hi, my bitch should be 8weeks now and i'm not sure wether she is having a phantom. this is her first litter and my first time on my own as my mum is on holiday (having booked without realizing she would be away on her due date) she is very big (her belly is very hard, is this normal?) her teats are very big and pink. i cant see any pups moving but thought i could feel 1 the other night but now i'm not sure as i couldn't feel anything again. she isn't nesting as far as i can tell but she lives out in a kennel so i'm not sure if she is nesting at night. she is still eating lots and hasnt gone of her food at any time in the past weeks. she hasnt been sick. she has been more possesive of me. when i had her in the house for an hour last night she peed 8 times (she isnt housetrained as she has never lived in the house) any help would be wonderful :)

Hi nancyboo. You really need to know if this bitch is pregnant or not. She needs to be watched very closley especially if your not sure! Get her down to the vet to check..does your Mum know when she is due? If she is nesting and digging it's a possibility. Are you planning to just let her get on and have the pups on her own or are you bringing her into the house so you can moniter the proceddings carefully. If left to herself you could loose not only pups but Mum as well. It's not just a case of getting on with it.
I think you need someone with you who has welped litters before, or at least on the end of a phone line.
Is she pure bred? If so try to get hold of her breeder and see if they can help. Please if you cannot bring her into the house make arrangements to be able to be with her...in a large shed or somewhere were you can provide some heating, lighting, and somewhere for you to sit and watch her as she whelps and for a good few days afterwards (Pref two weeks). But first things first get a proper check from the vet and then take it from there.
Aileen.

my bitch had a normal litter of 8 born 8 weeks post mating so she could be due any moment! why is the poor thing still outside? she should be in 24/7 and if not house trained, well, you should have considered that before!

she is not a poor thing for being kept outside. our show dogs have always been kept in kennels, its just the pets who live inside. she is due on the 19th. i have a friend of my mums coming down if i get enough notice. her breeder is in wales and i am in scotland so that wouldn't work. she is in the whelping kennel now which is big enough for her large whelping box and me to sit in. she has a heat lamp anyway as she is outside i'm just raising it a little when the pups arrive.

also why would i just let her get on with it? i would never do that! sorry if i sound rude but you're making me sound like some sort of delinquent.

>our show dogs have always been kept in kennels, its just the pets who live inside

Aren't your show dogs pets as well?

yes but they're also used for showing, by "the pet dogs" i meant the dogs that we dont use for showing or breeding.

I'm not making you sound delinquent, but your OP sounded as though you had very little experience and gave very little detail. Sorry if I offended you but the bitches welfare was my concern.
I still personally think it better to whelp bitches indoors regardless of how they usually live, I think you can give them so much more attention. I like to be within earshot of mine for the whole time they have pups and even when the pups are 4/5/6 weeks they usually have a babysitter if I need to go out, accidents can and do happen.
However you choose to do it differentally and that is fine. Just keep a very carefull eye on her over the next few days, it would not be unusual for a bitch to whelp up to 6/7 days earlier than expected. I would be checking her before bed and again a couple of times in the night untill she shows signs of imminent whelping then you would need to be with her all the time. If she is due on the 19th I would like to be sleeping by her if possible, could you have her in the house maybe in a tiled room ie kitchen utility so you can sleep with her? If this is your first time whelping a bitch you could easily miss the initial signs and I'm sure you would not want that.  Make sure you have your whelping kit all ready and that you have informed the vet in case of emergencies. Even if the breeder lives a long way away just to have a helpful voice on the phone may be a godsend to you, a little moral support. Warm her of an impending call in the wee small hours.
Good luck and I hope all goes well for you.
Aileen

> also why would i just let her get on with it? i would never do that! sorry if i sound rude but you're making me sound like some sort of delinquent.

But you did say this

>she isn't nesting as far as i can tell but she lives out in a kennel so i'm not sure if she is nesting at night

which sounds like you do just leave her to get on with it.
I have no great issues with people housing their dogs outside, as long as this does not deprive them of adequate human company of course, but surely you normally make 24hr provision when they are close to whelping.  What would your Mother do to enable her to be alongside her over night?  Can you not do the same?

i have had alot of experience with whelping bitches, my mum and dad have shown and bred this breed for years and i have been there to help with many bitches this is my first time on my own. as for what my mother would do, she would still have them out in the whelping kennel, i see nothing wrong with that as with the heat lamp on it is warm and has space for me and the box. i "leave her to get on with it" as far as nesting and digging go but as soon as she goes into labour do you think i would just leave her? i dont think so.

> i have had alot of experience with whelping bitches

Not quite sure why you have posted then.  Personally I would not be leaving her for more than an hour or two now and that becomes a whole lot simpler if you are sleeping in the same area.

well if you have actually read the post you would know why! i was wondering if the things i posted at first were sure signs if shes having pups or not.

I don't think anyone is trying to judge, but I do think you should call the vet and get an appointment at least then you are sure and can go from there and good luck.

Linda

thank for the advice linda :) but we dont get the dogs scanned anymore after an "incident" last year with another bitch. normally my mum can tell but shes been away for 2 weeks so i've just been trying everything to see if she is but i suppose i'll know soon enough :)

From your post it does sound as if she is going to have some pups.  It would be much better if you can bring her indoors and watch her from now on.  If her due date is 19th then it could be any day now.  I hope this goes o.k. but it does sound like you could do with someone with you that has more experience.

I know you don't need criticiscm but advice instead, but I can't help feeling sad that there is a difference or hierachy with yours/mums dogs and they should all live inside whether they are pets or show dogs.. to me they are all the same - living, breathing, needy, cuddly (in most cases), loving, loyal friends.  sorry but felt i had to express my opinion on this.

Good Luck with your litter.  If you get a chance nip out and buy 'The Book of the Bitch', it could be really helpful too.

You don't have to have your bitch scanned by the vet but some advice should be saught,  even if it is just to say YES she definately is.

Linda

Wendy I was thinking along those lines.

I know some breeders do keep dogs outside in kennels, and I'm not passing a judgement on that. I was just thinking that I know no matter how many dogs I had I couldn't make some into  "second class citizens". i just know if they cast a forlorn or reproachful eye my way as I was leaving last thing at night that I would have them all in the house with me!

Nancyboo I hope all goes well with the litter, it'll be like camping out for you! :)

> but we dont get the dogs scanned anymore after an "incident" last year with another bitch. normally my mum can tell but shes been away for 2 weeks so i've just been trying everything to see if she is but i suppose i'll know soon enough

I have never had a bitch scanned either but I would at least have taken them to my vet at 4-4.5 weeks into pregnancy to have them palpated to see if they were in whelp.    

Hi Nancyboo
Just checking to see how you are and how's the bitch doing :)

hi everyone!!!! sorry for being rude and adament about keeping her kenneled for giving birth!! but she has never been kept in the house (i got her at 6 months as she was being kept for show ponential) any way -nicola- i am beside myself with excitement, -*i camped out in her kennel last night (she was beside herself with excitment and lay on top of me for like an hour -although i previously stated our show dogs get kept outside they are still our pets (this 1 is my only show dog -the other 2 i have r pets- and i love her more than anything else), -*she went into her box and i sat up all night just watching her and  I COULD SEE THE PUPS MOVING!!!!!!! its was so exciting and beautiful i felt like crying. she is doing great peeing alot (is this normal?) but still the lovely dog she always is (apart from trying to kill her normal kennel mate -the dog she shared her kennel with before i moved her to whelping kennel-)

any news yet ? bless her xx

nothing yet, was sure last night was the night, pacing, panting, a bit of digging but nothing. i'm sure it will be soon though :)

Keep us posted xxx

ok.. i have been with her all day and she has been very restless keeps going out for toilet but no digging or discharge, what do you think?

Well as I've never bred any dogs I really am not the one to advise you my sweet, but if she's restless I expect that's because she knows something is due to happen and she probably feels a bit uncomfortable, doing lots of wee's is probably because the uterus is so big and heavy it put's a lot of pressure on the bladder (same thing happens to us humans). If I were you I'd make sure I had the vets telephone number close at hand just incase you need it and give the breeder a little phone call just to reassure yourself, I'm sure she wouldn't mind infact she'd probably be pleased to hear about the pending happy event.
xx

sounds like she may be close.. frantic digging is about 24 hours notice for us here ! lol

how goes it today?

well..... ahhh i just dont know!! lol. she has hardly came out her whelping box all day and is just sleping all the time then waking up and grunting a bit then falling asleep again!! i dont know what to make of this. i have never seen this before. yesterday was her due date from 1st mating but tomorrow from 2nd mating, but as shes a maiden bitch i was expecting her to be early. but i have a feeling it could be tonight or tomorrow. also i just remembered i was sitting on my camp bed last night and got up to take her for the toilet, then when i came back i sorted the sheet on my bed and noticed quite a big wet patch, i dont know what colour it was as the sheet is dark but it didnt smell any ideas to what it was?  i dont think it was her waters breaking as it was a very large patch , but it couldn't have been urine either as it didnt smell.

I would think it was the waters breaking - my girls have always had quite a lot go - usually quite a bit and then a second leak.  If it is she should be starting contractions soon - otherwise I would get her down to the vets for a check - better to be safe than sorry.  Good luck.

any news on your bitch yet? Hope that everything is going ok.

well..... so far we have 1 dog and 1 bitch yesssssss. haha she was brilliant did everything her self while  i  sat there and blubbed lol. think theres another still to come so will wait and see.

21/2 hours later we have another dog, was getting worried at this stage as she had been pushing on and off for 11/2 hours but phoned mum and she to leave it a while, then i sent the woman i have with me in to phone vet, she gave another psh standing up and i shoved my hands out and the puppy plopped out haha. strange thing is they are all black and the dog we used has only ever thrown 2 black and whites in each litter and hes 9 so had a good few pups. my mum thinks this is a good omen. lol as we are hoping to keep one and stud owner is having 1. so happy and proud of my girl!! :D

baby no.4 is on way lol i put my hand on gins belly and felt the pup then she pushed and it disappeared so hopefully wont be long now and will be a little girl (fingers crossed). a question though the girl who was 2ne born has a very short tail (this breed used to be docked) so i'm wondering if she has show potential will a need a vet certificate to say her tail hasnt been docked? one pup in particular (you woulthink he was a staffie if you saw him lol) has been latched onto a teat for ages lol even when she is cleaning him he is hanging on. i have a feeling hes going to be a big'un lol

4th pup born breach!!! very scary never had htat when helping with other bitches got out fine had to help a little as he got a bit stuck and had alot a fluid in his nose but got that out and he is fine now. hope thats them all my poor girl is shattered bless her shes done so well :) i have phoned vet to let him know there may be another as i dont think she has the strength in her to deliver a 5th but 4 is all i could feel so hopefully! thanks for all the help on here guys you have all been great. i will post later and let you know how they are getting on :D

That's great - congratulations!  Hope she continues to do well for you.

I'm sp pleased everything has gone well.  Keep us informed if anymore pop out.

thats us with 7 now and finished (i'm alomost certain) 7 is a good sized litter for a maiden bitch of this breed was surprised she hid them well lol.

Just an aside roughly half of all pups are born feet first and half head first.  In the canine it is only truly a breach delivery if the pup is presenting bottom first.

Mum will be really shattered so this is the danger period for puppies being laid on and suffocated.

I find with mine (who are a nimble medium size breed) that I need to watch them very carefully for about four days, and after that Mum has got the hang of things and is careful I can relax a little, though still have to rescue pups until their eyes open.  Pig rails are only of help if pups are being squished against the side of the whelping box, but not if they are in the middle.