Would any of you please help when I ask, 'what is the best thing to use when cleaning my bitches nipples', they are dry and dirty, she is due to whelp anytime around 4th April and it's just another thing I thought I ought to have done, amongst others!! Also to trim or not to trim off the long coat underneath too(Golden Retriever).
Please don't laugh, I guess I'm going into panic mode!!! :D

Look forward to your replies
Sweep x

Hi sweep, with my bitches, I trim the long hair from around the nipple, so as to lessen the risk of the pups getting caught in it, during the first few days of life. You will find the nipples have probably got a circle of hair "missing" from around them anyway, so I just make the circle bigger.
I wash the bitches nipples just with warm, salted water, and then rinse them with just warm water, in case any salt residue remains. Hope this helps a bit, best of luck with the whelping. xxx

Just wash the nipples with a gentle soap and warm water. Personally i would trim a little hair away so the puppies suck o the teats and not the hair.

Firsttrim the hair away, and then wash the area with cotton wool
and water, then try cleaning with just warm virgin olive oil,
this will sometimes get rid of stains and dirt. I have tried baby oil
but this does not work as well.
Years ago our doctor told my mother to clean around the back of ears
of my brother with virgin olive oil and it worked wonders. So if you
can do it on humans, why not dogs. I have done this many a time,
also when the milk has dried up. The nipples can get a build up of oils,
and go dark coloured, so gentle wiping with olive oil will remove this.
However do not rub hard or you will turn the area red and sore, just
gentle, and not all at once. The olive oil will also help the skin if it
gets dry.