Hi my girl has had our first litter and all went swimmingly (she did everything herself. Super proud). I understand about the loccia that was present after her giving birth but now 3 days later she's bleeding heavily (same colour but a bit heavier as if she was in season). Is this her uterus expelling what it now doesn't need and going back to normal? She seems perfectly fine in herself and is happily looking after her puppies as she should be and eating and drinking fine. I've googled and it seems this is normal but I just need reassuring by the more experienced breeders that all is ok and this really is normal.

Second thing, the litter was born overnight with the first one born at 2215 and the last at 0410. When it comes to registering them, do I register them all on the date when the first puppy was born or the last?

Thanking you in advance.

> Is this her uterus expelling what it now doesn't need and going back to normal?

Yes and I have had it last 6 weeks or so, but some it is over much sooner.  Tend to find it less with quick births of smaller litters.

> the litter was born overnight with the first one born at 2215 and the last at 0410. When it comes to registering them, do I register them all on the date when the first puppy was born or the last? <br />

Whichever you prefer.  check fi there is a particular show that they will be too young or old for depending on which date you choose.

Yes, the lochia can last for several weeks, depending on how many puppies there (so how many uterine 'wounds' from the placentas).

When a litter is born overnight I always put the date the last puppy is born (as that's when the litter is complete, not just begun) but it's worth checking for show dates!

> Second thing, the litter was born overnight with the first one born at 2215 and the last at 0410. When it comes to registering them, do I register them all on the date when the first puppy was born or the last? <br />

I have always used the date the first puppy is born.

So seeing other responses everyone is different...one thing is for certain, you cant use both dates for one litter...lol..

Unless there are show reasons, I pick the date the majority of the pups were born.

I'd go for Thursday as you will have to micro chip at 8 weeks (breed dependant) and maybe 1st vaccine. That way you can keep an eye on them for 48 hours before they go to new homes at the weekend.

Thank you everyone. Glad to know it's what should be happening. She had 9 so I suspect that'll be the reason why there's so much. She's doing her best to keep herself clean and the puppies when it drips on them. Is there anything I can use to clean her up with? Normal dog or puppy spray shampoo maybe? Or just stick to plain warm water? I am going to treat her with a trip the groomers when the puppies are older. I think she deserves a bit of pampering after looking after 9 greedy pups.

Hmm..4 were born before midnight, 1 bang on the stroke of 12 and the other 4 after midnight so I'll have to have some thinking of what date to use. I do like the idea of when the last puppy is born though as the litter is complete then. That kinda makes sense.

I use unscented/sensitive wet wipes. 

Watch for any scalding around vulva and legs where she may have got wet from the birthing fluids and it got down to the skin. 

I use vaseline on any sore/chapped skin.

If you want to pamper her, do it at home - IME (groomer for nearly 12 years) the majority of dogs do not enjoy being groomed and do not consider it a pampering experience!  Also, if they've had pups recently they can be a little more sensitive and even less inclined to enjoy it.

Now that one has me thinking because we had one litter, the majority of which were born before the 'midnight hour'.   The litter was whelped, naturally, but with great difficulty, out in Canada where our vet was some distance away and which had me camping out in the vet's office (he lived in a flat over the practice) so I could call him down to assist (another oxytocin shot).   Having been examined the next morning and declared 'empty' we all came home where another puppy was born!!   I'd gone to sort myself out leaving my husband to keep watch.   He shouted for me to get down fast as she was producing another puppy..... which was clearly not able to be felt (by my vet).    I think, but can't remember now, we registered the litter as being born the day most of them were born.   Interesting one.  And something I'd imagine would be relevant to moe breeders than not as bitches tend to whelp during the night.

Another litter we had involved just one live puppy born during the evening before, a second dead during the small hours and the rest the following morning when the locum finally arrived and did the C.Section I took her in to be done the evening before!  Long sad story.   I think I put their dob as the day the C.Section was done.

snowkitten I agree with Nikita.  A trip to the groomers is not a treat.

I shampoo mine in the shower and it is far less stress doing it at home.  NOW, if you want to treat me to a trip to the groomers, I would be thrilled to bits! 

Thanks for the replies. She is used to going to the groomers but i'll leave it for now. I just wanted to freshen her up a bit is all. Pups have all opened their eyes now and are starting to be a bit more active, including rolling in each others poo! My bitch isn't cleaning them up as well as she did now and isn't staying as long with them to feed them. They're all putting weight on so they are feeding. They're starting to whiff a bit though (I've mainly boys and boy pee stinks!). Can I use a baby wipe or a very mild puppy shampoo or dry puppy shampoo on them?

Unscented/sensitive baby wipes are fine for both Mum and pups, also a little baby bath no rinse wash in a bowl/bucket for more thorough cleansing with a sponge/flannel.  the important thing is to ensure she/they is/are dry.

Thank you Brainless. That's perfect.

My dogs get to have their paws washed (and anything else that gets dirty) every single time they come in the house from outside. We pop them in the bathtub and using shower head clean all that needs cleaning, then towel dry. No shampoo or anything, just clean running water.

When my girl gave birth couple of weeks ago this routine just continued, so her first outing for a pee after the labour and in she went into the tub, and in 3 minutes she was back with her pups all clean and sparkling :) Again plain water, nothing else is needed. I find it so so convenient and healthy I can't imagine doing things any other way.

> I find it so so convenient and healthy I can't imagine doing things any other way.

I don't think I'd find it very convenient trying that with my 5 or 6 20kg hairy jobs, up the stairs.

Every time I bath them (couple times a year) there is hair on walks celling and floor.

Fortunately they don't seem to bring half the country with them on walks, and any mud just drops out of their coats by the time we get home. To dry naturally takes a day or more, with lots of combing to stop any wet getting trapped next to skin, causing hot spots.

> I don't think I'd find it very convenient trying that with my 5 or 6 20kg hairy jobs, up the stairs.<br />

Haha no I imagine that's not likely to work well. We've had one hairy large dog in the past a rough collie. She was taught to jump in/out the tub, luckily in my parents' house we had the bathroom downstairs. When my parents got an english bull terrier who grew up to be 25kg and too piggy to jump, my mom fashioned a small kiddy pool that she would take out and fill with water each time and the dog would walk in and wait to be washed.

Most of the time its just the paws that need washing, and furnishings if its wet/muddy weather. I remember so well when I was a lazy kid, arguing with my parents "but her paws are clean! its dry and sunny outside! we just walked on a pavement! there is no need to wash her!" of course it's always been a chore.. But my mom would not have any of it and would make me wash the dog no matter the weather. And she would point out the dirty water when those "clean" paws were washed.

Then I grew up, got my own house, and could not help but continue the tradition. The house is so much cleaner for it as it reduces dust a lot. And when the dogs clean themselves after a walk, they don't get to lick off (and ingest) the dust/dirt from wherever we've been to.. We had a tub installed in the "doggy quarters" in the garage so that its more convenient than carrying them through the house to the "human" bathroom.