My baby girl is 62 days pregnant today... and she is staying mostly in her nesting cage... she is panting a little but not where u would say YES she is in labor.. its her first litter and mine too.. i think im more scared than she might be.... lol... i have read so much info not sure what to think... i found her (reba) and Max my male hooked together on Dec 22nd.. they say 63 days from then she should be giving birth.. is that correct.. and how can i tell exactly?  I would love some help.  She is a  large working breed and her nipples are sagging a little just mostly the back 2... but i see no movement of puppies.... what should i do?

What is she doing now?  Have you read anything about whelping?  What do you mean by nesting cage?  Ideally she should be in  a whelping box and you can have full access to her and her pups as they are being born.

I'd totally agree - not a crate, a box (preferable with pig rails round 3 sides).   You may have to get in fast, if things need your help and using a crate might make this difficult.

She could go on like this, nesting, for some time - you will know when true labour begins - if you are observant, you'll see little ripples (for want of another word) which will be small contractions.   This will progress to much stronger pushing.   Just be around - don't stress around her because that won't help!   Now is the time to bring in your mentor if this is a first time for you.    Don't leave her pushing hard for much longer than one hour without seeing a puppy delivered - every delivery.    There's no point letting her get exhausted if she's going to need a C.Section in the end. 

And make sure the area in the box and around is warm - about 80F because newborn puppies can't regulate their own heat.   And you may need to have a box with a warm pad in it to put the puppies already born into when she starts working on the next one, to avoid stepping or sitting on them.   They do need to be nursing between deliveries as this stimulates contractions.

If things don't progress, leave it 2 days over from the first mating, and then get her looked at by your vet.

> they say 63 days from then she should be giving birth.. is that correct..

Honestly, these THEY people sometimes have never even bred a litter.  THEY have a lot to answer for. 

My bitches whelp on day 56 because nobody told them that they shouldn't.  Perfectly viable puppies.

I feel quite strongly that people reading a book will take statements as gospel.  So when they read that you have to mate your bitch between days 10-14 people believe it.  Having had a bitch mated on day 28 (successful litter, just one mating.) And I had a bitch who ovulated on day 4.  No different to humans really.  We are not all the same. 

Thank you for your help.. i made a vet appointment for tomorrow, but i did not make her a whelping box.. i got her a very large cage with a full pan in the bottom plus the entire top of the cage opens up so i can reach down inside... i ordered the cage online it says its good for 3 dogs over 200 lbs.... the cage is so large i could fit myself and all my kids inside at the same time... so i think it should be fine... plus i placed a ton of blankets and heating pad under it.... i put it in my laundry room where the temp is set at 76 degrees... im not a breeder nor will i ever be... this is my first litter with her and my last... I deliver human babies everyday.. but something about animals scares me beyond my limits... well she will be 64 days today, and i think the VET will either scare me more or ease my mind..lol...

It worries me  that i just cant feel any puppies moving inside her...  she is licking her nipples and private area alot today... i have read that this is normal as well.. but it seems that everyone has about the same to say in all the readings so far.... i read some peoples comments in other forums and they are down right rude and mean....  Im not an un-educated woman.. but however i am somewhat un-educated when it comes to animals.. how for human issues.... im a pro...lol...

thanks again for all your help....

I hope all goes well at the vet.  I still don't think you cage sounds ideal, can you imagine delivering a human baby by leaning over the top of the cage, not just one but several?  You need access all of the way round, some sort of way to ensure pups are not crushed at the side.  You are going to struggle to buy/make a proper whelping box on time so another suggestion for you would be a large paddling pool, have seen this done before and it works well.  Even though you are not experienced, you are a breeder and you are going to be fully responsible for these pups for the next 8 weeks and have a responsibility to them for the rest of their lives.  If you are worried about the lack of movement, you could listen in as you do with human babies.

Oh and I would keep you blankets for after the birth, it is very messy so I would deliver on puppy training pads (the only good use for these things imo), you can quickly remove soiled ones and replace with clean ones.

> I still don't think you cage sounds ideal, can you imagine delivering a human baby by leaning over the top of the cage, not just one but several?  You need access all of the way round, some sort of way to ensure pups are not crushed at the side.

If the doorway is large enough for the person to lean into the cage and reach all round it will be fine.

I have for many years (over 20) used puppy pen panels in a 3 foot square base as a whelping pen, and I do find using the door on the front panel, for access.  After whelping a panel is put across the tope to keep rigidity and to enable the whole to be covered to make a cave with just entrance side clear.

So a very large cage should work fine as long as it isn't too large.  My breed is around 20 inches at the shoulder and is squarely built and 3 to 4 feet square (or anything in between is absolutely ideal, but bigger would be too large and risks pups getting too far from warmth.

> im not a breeder nor will i ever be... this is my first litter with her and my last.

It's like parenthood only need one litter/one child to be a breeder/parent.  so yes you are a breedr as you have chosen to let your bitch have a litter.

> i made a vet appointment for tomorrow,

Just to warm you the vet is likely to be ambiguous, most have never seen a normal whelping, unless they breed themselves they know little of the details of breeding other than knowing how to perform C sections, so don't count on tehm for reassurance.

Assuong they are reputable and experienced one fo the best people to ehlp you is the breedr of yoru bitch.

Whelping behairour and even timing can be inherited, and knowing hwo the female relatives whelpings go, and signs of trouble can be most helpful.

For example some breed tend to go early and going more than a day past 63 days would probably be a sign of trouble (tiny toy breeds).  My breed most often whelp before 63 days from first mating, as experienced males tend to wait until the ova are ripe and mate the bitch several days after ovulation, but

I have had bitches go from 5 days before 63 days and 4 days after.  I always count from first mating, never had a bitch go as far as 63 days from last mating, and had bitches usually mated over a 3 - 6 day period.

I know people who use cages pr puppy pens but they put upvc or strong card around the bottom and tie it on so little legs and paws don't get caught in between the bars

> they put upvc or strong card around the bottom and tie it on so little legs and paws don't get caught in between the bars

Yep cardboard around the sides, insulation against draughts and as you say to stop feet getting caught.

Any news of any pups ?