Just curious. My girl is due on the 13th.
I have not been letting her off the lead but apart from that she is very keen on her walks and walks just as fast as she always did.
I walk her on a flexi to give her a bit more freedom. The book of the bitch says " walks will be slow now"?
Should I be making her walk at a slow pace? It is so difficult to know.

Being pregnant isn't being ill!!    But I'd not let her get over-tired towards the end of her pregnancy - and of course, avoid her getting knocked (watch out for other dogs barrelling up to her) so right now, with so few days to go, I think I'd have her on a lead, and perhaps restrict quite how much she does.    Bitches rarely follow text-books!!   So keeping her happy is the most important thing - and it will help with the delivery if her muscle-tone is kept up.  

And another thought - I think I'd be keeping her in a less-dog-frequented area, to avoid the risk of infection.

we are lucky as we are in a very low dog area and the lane I use sees very few.
Yes I have been keeping her on a lead in case she gets into trouble! Was only thinking, leg wise she seems as fit as she always is.

Mine take their usual lead exercise right to the end.

Bitches may slow down if they are enormous or when their ligaments soften in the last week but I let them please themselves, no walks in public places though and no jumping in the car just because if they are injured it makes treatment more difficult, I think slippery floors indoors are a hazard too.

I don't like to take mine out of the garden, for me it's too much of a risk with infection.

I'd hate them to get an upset of some kind.

I'm very fortunate to have a large garden, I know not everyone has though.

Mine continue as normal right up to delivery, if carrying a big litter they may slow down from 100mph to 95mph.
Run free, leap ditches, styles and whatever they please
Return to exercise after about a week post delivery

Thank you. That is reassuring because although at home when there is nothing to grab her attention she is sleeping a lot, when she gets going she is still running out in the garden with the others, and jumping too. Not high like jumping into the car but when playing.

Ok due date on last mating tomorrow but showing no signs of getting on with having the puppies.
Twice this week on a walk I have seen a stringy discharge. No digging just still wants to eat lots. Hope I can cope with the stress over the next few days.
Keep showing her area and sitting in for a while but as soon as you move she is out and I almost feel like she is looking at me with a strange what are you up to look!

> Keep showing her area and sitting in for a while but as soon as you move she is out and I almost feel like she is looking at me with a strange what are you up to look!

She should be sleeping in her whelping quarters now, with somebody sleeping in the room with her so if she starts during the night, as many do, you'll know how long she's been having strong contractions for.   Don't leave her pushing hard for much over 1 hour, without seeing a puppy delivered - every delivery.   There's no point letting her get exhausted, especially if in the end she's going to need a C.Section.    I also alerted my vet when mine started, in case I needed them.

Don't worry I am watching her 24 hours. She is with me in my bedroom at night. Still not showing any signs but I will get her to vet if I think there is a problem.
I have had bitches that have laboured for 2-3 days but in her earlier litter there was not much of that and she suddenly got on with it and had them quickly so she may do the same.

I find mine won't have anything tobdo with whelping quarters until labour under way. One of mine wanted to stay with her mates until first puppy imminent.

Yes that is the case with mine. She does not want to be separated but I recall back and think all mine have been similar. I can only assume, ovulation could have been later than last mating.
I have seen puppies moving and she is a bit quieter but not that sort of quiet. Normally she would get involved in the banter but she is sat with me and when I get the leads out in a minute I have a strong feeling she will be first in the queue. I have only taken her for a short road walk for the last few days so along the road and back. She is happy that she has not been left out of proceedings!
She has just eaten by the way.

The benefit of having a bitch sleeping in the whelping quarters, not to be in there all day, is so they are happy to be in there when they need to be in there!   No messing around with them choosing where they want to whelp .... but I guess what works for one, doesn't work for another.

> No messing around with them choosing where they want to whelp

My bitch clearly missed these rules and shut down until she was happy with where she was (a plastic dog bed) . When finished she happily went in the whelping box with her litter but not until all puppies had arrived.

Oh mine all have access to the whelping box and get given treats in it, but none choose to sleep in it, not until in active labour.

Yesterday afternoon she went and sat firmly in the hole under the tree that all my girls have used and surprised it has survived as roots all open to the elements!
I got her in but she was not interested in the whelping area.
Then yesterday evening, voluntarily she went in and I laid right beside her all night and waited this morning. Various intervals of thinking something was starting but then no action.
Not wanting to leave it too late, I got my vet to check her about half an hour ago and he says her cervix is only partially open at this stage so she has not done any pushing to
leave things be for the minute.
She still seems also quite happy ( or happier) to be around the other dogs. Does not want to be isolated just yet so just keeping a watching brief for the time being.

Hetty tried quite hard last year to have hers in the gap in the corner next to the sofa but I managed to persuade hers into the whelping box in the end.

Earlier this year my girl gave birth in the all singing all dancing  whelping box and them immediately moved all the puppies, one by one into the tatty plastic bed in the kitchen. No accounting for taste lol.

It has been a marathon so far but we now have 5 healthy puppies - all feeding - and all girls!
Have people waiting for boys so not sure if I can persuade them. Main thing now is they all seem strong and healthy and to get them onto the next stage.
Not actually sure whether she is finished so will update if any more arrivals.
What a relief and she is doing so well with them.

Now 7 and 1 boy! She is being brilliant with them.

>What a relief and she is doing so well with them.

There's nothing quite like that relief, is there!

As for people on waiting, many will happily have bitch instead of a dog but rarely a male instead of a bitch.