I mated my toy breed 52 days ago, what signs should i look for she has put a little weight on but isn't massive i have had 2 little off my other bitch but this is Roxys first little and shes only 5lb herself so surely she wont have a big litter if she is, i'm thinking about getting her scanned, shes scratting at her box alot but would it be too early to call it nesting, advice please :)

may have been a good idea to take her to the vets with your other dog who you thought was just 64 days pregnant!

yes shes there tomorrow, my other one was a phantom very dissapointing but fingers crossed this time

I am confused here.  I know you have informed us that the first bitch was having a phantom.  So it does look as if you had 2 bitches mated around the same time.

Contrary to what you have said on your profile, please let me point out to you Tilly - that you are a breeder.

So, to ask about signs at this late stage is a worry to me, especially as you have had a small bitch mated.  I sincerely hope that you would recognise inertia.  If she is scratting at her box please be aware, that if she whelps, the pups will not be viable at this stage.

As we can't see your girl, I would recommend a vet visit, just to reassure yourself that all is well.

> Contrary to what you have said on your profile, please let me point out to you Tilly - that you are a breeder.
>

Yep you only need 1 child to become a parent, ditto one litter makes you a breeder.

I hope your little bitch is OK and you got her to the vets for a check up.
A breeder is anyone who breeds a litter. the point is are you a good breeder? It seems from your post thet even though you say in your profile you are not a breeder you have already taken 2 litters from one bitch and had planned a third but she missed, and you have another bitch in pup. You had planned for 2 litters at the same time (a challenge for even a dedicated breeder) It would be interesting to know the reasons for having so many litters. You say in your profile you were having a litter as you wanted one of her pups and for no other reason. The reasons for having a litter are many and varied but the real reason should be because you have a bitch who is a good example of her breed or a great worker, and you feel she would with the right mate produce something that will be an asset to your breed. If you truly love your chosen breed you should be doing everything you can to ensure that only the best are bred from. The fact that she is a loving pet is not really reason enough. Most breeds have a problem with overbreeding and have dogs in rescue. Lots are bred "for the expierience"....for who?, "because it's good for her "...is it? she could die, she may not be a good mother, " Because I want one of her pups"...but a pup is only half her genes and the pup may turn out competly different, in fact I have had 2 pups from my Champion biitch and they were like chalk and cheese and niether one had the same character as thier Mum.
To be fair to those who buy your pups you should be breeding the best, doing health testing, providing the right environment, rearing the pups with the best environment you can and providing good basic socialisation from day one. making sure your homes are vetted very carefully, giving 100% back up to your owners, and taking back any pups (of any age) if things do not work out for the owners. Being on the end of the phone at all times to give support for your owners.
Breeding a bitch or a stud is not something to be taken lightly, you have brough those pups into the world and should be making sure they have the best possible life forever.
I hope these are things that you have done and I mean no offence but you have given us little information so we can only read into what you have said.
Unfortunatly it is possible for anyone to breed a litter without control in the Uk but for the sake of the breed you love make sure you are doing it for all the right reasons or leave it to someone who knows what they are doing.
Aileen

Why do some people consider themselves not to be breeders when they have bred litters or even just one litter? It baffles me. Is it because they believe that in saying they aren't a breeder, they are exonerated from the huge responsibilities that are involved when you are one? I do believe this to be the case...

2 litters at the same time (a challenge for even a dedicated breeder)

This was my thoughts last night  and for once i was lost for words at the the idea of 2 litters,, gosh ok so my breeder experience may have been a little stressful  with my bully gal and she only had one pup,, but to have had 2 litters on the go together,,, OMG!!!! :-O Heart in mouth here,,

And well their would have just been NO WAY ON EARTH,, We could have afforded Another £756.79p we had to pay for the emergency c section my girl needed,  had we been unlucky enough to have had that happen twice and withing a few weeks of each other does not bare thinking about,,

phew id say you got off lightly Tilly with one being a phantom,  someone up theirs looking after you, heres hoping they still are love xx

> Is it because they believe that in saying they aren't a breeder, they are exonerated from the huge responsibilities that are involved when you are one? I do believe this to be the case...

IN MY EXPERIENCE YES.  I have had so many people who have bred use this as an excuse not to have done any health testing 'as we aren't breeders'.

well id have to say that since this would have been Tillys 4th litter I would consider her to be a breeder,,

In Fairness to the OP Brainless she may well have had all the tests done :-),

if i where a potential buyer of this breed i would be extremely worried had she not,
Also would make me really think id have to research and scrutinize any so called breeder to make sure i was getting a good quality pup with No health issues, 

But then if (and its never going to be likely) i did want a well breed dog from any bred , i'd come here and ask you lot for advice on who what where lol ;-)

I didn't come on here for an ear bashing just general advice, i have done all required tests & have had help of a breeder of over 40 years, i havn't updated my profile to be since i signed up in 2009 which was when i first had a litter of Tilly, whos daughter is expecting, ive read & re read spoke to people & got all the info i possibly can, but i believe you can never know too much (one or to seem to disagree here).This would have been tillys 3rd litter NOT 4th had she been pregnant but as she isn't pregnant she has only had 2 litters. I managed absolutley fine both times before and to be honest didn't find it hard, If they were a big breed and having 9-10 puppies at a time maybe id be crazy but when they only have 3 or 4 and there small dogs its not difficult, I shall go update my profile now.

I do'nt believe I gave you an ear bashing, we can only go on information provided and that is what we have done.
Presumably you have now changed your profile.
For an expierienced breeder in all reality you should know that a forum cannot tell you if your bitch is pregnant or not. That is a job for the vet.
By this far along in a pregnancy you should know if she is or isn't. However on occasion it is not possible for vets breeders or anyone to know if a bitch has pups so we then must treat them as if they are pregnant and on that assumption if you are worried she is digging and going into labour early then a trip to the vet would be a good idea.
I hope all goes well with your litter.
Aileen

Thanks Aileen, I have got an appointment at the vets at 1pm today, In my opinion i think she is pregnant she has gained little weight & im convinced i can feel  movement But then agagin i thought Tilly was aswell so this is why im having doubts,she seems fine today curently sunbathing on the sofa.

no one means to bash your ears Tilly, what i meant by 4 litters is the 3 you wouls have had if the last one where not phantom, plus the one you younger dog may now be expecting so all in all it could have been 4,

updating profile maybe good idea :-) , you are in fact a breeder, and be proud hun,,

i would say im a retired breeder i have bred 2 litters, one Rottweiler many many years ago then my Bullly gal 4 years ago , as after the experience of my bully Never again,, lol, I kept her only puppy which was what i wanted anyway so could say i got what i wanted out of it and as nutty as he is i love him to bits ,

and to be perfectly honest he has been such a handful, (maybe im getting to old for it all also)
I would never consider breeding him as i would not want to put anymore of him out their being that i feel bullys are a hard breed to have,  and their are just to many in bully rescues i just couldn't ad to the numbers their,

Good luck with your girl anyway, your a braver women then me tho to have tried 2 as almost the same time lol,

Oh right oK, And Yes very proud breeder,I would have had them 2-3 weeks apart, bt never mind, Will let you know how i get on at the vets i reckon Roxy will only have 2 maybe 3 if were lucky,Can't wait for the scan

well good luck heehee liking the Zumba update to your profile to :-D ,, I Was so getting into it meself till i tore my thigh muscle lifting me bully garden statue,, see how even the blooming bully statues in this  house cause me grief looool

ouch sounds painful, I do 4 hours a week, I'll give the statues a miss & stick to the cushions haha

" If they were a big breed and having 9-10 puppies at a time maybe id be crazy but when they only have 3 or 4 and there small dogs its not difficult"

You can never know, small breed or large, how things will pan out...
I have in my previous breed had a bitch have twelve pups and all went smoothly. My toy breed meanwhile has recently had an emergency c-section and had three pups, one was pts due to a cleft palate, another a week later (who had seemed super healthy up and until this point) was pts after spending several hours as an inpatient at the vets - he had an enlarged kidney and twisted intestine it turned out :-( . The one and only bitch pup has survived and is doing brilliantly, she is stunning. I had this litter purely in the hope of getting a little bitch to keep and hopefully show a little, but do you know what, because of the fact that her Mum had primary inertia and produced a pup with a cleft palate, I have to pet home her.... she has a fabulous home to go to (to someone who already has a cav from me) but I am devastated, after all the stress and worry (not to mention the financial costs), I have nothing for me at all. I am grateful my bitch is ok and that this little girl has survived, but in hindsight would I have put her - and us as a family - because believe me, it affects everyone in the house when you lose puppies, through all this, a big resounding NO ! My point is, if I had had another bitch whelp around the time, I do not know how I could have coped, because all this stress and worry has overwhelmed me. I would NEVER consider two litters at the same time.

Very Excited, just been for a scan & Roxy has at least 2 puppies, saw there tiny heartbeats also which is fab

Good luck hope all goes smoothly.