from what time did your girls start nesting before pups where born....iv forgot everything she has 10days from 1st mate 12 from second and 17 from 3 mate so as you can see ive got a weeks differ.... she has gone into her whelping box and is going mad digging toy breed so couldgo early but not this early :( x

Mine nested from about six weeks, not very frequently, but gently increased until due date. She's now at due date and is nesting quite a lot!

mine have never done it at this stage lol but different breed altogether ...thanks beth :)

I think it can really vary, my younger bitches don't seem to bother nesting as such, where I had definite nesting with my first two or three.

The main way I know that stage one has started is that they will be asking to go outside frequently, often asking to be let into their bedroom/kennel, or wanting to find a corner like under a bench, behind the hazel clump, and after a few hours are willing to spend time in the whelping box. 

Some have not wanted to be parted from the rest of the girls until birth was literally imminent, and water bag visible, at which point they were hoiked into their whelping box whether they wanted to be there or not.

First stage signs usually are about 12 - 24 hours with mine.