At what point after mating do you know when a bitch is in whelp, I appreciate it will vary from bitch to bitch, and maybe breed to breed, but just a general idea would be good.

Thanks, Hayley

Hi
you should deffinatley be able to see some abdominal enlargement at 35 days but you may well notice a white disharge and the nipples looking pointed and rosey pink before then obviously it is easier to tell in a lean, short coated dog what type of dog do you have??

Thanks Kate,

It is not my dog, but one from whom I am hoping to get a puppy - she is an Australian Cattle Dog, so yes, short coated. I am just wondering when I could possibly hope to hear from the breeder - not that I am impatient!! :)

Hayley

Sometimes not until they give birth! :D IOn an average litter you should definately have an idea by 5 or 6 weeks, but unfortunately bitches can seem pregnant if having a full blown Phantom pregnancy, and even experienced people have held a bitches paw, only to find her empty, including Vets!

We are all impatient with our first litters, if she is she is, I had a bitch swell up go to term then deflate like a balloon.
Good tip, feed raw meat. If she is ravenous for it, then she knows what her body needs. Feed it especially around whelping time, it promotes milk production.

Thanks for all the comments, as I said the bitch is not mine so it is all out of my hands as it were, so I am going to let the breeder get on with it for a few weeks without me hassling her, poor woman must be getting fed up with all my questions. The bitch was artificially inseminated so there is always a chance she will not take and I don't want to get my hopes up too much.

I will report back if we get any good news, so fingers - and everything else - crossed!!!

Hayley

My bitch (an ACD) didn't begin to look pregnant until about 7 weeks, but most show from about 5 weeks.
Angela

She was AI'ed today and apparently the sperm morphology was better than last time - so fingers and legs crossed, scan in a month!!!

Hayley

(Hope to see you at shows in the future!:))