hello, iv been reading the posts on here for a few weeks now and have just got registered, i breeded my bitch 4 half weeks ago, i have a scan booked for tomorrow but im sure shes pregnant. her teats have enlarged in size but have not went a darker red. she hasnt changed in her body but is of a big breed. she has been doing quite a bit of sleeping recently. i cant wait to find out! she will be 25days tomorrow for her scan. will they def be able to conf tomorrow? they are a good vets (expensive) but deal alot with pregnant animals. i would hate to go tomorrow for them to say they dont no as is £27 consultation fee then £33 for the scan.

good luck with your scan tomorrow, normally scans are a good way of knowing, so let us know! What breed is she?

Can you not get them to palpate her instead of a full scan?

I know some scanners can accurately count the number of pups they can see, some can't and if all you need to know is whether your bitch is pregnant or not, palpation is easily done by your vet and cheap!

I've never had a scan done on a bitch just a palpate.  I've left litter numbers to the day they are born and then I get the shock!

the vets said they will tell me if there is more than 1 puppy but can not tell me how many. i dont want to no how many there are anyway, i want the suprise! just not too much of a big suprise as is my 1st time iv done this so i think 4's a nice number. but you cant decide so whatever or how many there are i will just get on with it to my best i can. what is palpate?

i no she is, her belly's quite hard aswell, i no they are only about half an inch at moment but her belly seems really hard

I do hope that you have a mentor within your breed rather than whelp  for the first time on your own?

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oh no im not self whelping, c-sec. i wouldnt even try to attempt it. she only had one mating aswell so if she is, which like i say i think she is we have been really lucky. im just hoping and praying ev-thing go's ok which i no you can not guarantee but you'v just got to keep up hope.

i mated my bitch 6 weeks ago her teats went pink on day35 but her mood changed well before that very loving wanting attention from anybody willing to give it good luck feels like your waiting forever dosn't it

i only had one maiting to stud didn't want to know at 2nd attempt

thats wot macey's been like aswell with her mood, totaly loving etc, so i take it your bitch is pregnant then carole? the last 4 weeks have been the longest i can remember, iv been crossing each day out of my diary. i really think she is and im just so excited for tomorrow to find out! knowing my luck this will be all in my head or something. what type of dog have u got?

I'm off to the vets tomorrow for a quick check up. My bitch was mated 4 weeks ago, too :D I know that she is pregnant (fingers crossed ;) ) but just want it confirmed. I don't have my bitches scanned unless it looks like there is a problem. The vet palpates by feeling underneath. It looks a bit harsh, but the bitch doesn't usually mind. I wouldn't try to do it without the vet showing me exactly what to do as you could possibly harm the bitch if you were too rough.

My bitch is usually quite clingy anyway, so she isn't showing much difference in her clinginess :D However, she is stealing off the worktops, out of the bin, the cat food.......... :D Yet won't eat out of her food bowl A touch of the cravings, perhaps? ;)

i thought that was what palpate was but wanted to check. this might sound so silly but i dont want any1 to touch or feel her. i have this thought that this will harm pups. we have both macey and also i have the stud dog aswell alfey. when they are just playing with each other and jumping around i try to calm them as im terrified something may happen as i have the book of the bitch and in there it says she is at a crucial stage at moment. that book is a bible to me. its great!

so you are going to vets to get it confirmed tomorrow aswell. you will have to keep me posted. with a bit of luck we will both be back with good news!

Sorry, am I being dense here?   (HG don't answer that).    You've already elected for a Caesarian even though she may be able or I would hope she could - whelp naturally?   Surely there should be moves to try & eradicate lines  that cannot whelp naturally and need to have Caesarians generation after generation?

Speechless.

for once.

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well yes i have. reason being is, as you said before, i think i should have someone with me who has whelped this breed before and as i dont, the vets i go to said that people they no who go to them with this breed who do try to self welp 3quarters of them end up taking there dogs there through the labour after 1 or maybe 2 pups are born and have to have a c-sec anyway. obviously there are some that yeah great can do it but im just not risking it. im not experienced yet as have never had a litter so im trying to keep it safe with the experts 1st time round.

Are you a member of your breed club?

no, i dont show my dogs. but the two couples who i bought my bitch and male off do, they have been great, help whenever i need it straight at other end of phone. loverly people. they are dying to here outcome tomorrow. who i got my male off she opts for c-sec with her bitches aswell but who i got macey off they have 14 dogs in total and always try there best to do it themselves.

You don't need to show your dogs to join the breed club but that's the place to find quality and knowledge. 
Have they passed the  Breed Council health scheme because then your bitch would begin to stand a chance of self whelping?

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no we did not go ahead with the bulldog health scheme as approved vets were too far from where we live but i get alot of knowledge from vicky collins and vets we attend is a bulldog friendly vets which is listed on  council as this so i no im in good hands. macey who is from mellafella lines, they know alot of people who go to vets we are using. mrs greaves who used to be president of the northumberland  club attends with her dogs.

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Oh well that's OK then. :)

well im going to bed now but i will keep you's posted with outcome tomorrow. my appt is at 9.50 in morning. this website is great, im sure i will have plenty of questions for everybody which i need answers and help in near future. im not an experianced breeder but like vicky says we have to start somewhere! thats why i registered on here for more knowledge as when reading posts it looked great! and its just nice to speak constantly about something im so interested in and excited about!

Ok Michaela,

This is my opinion BUT I really do think you need to start educating yourself on your breed, whelping bitches and their aftercare before you go any further.    I think you would be far better getting as much advice from as many people in your breed, buying yourself The Book of the Bitch (And reading it cover to cover several times), asking someone to be there with you who is an experienced  whelper etc.   Your vet has probably never seen a self-whelping Bulldog just the ones that need help and I personally would take a C-section as a very last resort.

You really do need to start doing your homework now, you've got 5 weeks to get yourself prepared and to be there for your dog.  She - after all - didn't ask to get pregnant, you mated her, the least you can do is be prepared for her as much as you possibly can.

As Val said becoming a member of a Breed Club isn't just for show goers it's for all those interested in the welfare of their breed and it's future.    And, if you don't show, can I ask why are you breeding?

I don't have specialised vets on my doorstep either but if I want my dog eye tested I make the effort to find a vet who eye tests - the closest one is Edinburgh City - over an hour away from me.     You cannot sweep health issues under the carpet, that's how the problems begin.    What happens, if in 6 months time, one of your puppy buyers comes back to you when the pup is found to carry something you could've tested your bitch for?

i have owned the book of the bitch for the last 2years. like i said previous to this, that book is my bible. i have a copy of vicky collins breeding  beginners book which she kindley sent me. the vets i goto is very experienced with bulldogs as i said previous. expensive but the best and has knowledge of my breed. a little out of the way from where i live but worth it. they are very aware with bulldogs that have self whelped just dont think for a 1st timer it would be a great idea. i have been educating myself as much as possible with my breed. i am every day of my life. as i say i have great breeders at help who i bought my dogs off who are a phonecall away at all times. do you think i have just bread these dogs without looking into everything 1st? yes im not an experienced breeder but have to start somewhere. and i will get myself prepared as much as possible starting from tomorrow as soon as its confirmed. i have lists of things i need, diarys, money saved for this, post it notes all over my kitchen, phonenumbers, printed off stuff of net pinned up you name it. but. i still beleive you cant no it all and yes im a learner but i will do my best for my dog i love her. she is most inportant to me then anything else. and i didnt think becoming a member of breed club was just for shows i was just saying i dont show but no im not a member. iv phoned and been to a few before i ever had my dogs. do you have to show to have puppies. i love puppies and im so excited about having them to look after and care for. i dont show as i dont want to, i dont need to, my dogs are the best anyway as far as im concerned as family pets. im breeding as its something im very intrested in just like ev other breeder because im in love with my dogs and am going to very much enjoy looking after pups.

Surely the most important thing when considering breeding is to try to improve the breed, especially a breed that is famous for not being the healthiest around. 

To not participate in the health screening and trying to ensure the breed moves back towards a more natural form to be able to give birth should be every breeders aim.

According to the Kennel Club Animal Health Trust data Bulldogs only average a lifespan of 6 years 3 months, and  20% die of Cardiac problems, 46% of live dogs had at least one health problem of which 36% had ocular abnormalities like Cherry eye entropian etc.

How many of your dogs relatives have you researched to check if they have these problems, and the best breeding practises to avoid them?  With such a difficult breed with so many potential problems hoping for the best is just not good enough.

It is rare for the top kennels to own a perfectly matched breeding pair, let alone a beginner having the luck to own the perfect male for their bitch.

>im breeding as its something im very intrested in just like ev other breeder because im in love with my dogs and am going to very much enjoy looking after pups.<

Hi Keala,

I think what, perhaps, you may be missing here, is that Most breeders actually breed to better the breed.
Currently, there are 39 KNOWN inherited diseases, disorders, faults and health problems with the  breed.  This does not include the numerous anomalies that are still being researched.
  Rescue figures for this breed seem quite high proportionately too.....
Whilst I can totally see where your coming from, from your personal point of view...you need to look at the bigger picture, why would a person buying a pup choose one that has come from Dogs that have not been tested for hereditary diseases/disorders? and is someone who doesnt mind/care about this really qualifying as a Gaurdian forever freind and carer for your little ones??
   We have a great duty to our dogs when we make these decisions, and whilst every breeder will have to start somewhere and be a novice... surely every due care should be taken Health wise... I think this is the message thats being put across... and not that the Novice shouldnt breed...but should breed responsibly :)

If yur Vets are expereinced and interested in the breed then maybe they might join the breed councils list of approved vets for the health scheme.

This paragraph would appear to cover this.

We have tried to cover most of the country however  if your own vet is 'bulldog friendly ' if you are more than reasonable distance from an approved vet  we will be interested in trying to recruit  some more vets into the scheme. Contact Co ordinator of the Breed Council's  Health Committee  with the contact details for the vet and we will ask if they are willing to join .

Lost for words on this one I am afraid. Why risk breeding from untested parents ? No further comment on the others things, Gobsmacked