hi im a new member here and i only joined because i read some of your comments and you seem like a helpfull bunch! The querey i have is that i would like too know how long it takes before she starts to show and what symptons i should look for she is a staffordshire bull terrier thanx for your time and your help hope to hear back from sum1 soon manji

All dogs are different, i get mine scanned after day 28 of mating (not always accurate).in the 6th week after mating, there are usually signs that the bitch is in whelp. the teats become very pink in colour and slightly swollen, and after her meals her abdomen will probably look tight. My girls are sometimes sick about the four week mark.
consult with your vet as he will recommend a worming programme and give advice on her diet.
good luck!

thank you very much for your help how long does the average stafford pregnancy last for?

Average gestation period is 63 days - from the questions you are asking, I would suggest that you obtain a copy of The Book of the Bitch as soon as possible - I think you'll find this should answer most of your questions.

Margot

ok thank you i have already ordered the book and im waiting on the delivery sorry for bein a pain to everyone though! i know sum1 said i should get her scanned and see my vet and that her teats will swell and become pink as signs of pregnancy but what is the earliest thing that you can reckognise about the pregnancy? and how long before i should look for these signs?

You may see a change in her behaviour or eating habits by about 3 weeksish (although not all bitches show these signs).

My girls at 3 weeks stopped eating completely, they had a little sickness and would also become a lot more loving and affectionate. Please remember that like humans every dog is different.

By about 3-4 weeks there may be a change in the teats they should be starting to get bigger and the hair around the teats should get thinner in time.
You should get in touch with your vet, most vets recommand that the bitch is wormed daily from 40 days of pregnancy to 2 days post whelp. I have had no complications with this and also recommend it.

Like I said every dog is different and you may not see any signs until about 6 weeks.

Her appetite should increase at about the 5-6 weeks mark and she should be put on a good quality diet, her meals should also be incresed. Try to give her smaller, more often meals at that stage rather than one huge meal. Her abdomen will be full of puppies and you may make her feel sickly if you over load her with too much food, the smaller the meals are the more likely she is going to be able to hold it.

The book of the bitch is a great book, which I like to call my bible lol.

It will answer almost any question you have to ask so it is well worth getting.

Good luck
Amy

from 40 days so worm her until 61st day i cant believe how helpful all you people are thank you so much im going to get on to the couriers of my book lol thanks everyone

Hiya Manji, sorry when I said to 2 days post whelp I meantup until 2 days after the puppies are born

Amy

hey sheppiemaid jus wonderin if u could help me again angel is still bleeding and i wondered if that meant that she was'nt pregnant? i am still waitin for my book iv ordered it from amazon and should be here soon sorry for bein a pain but i do not want this to be unsuccesfull thanks m8 manji

Hi, like I keep saying all bitches are different lol. Mine just usually carry on their normal season, others could be different.

Maybe some one else can help you more on this question.....what do your bitches do when you mate them, do they carry on their normal season or do they stop bleeding?

Amy

I can only go by my bitch's but they all stop colour on or about the 11th day, never had one that has bled right through her season. Although I know some dogs do continue the bleeding. throughout their season whether mated or not.

I always take it as a good sign of being in whelp when their vulva starts to reduce down in size about 18 days, whereas an unmated bitch tend to be around the 22 to 24 day before reducing in size.

So by that I would say that I would consider a shorter season after mating, to be a favourable sign.

well her vulva almost instantly reduced its swelling we all noticed that straight away

I've had bitches who have bled profusely until the end of the season & still been in whelp, bitches who have only bled a little & some I haven't seen any sign of blood - they're all different!!!

yeah she is still bleeding but it seems as though the bleeding is slowing down already and shes only been in season for about 10 days but was mated on her 7th day does this seem right?

Hi Manji, You bred your bitch on the 7th DAY?
I very much doubt she will be ovulating at the 7th day but she may be a very early ovulator. Did you have a pre mate test?

well i bred her on the 7th day and then again on the 9th day which is reccomended not the dates but 48 hrs after well i think she is deffinately pregnant now as all of the signs have come through and she is due on the 10th of april many thanks for your help though

Day 7 is VERY early ...however I hope things go well for you.
Archer

Hope dam and sire were eye-tested?

HEY ITS ME AGAIN ha ha she was mated on saturday through to sunday and sum1 said that she would be alot more affectionate this morning she is acting this way and always coming to me for lots of cuddles and is also sleeping alot more would you say this is a positive sign?

My older girl bleed for 4 weeks in total and had 13 pups but my younger one has now been confirmed as pregnant only ever loses two or 3 drops of bloods in a entire season so I think it depends on the dog.

Mine all go very soppy almost immediately when they are pregnant even my older one who is not the most affectionate dog in the world normally.

I am a little curious about the vulva going small after mating because my younger one still seems slightly swollen even though she is 4 weeks pregnant. 

I agree, when my bitches have been pregnant the vulva tends to stay softer than when they've missed or not been mated at all.

Sorry didn't explain myself very well.

The vulva doesn't reduce down to the same size as before the season, but reduces compared to what it was during the season, but you are right it does stay softer.

I agree all bitch's are different which was why  I said thats what I find with mine.

I'm afraid I'm one of the wait and see, without getting paranoid and looking at them every five minutes, type of person. With mine it is normally around the 4 to 4.1/2 week stage when subtle changes start to appear.  IMO whatever will be will be and by the time I need to start incrasing quantity and quality of food, it will be fairly obvious whether they are in whelp.

Another fairly good sign is a change in the shape of the nipples they go from round on the ends, to slightly square with the smallest ones up near their front legs showing an increase in size and getting what I would describe as a small pinkish circle around them with a little loss of hair.

Try and stay calm about it all, what you need to remember is that what is done is done and whether she is or not, its not something you can change!!!  If she is you will probably wake up one morning when she is about 5 weeks, look at her and have no doubt in your mind that pups are on the way.

so as an opinion would you reccommend to sit back and wait for dramatic changes in her, my honest opinion i now think that angel is pregnant because like u all say we all know our own dogs and i know mine and she has never before behaved in such a way thank you all for ur help im goin to keep everyone posted on here to how it goes and if it is successfull il put a picture on here for all of u

Sounds promising, but as I said just sit back and wait, there is a really good site that gives you blow by blow changes throughout the pregnancy which might be of interest to you.

Just pop in your mating dates and it will give you what to expect on a day by day basis.

http://www.schaferhund.com/pregnancy.htm

Sorry about it not being a link, but still can't do them. lol

yea the vulva hasnt just dissapeared its still slightly swollen and very soft, i meant that after she was mated the vulvas size decreased alot, yea my dog is the same she doesnt ask for that much attention today shes just been sat there putting her head on my knee for me to stroke her

hey all remember i was talking about if angel was pregnant well she was and shes just had a healthy first litter she had 7 and they all lived so just wana say thank you all for all your support and help through this if you lot cant remember 

congratulations on your new babies! hope mum and littlins are ok! good luck with them. i bet there soooooooo cute!
sarah x