinking she would settle in the box with it BUT NO she cleaned it and went back downstairs, 5 puppies were born this way using a torch held by my mum each time she cleaned the pup and went back downstairs leaving the pups warm and dry in a washing basket in the whelping box, after the 5th puppy we managed to get the sofa into the kitchen where she happily had 2 more in the light and warm ,she did settle in the box with them after they had been born as for the sofa it had to be burnt because it was soaked and flithy after the birth!!!!!!!!! if it hadn't been for another pair of hands that night well who knows make sure you always have a FULLY charged torch as you never know when u are going to need one!!!!!!

Emma, what a lovely story! Glad to hear all went well even if not in the correct place.

Joan
Take the rough with the smooth

Oh Emma, what a picture you conjure up! Glad you survived and it had a happy ending. It's just what those who say "I'm not a breeder but I think it would be nice just to let her have a litter" need to read, instead of "You just do this and that and it all works our fine"!
I have a covered whelping box - high sides with an adjustable entrance and with a lid too. I favour the cave concept and it also makes it easier to keep the new babies warm. I put it in my bedroom and sleep the bitch in there starting 7 days before her due date. They haven't got the 'birthing urge' at that time and are happy to be in there as I'm in the room too. Before I had room in my bedroom, I used to sleep on a camp bed in the conservatory with them for the week before and the week afterwards. That's the same time that I start taking their temperature twice a day to give me a guide as to when they may whelp.
The only difficult experience I have seen was a bitch that I had bred, who was carried up stairs, where she'd never been before, as she was having contractions. She didn't want to stay in the whelping box, favoured the owners bed, but was so distressed in her starnge environment that she hid the puppies anywhere when her owner wasn't there and let the whole litter die.

Oh Emma, sounds like you had an interesting night!!

The only time I have had a bitch decline to use the box I provided was when she insisted on getting into my sleeping bag with me and having the pups there. I kept putting her back in the box but no, she was going to make me share fully in her birthing experience <g>

Chrisitne

Hi Emma, funny how we are all different!! I HATE it when there is anyone else about - I cant relax properly unless its just me and the bitch!! Its nice when its all over and you can celebrate with someone though!! The the worst thing for me, is not being able to down the odd whiskey to keep me calm, in case I have to drive!! And you are right about the towels, you do need loads. :-)

hi everyone thanks so much really helpful information. i cant wait now bless she looks like a beached seal but shes as sweet as ever. i wormed her just before i had her mated do i need to do again before she has the pups

westie lover ;;;thank you you have explained everything that i want to know or was worried about. i know anything can happen but its nice to know as much as you can. sam >:)

Gosh Tilly, such an exciting time to come. I think everythings been covered by previous posts. Start saving newpaper now, I just couldn't believe how much I got through when the pups got to a few weeks old. I was lucky to get hold of a supply of inco pads (incontinence pads). You can buy similar things in baby departments where they are I think they are called hygiene mats. Basically they're just large absorbent disposable pads. They catch all the fluid and have a waterproof backing and are disposable. I used about 2 for every puppy born. I found them very useful. I also bought a large cheap pack of 'j-cloths' and had a bucket ready with some antiseptic in. Lots of old towels are useful. A good torch as this saved turning the big lights on. I wanted to keep a softly lit area for my bitch. Glucose water as already mentioned. I also had ready a small warm box for any puppy needing assistance and a thermometer. I had the back of the car ready with soft bedding incase I needed to transfer to the vets (luckily I didn't). I'm a midwife and have delivered hundreds of babies, but my first litter was quite nerve racking. Good luck, I quite envy you. Enjoy the first few weeks as once they start weaning you really know you've got them.
Lorna

I have read the previous posts with interest but I never use vetbed until the pups are strong enough to help themselves a bit at around 4-6 days unless the bitch is extrodinarly still.. Until then they just get newspaper - loads of it!

I have had new pups trapped under the vetbed with mum laying on it and no way of getting out.

Another thing you might have ready as well as Lorna's suggestion of vetbed in the back of the car is a box with hotwater bottle or heat pad with towels to put them in in case you have to go to the vet. For the same reason don't drink in case you need to drive! All the books say put the pups in a box to protect them whilst the next one is being born but I have always found that the dam panics if I do this and/or tries (and in one case succeeded) in getting in the small box as well.

Good luck with your pups

Christine

Me too i had a bitch still digging for the first week and couldn't have vet bed for this reason!!!!! she had towels down instead until she stopped digging

I agree with Westie lover again here - sorry ! - I wouldn't let puppies slide around on paper either - ' swimmers ' are not a pretty sight with all their poor little soft back legs all bandy - they need something to grip onto and to feel warm underneath their bellies.

I know how u feel i can't have my partner with me !!!!!only my mum or a doggy friend someone who i can relax with someone who KNOWS how dogs birth ect but only ever needed them when i have had a 'problem' bitch see my posting further down

Hi Tilly,
Good luck with your pups, I have found a good alternative to Vetbed is fur fabric used for making horse saddle cloths, it does the same job and is very much cheaper, you can get it from www.abbeysaddlery.co.uk. I read 'Book of the Bitch' the first time we mated and scared myself silly but am pleased to say our Rottie performed a treat with little interference once the first pup arrived, I did however enlicit the hrelp of the breeder of the stud dog to help as it was our first time.

All the best
Lorraine

I was on the phone to the Stud owner (who also bred my bitch) with blow by blow account of proceedings with my first litter! She died this year and I miss talking to her several times a week, though my phone bills are lower:)

Hi Lorraine

Do you mean the polyester felt? If so how much do they charge and does it fall apart when dug into a nest by the dogs?

TIA
Christine
[email kerioakdobes@btinternet.com] email me ?[/email]

Hi, I have had the odd pup "trapped" under a vet bed, but as I check on them very frequently it has never been a problem. I have gone in, counted the pups, panicked, taken up the vet bed and there was a cosy warm sleeping puppy, perfectly ok. I replace my "whelping" vet beds very frequently so that they stay"stiff" and are then less likley to get a "stowaway" underneath. I would not want my puppies sliding about on newspaper, not being able to find their mum/siblings quickly, or getting chilled.

I also think its is much more comfortable for the bitch to lie on. Several weeks of lying down on a hard surface can make their elbows/hocks quite sore especially in short coated breeds. I reared my very first litter on newspaper, being advised by someone else to, and they never stopped crying!! I thought that was normal til I bought my first vet beds. I found shredded newspaper sticks on the bitches teats, to her vulva and makes white puppies filthy, and there is a theory that it does not help those breeds that are prone to hipdisplasia. I have also heard that the newsprint is not good for them. No offence meant, just adding "my side" of the debate! Has anyone ever lost a puppy through getting under a vet bed? Perhaps I have just been very fortunate.

I've never used newspaper only vet bed or old towels (clean of course) much prefer it as do the pups it would seem as they have always been very contented

Hi
Although my husband has had a few litters in the past, this was My first litter last November and was just like you, worried about everything. How would I know when they had all been born, What if the came out the wrong way, what if she didnt bite the cord, you name it and I worried about it.
When the time came I had the book of the bitch at hand and it was wonderful. Your instincts will take over and you will be fine. I had one born feet first and managed to help her deliver that ok. It is a very emotional experience especially if it is your first litter. When my bitch first started in labour and i could see the head I started to cry it was so wonderful. They will be very special and you will feel as though you have delivered them yourself so be prepared to have a long day or night with not a lot of sleep.
Good Luck and try not to worry too much. It is a truly amazing experience.

Longdog

I'm just back after a couple of days away and catching up. I must say it all sounds fantastic but still think I'll wait a few years yet to get more experience behind me as well as more time on my hands before I even consider breeding. The amount of help and advice my breeder has given me over the years is unbelievable and she always has time for me. I would like to think I could offer just as much if I were to have a litter.

Tilly please keep us informed of what is happening as I amongst others would be very interested, I bet it's so exciting for you :-)