hi everyone, i have lots of questions that just keep popping into my mind. one that does bother me is if i have to help deliver my pups. they say that if the pup is breech or the sack is not open and the dog has trouble passing the pup you have to pull the pup out. but what if i hurt my dog or the pup, surely you have to wait for a contraction or something. can anyone run me through what to do if the worst happens, im really worried about this. this is my dogs first litter. any advice would be very much appreciated thanks.

This is not something that I would recommend for someone to do without dealing with it before.  I wait for the contractions and gently hold and guide the pup, the mum does most of the work, but usually luckily in my breed they are good whelpers.

To be honest I would really try and get an experienced mentor that could help you if you need it.  If the dog doesn't know this mentor get the dog familiar with them before the puppies arrive.  

I had a mentor or 2 and I would honestly say it was peace of mind to have the experience even just to ask.

What I will say is make sure your whelping kit has a new tube of KY Jelly in it , this can help loosen a tight puppy.

I would agree with the above. Our breed are poor at whelping and the last twice the first pup came feet first and stuck. I had the option of a very experienced breeder that would come up and help, I wish I had taken her up on the offer. If you can get someone experienced.

Hi - I don't have an opinion on this, and don't breed, but just wanted to throw something in the mix here.

In The Book of the Bitch it suggests that it is only the owner or the person who the bitch is most familiar with that is present at the birth, even if others have more technical knowledge.  What do we think about having others at the birth?

I agree in theory but for my first couple of litters, I had my bitch's breeder, who she knew well, with me and from then on, at the end of the telephone.

I feel that it's very irresponsible for owners with no knowledge to allow their bitch to whelp without backup.  I always ask "Would you be happy to have a baby with only your best friend with you and not an experienced midwife?" 

It's one of the reasons that I endorse all of my puppies.  Some years ago a bitch bought as a pet was mated, and died just before her 2nd birthday because the owners didn't have sufficient knowledge to know that the pregnancy was going wrong. :(  That's not what I've spent years studying pedigrees and weeks on my hands and knees for, and so will not encourage breeding from my dogs (or any others!) if the owner is not involved in the breed.

Having somwone expereinced that the bich knows well is much better than getting in a panic and haveing to take a bitch unecesarily to the vet which is the only other option if in doubt.  Of course if it warrants it the Vet should be seen.

Ditto Brainless think we were typing at the same time :-D

Before breeding a litter I was lucky enough to be present at the birth of a litter owned by the breeder of my bitch, it was invaluable to me, I would have been a wreck if I hadn't had that experience.   I was also there for a 2nd litter (different bitch) & was actually left in charge (gulp) when the breeder had to go to the hospital due to a family emergency. In both cases the bitches knew me, but not well, but neither was in the least bit bothered. My breed are generally easy whelpers & need no interference. The only problem I've had was 1 bitch who had a single ENORMOUS pup, born feet first & got stuck at the shoulders. A bit of help & he was born, I thought he was dead, but a quick rub & clearing of mucous & there he was. PHEW!!  I would have liked my breeder present when I had my 1st litter but as she worked & lived 150 miles away, it wasn't really practical. I've only twice had other people present ( I really prefer to panic on my own :) ) , the first was " the person who the bitch is most familiar with" & she was a pain (the person, not the bitch), the other a friend who just happened to call in - she was fine & the bitch not in the least put out.
Having said all that, bitches have been known to delay whelping if the environment isn't right - I would be totally against the whole family gathered round waiting for something to happen, for instance, I just try to keep to my usual routine while leaving the bitch in her own special whelping area & keeping a careful eye on her.

One thing I would say is to alert your vet to be on standby when she does go into labour.

That is correct advice from the book of the bitch BUT it only applies for a normal easy going delivery when an emergency or problems occur the breeder MUST be prepared. This preperation includes making the bitch very familar with an experienced person before the puppies are born.

If you needed assistance and an experience person familiar to the bitch out assist this will without a doubt  help avoid veterinary intervention which would be a strange person in a stressed out situation.

hello i agree with you about only having myself ther at the birth that is how its going to be but if needed i will have my friend therewith me but if i was giving bith and there were complications i would rather have a stranger there to make sure things went well. my bitch will not see anyone else for acouple of weeks either as i dont want her to get stressed and come down with eclampsia

I had two freinds experienced in whelping that the bitch knew well at my first whelping.  They arrived after the first small pup was born and we had the second rather large pup need a bit of a hand being born so was most grateful for the help and the KY jelly.

If you have been attending ringcraft classes were there no fellow breeders local to you you have gotten freindly with that can help and the bitch can become better aquainted with.

I helped a first time breeder whelp his litter about 18 months ago, so it has gone full circle.

That is exactly what I did Brainless. With taking my bitch to ringclass I got freindly with a poodle breeder who lives just 1 min from me.  Now I had experienced people in my breed and also others at the end of the phone but didn't have someone 60 secs from me if I wanted some support with say a stuck puppy.   I asked my freind would she help me if needed , my little bitch knew her and her dogs well.

Luckily I didn't need the help but I kept in touch with her throughout they day and thanked her for her support. 

This type of support I don't think could ever be replaced. 

Yes it reallynis invaluable evenif just to reasuure you things re normal.

I know that the first pup was a shock to me. It felt too cool for a  start and was on the small side.  I was reassured that it was normal (I ahd only ever handled newborn rabbits which with their bare skin are very warm to the touch).

It is expereince gained with whelping that allowed me to realise when thigns were goign wrong even though the time scale was within the norm when I whelped a litter from a friends bitch.

The behaviour of the bitch the lack of strong contractions and progressing labour told me the whelping woudl not progress.  the bitch had to have oxytocin for next two pups and then had the rest by C section.  Had I not had the experience I coudl well ahve lost the pups at least.  The bitch was very low in Calcium and needed extra supplementation throughout rearing to avoid eclampsia.  She was never bred from again.

Experience in resussitation is also essential.  It's one thing to read or to be told about clearing airways and swinging a puppy, and another to be shown how to do it properly.  When I read "There were 2 pups that wouldn't breath" or "2 pups have died" I often wonder if ..................

If and when I breed I plan to have my friend round the corner who breeds Springers on standby, my dogs all know him as we meet in the park quite regularly, and I would be terrified if I didn't have someone nearby to help. Also plan to send my OH and the 2 male dogs off to the Lakes for a holiday a couple of days before her due date! :-)

>It's one thing to read or to be told about clearing airways and swinging a puppy, and another to be shown how to >do it properly.  When I read "There were 2 pups that wouldn't breath" or "2 pups have died" I often wonder if >..................

Agree. In my breed of cats it is now often blankly stated that you should never expect all the kittens to live, and virtually everyone seems to lose 2 or even 3 per litter.  Yet I very, VERY seldom lose even one, and I do spend a LOT of time on bringing round weak ones. Hard work and not easy but can many times be done.

hi goldmali this is my first litter of puppys but i did let my cat have a litter of kittens some years ago which i may add that i had homes for all of them before i let her mate. she had 5 and thankfully all went well and all suvived. i was sat there with sterilised water ect just incase something went wrong but she got on with it and all i did was watch it was lovely to see

Hi Brainless,
Why was the bitch lowin Calcium, was a lack of quality diet or some other factor?
I'm asking because I'm preparing my own bitch for mating in the spring and want to give her the best throughout her pregnancy that I can.If she should need any kind of supplement it would be good to know now.
Thanks for any info
Chocymolly.

It was dietary I would say. 

Sadly she developed a tummy bug at about 5 weeks in whelp (before she  came here to whelp), and the diarhoe was not clearing up enough to stop her getting run down before the pups were born. 

She wouldn't eat either, and I had to fiorce feed her. 

All this led to the problems at whelping where she just hadn't ther reserves needed.

thankyou!! Brainless.

You should ne4ver givew Calcium supplements before the birth as this can actually stop the natural process of gathering the reserves when needed after birth and actually cause Eclampsia.

hi thanks for your tip on ky jelly. do you use this before the pups head comes out, or at any time when you think that it cant be passed.i have already arranged for my friend to come round to help if needed i bought the pup of her and she had to help deliver one of her pups im going to lrt her know when she goes into labour this has alresdy been arranged but 2 heads are better than 1 but i would feel better and more confident having more knowledge about what to do if something goes wrong. and yes the vet is on the end of the phone if needed but i dont want to be ringing the vet every 2 minutes asking loads of questions. mum had a few litters when i was younger but you dont take much notice as a young girl and i have been asking her things also. ive also been writing down all the things ill need for my whelping kit and the ky jelly is another item to add to my list thankyou.

I give my bitches raspberry tablets from about 5/6 weeks into pregnancy and up to the time her pups no longer need her. They are herbal and make for an easier birth. My breed are generally an 'easy' breed but i've always used raspberry tablets. I've been really lucky(touch wood) and wouldn't dare do without them.

Hi Spyro,
I already have got some of these ready!! got them from Dorwest Herbs,anything else anyone can recommend?
Chocymolly

Donn't be too quick to jump in and help-make sure your help is really needed and I would really have someone experienced on hand --good luck

hello spyro thankyou for your tip for rasperry tablets but what do they actually do to help with an easier birth. and where is the best place to buy these

Hi stacey2, Quoting Dorwest Herbs 'Due to its action as a uterine tonic,this well known birth aid has been used for hundreds of years to help ensure an easy & straightforward delivery.'
Also known to be effected against phantom pregnancies. Whether I've been lucky with my bitches or they really do work-i don't known but with no side effects I wouldn't be without.
  www.dorwest.com

Wud there be any point giving these tabs to a bitch whos due in approx 10 days?? Never heard of giving these tabs b4, but if they work and have no side effects then there worth tryin.

madaboutbullys,

According to the bottle; give raspberry leaf tablets from 3weeks after mating until 1 week after giving birth.Not sure if it isnt too late!

Hi madaboutbullys-didn't actually know how long till the new arrivals, the bitch is already getting them, but even if she wasn't it would be worth a shot.

thanks i will go to that site later

I think rasperry leaf tablets is an old wives tale.  All you need to do is make sure your dog is on a healthy balanced meal, i wouldn't interver.

Warm regards Susan

I agree with susantwenty. I tried raspberry leaf on my 1st bitch & they made her sick. I don't believe in using supplements - as long as a bitch in on a good balanced diet, she doesn't need any supplements & you may do more good than harm.

Raspberry leaf tablets are certainly worth giving - my bitches have all had them throughout pregnancy, and have all had easy whelpings, even with a litter of 10. In fact raspberry leaf tea was recommended to me by my midwife - my labour lasted 6 hours - coincidence? ;) However I wouldn't recommend calcium supplements during pregnancy.

I agree Jeangenie
I tried them on my last litter after having them recommended as her previous litter of 2 pups had been difficult.She sailed through the last delivery.I didn't know you could use them on dogs until recently
I took them myself for both my pregnancies
Ist baby 3 hour labour
2nd baby 50mins
Coincidence!!!! Nah