Hello,

Indie is due tomorrow. She started nesting activities this morning, but no panting or restlessness. If anything, she has been more content to stay in her bed (which is now her whelping box). She will usually follow me about, but has been quite content to stay in the whelping box for a lot of the day.
She hasn't eaten, or drunk, anything all day.
When I take her out she reverts to completely normal 'Indie-ish' behaviour, running around, bringing balls to be thrown, pinging around me (her version of heel!). She passed 4 motions this morning (normal would be 2), the last of which was loose. This evening she squatted as if to pass a motion about 4 times, only once did she pass a very small runny motion. The other times she just seemed to give a small strain, then with out passing anything, seemed satisfied with the result, and sprinted off!
She has been very vocal all day, groans, whines, moans. Very unusual for her, she is a very unvocal dog usually.
She doesn't seem in any distress, although perhaps a little uncomfortable.
Her stomach has been making strange noises all day! The puppies seem to be very active, but they have been for about 5 days.
Any opinions as to the likelyhood of her giving birth tonight would be gratefully recieved. As you might have guessed, this is her first litter, as well as mine! I've been reading The B of the B all day, and reading far too much on the internet, and it would appear that all and any signs of early labour can mean that the birth is imminent, or it's not-very helpful!! Experience needed I feel!!

K.

If she were mine, I wouldn't leave her unattended tonight.  But then I sleep with mine for 7 days before they are due anyway.

Hi,

I moved her real bed into my bedroom a few days ago, so I would hear if anything was going on, and she was very restless last night, just shifting about in the bed, and re-arranging herself frequently. The whelping box is now in the position that her bed usually occupies in the office. Was wondering if I should stay in the office tonight, rather than going to bed. I don't want her to give birth in her bed, as it is a basket, and would be worried about the safety of the pups, if I didn't wake up.
At the moment she is trying to dig through the vet bed! Incredibly strong stuff, she's really going for it!

K.

I have the whelping box in my bedroom and sleep with one eye open!!

When I didn't have room in my bedroom, I slept on the floor beside the whelping box in the conservatory.  I move the bitch into the whelping box 7 days before due date and don't leave them unattended day or night until the pups eyes open.

I have the whelping box in my bedroom and sleep with one eye open!! :-D :-D  and one arm in the box ;-)

lol pam, you just reminded me of something that happened years ago....arm down in whelping box beside bed...should have woken up when puppies stirred but didnt........until......I woke up with a puppy piddling in my ear....she had climbed up using my arm and blankets (no duvets back then) :D

:-D :-D  it is amazing where the little sods get and how quickly they learn.

Please don't leave her unattended at all - my dogs have always slept in my bedroom with us anyway but we moved the others into my daughter's room at night and kept our in whelp bitch in with us and her whelping box from a week before the pups were due.  You'll also need to give her constant attention/supervision for at least 2-3 weeks post whelping in case she accidentally rolls onto them or any other help is need for mum and babies.  I had a baby monitor on the pen round the whelping box so that if I was in the loo or making dinner or answering the door I could hear every little squeak and contented sigh!

It's a big commitment and genuinely exhausting but with every second :)

Good luck, Teri

I would not leave her tonight.  Is she loosing any mucas from her vulva ? Sometimes their is nothing but sometimes it starts to drip, drip slowly. 
She sounds to me like she is getting ready.  It may not be until tomorrow, but its not worth leaving her.
Rachel

Hi,
She has had a discharge, very stringy, for about 3 weeks. But haven't noticed any today.

K.

Hi, I was in your situation same time last week. Roxy was due last Thursday and it all started at about 2am Friday. I was constantly looking for every sign but it was strange cause as soon as she did start I just knew it was it. The panting is so heavy and constant that I finally knew what people meant by panting as she had been heavy breathing for the past week but this was a definate pant. Her waters broke at about 3 that afternoon so it took much longer than I expected then the first pup was born at about 6.20pm on the way to the vets. But every dog is different i'm sure but I do think you will just know when it starts. If you feel something is wrong do not hesitate to contact your vet day or night they are always happy to help and help put your mind at rest. Best of luck and keep us posted. Can't believe mine are almost a week old already.They are little beauties.

Hi,

Indie is sleeping peacefully now. Will stay with her all night. Thanks for the reassurance lottie, am lucky Indie isn't giving me too hard a time, very mild symptoms of labour!

Will keep you posted.

Delighted for your new arrivals lottie. Keep me posted as to their progress, I'm sure I'm going to have the same troubles as you soon!!!!

K.

hi, my girl is also due tomorrow, but apart from retiring to her whelping quarters all day and sleeping, she is showing no other signs of whelping yet. I have been sleeping downstairs with her since Sunday and know where my bed, mind, body and soul will be now for the next 2/3 weeks. 

Hi Sounds like everything is getting on just as it should. You will have some wonderful weeks ahead of you! Just want to add one thing. Sometimes when it's a bitch's first litter, the contractions and pushing for the first pup to be delivered, might seem like she has to poo :-p Because of this, don't let her out to do her business on her own, and bring a towel in case a pup is delivered in the garden. Also bring a torch if it's dark. A pup is surprisingly easy to miss in the dark
Keep us posted, and best of luck!
Karen

Hello,

Lots of groaning and gumbling going on, but nothing yet, other than my red eyes!!

K.

Red eyes (breeder's,not the dog's :-D ) are also quite normal!

Keeping fingers crossed, will love to hear about the pups when they get here! I'm waiting for my youngest girl to come into season, she's going to be mated for the first time this season. Why does it always seem to take ages for them to start, when you are wanting it? Then when you want to show, seasons seem to come in no end ;-)
Hope you are not too tired, try to rest when your girl is resting :o
Karen

Hi,
An update.

First pup born at 7.45, little boy. Next pup born at 11.40, little girl.
Waiting on the others! Mom is doing well.

K.

congratulations! :D
Well done Indie :D

Congratulations :-) Well done Indie :-D

Keep us posted :-)

Well done! To you both
Any more news?
Karen

Hi,

Two more now, how do I know if she has milk?

K.

From the behaviour of the pups. If they suckle and then sleep contentedly, she's got milk. If they try suckling and fidget and don't settle to feed and cry for some time, then it hasn't come in straight away. She may not want them to feed until she's finished whelping anyway.

Thanks for that JG. All suckling or sleeping peacefully at the mo.

What a marathon!! First pup born 07.45, last pup born (9th) 20.53, just over 14 hours for the litter.

Thank you every one who has offered advice, support and congratulations.

K.

Congratulations, how many did she have?

I think it says 9 on the post above yours, what a good size litter, glad to hear all went well.

What a great size litter.  Glad that my breed doesn't take that long to give birth to all the pups :d

Congratulations! :-p Well done to mum and owner!
Karen

So it does, did not notice (9th) in brackets, getting dotty in my old age !!!! LOL!!!