Hi everyone, I have a  bitch, Freya, who is due to whelp any day now.  The last couple of days she has been going into her box and scratching, pacing up and down and panting, but this seems to wear off after a while.  She was up all last night pacing, panting and scratching, but has been asleep most of today with no sign of agitation at all.  She stopped eating yesterday and has been very bad tempered and snappy with our other dogs.

Does this sound as if she is about to whelp?  This is our first litter and no matter how many books I have read, they all seem to say different things anyway!

Louise

you will just have to be patient and wait im afraid. Being off her food is a good sign of imminent whelping and once she starts to pant (and not stop) it is proabably it. panting can last for days after whelping too.

Agree with sallyk, just wanted to add -make sure your other dogs are nowhere near her!

Freya's whelping box is in our bedroom, the rest of the brood will be downstairs.  She is actually panting a lot now and is very unsettled, also going outside to have a wee and poo every 10 minutes.  She keeps trying to sit on my knee - she thinks she's a lap dog, not a heavily pregnant Wiemaraner! - I think we are in for a long night ahead!

With my last litter, a maiden bitch, she started panting during the Monday night then during the Tuesday daytime she wasn't too bad, During Tuesday evening she started panting and we sat up ALL NIGHT long, still nothing next day.  The Vet checked her out and she was in still in the first stages.  During Wednesday evening she wasn't too bad but started in the early hours of Thursday morning.  I would think that she will go within the next 48 hours.  Have you been taking her temperature.  Usually there is a full degree drop but starts to come back up before whelping.  Books are a good guide but every bitch is different.
Good luck

Hi all, we now have 6 pups! 5 boys and one girl, the last one being born about half an hour ago.  Can anyone advise me when Freya's milk will come in?  The pups are squealing like mad and trying to suckle, but at the moment there is nothing there.

There should be milk coming through and the stimulation of the pups suckling sould make the milk come in :)

If it isn't then ring your vet ;)

Let us know how you get on :)

Lucy/Anyone, how long do we leave it until we call the vet? 

If you are worried then call them now ;)

Congratulations Louise! Hope all goes well with Mum & pups & I am sure her milk will come in soon.

Thanks for your help and advice everyone - we now have 10 pups, 9 male and 1 female!  Mother and pups all doing well.  I rang the vets and they said she probably hadn't finished whelping, despite having the first 6 at regular 20 minute intervals.  An hour and a half after number 6 came number seven, along with milk!  Everytime we think she has finished, she waits an hour and out pops another one!  Hopefully that is it now.  Thanks again!

Louise
X

Congratulations!! Sounds very familar the part about thinking she'd finished. then another would pop out each time! :) Gosh what a lot of boys!!!

Another two pups in the last half hour    Both boys, so now we have 11 boys, 1 girl!  Best I get the bottles and formula out!

CONGRATULATIONS :) :) :)

Hope all goes well for you,your girl and her new family.

Wow, well done to your girl, that's an impressive family! :-) Congratulations!

Wow! I wonder what the odds on that are!! Oh and I just realised they are Valentine puppies. :D

Congratulations, hope all goes well with Mum & pups, it's been lovely reading her progress :-)

Congrats & well done to mum.

congratulations on your 11 healthy pups :) .
glad everything went ok.
sarah

Goodness what a litter!  I hope that you have plenty of people waiting for boys?

Unfortunately of the 6 people who have asked to reserve a pup, 4 of them want bitches! 

Oh dear, that's not good! :( Are you on your breed club's puppy list? They'll help in forwarding enquiries to you.

Wonderfull news, Im so happy for you. Im expecting to be in your place very soon.