Hi my bitch is now 36 days in too her prgnancy and although i haven't had her scanned and its her first pregnancy, i have took her to a vet and had her checked and he confirmed her pregnancy, also now she is showing a nice tubby belly...
reading this site has been very helpful and i already brought her vet bed and my friend is making her a whelping box... I am very interested in the taking of the temperture but when is it you start to take note of what her normal temperture is and how often nearer to her time would you check that? She sees really well in her self just alot quiter than normal and shows not much interest in people although she follows me every where and cries if i go out and leave her.
also she is still eating the same amount and i know soon she will require more food soon as her pregnancy goes on but at what stage is that.. i thought in the last 2 weeks? Any other help and advice would be really welcome as is seems to be flying by and im so excited but so nervous too.. thanks lou.

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I was advised by a top stafford judge to not actually increase the amount of food the bitch had until after she has whelped - do put heron a good quality puppy food though, but keep the quantities down - this is so that the pups dont get too big as is quite common.

I increase the food a little, but as the last poster says it must be top quality food. I usually only feed my adults once a day but at 5-6 weeks I give them a small breakfast - probably about 1/3 of what they have for supper and may increase it a bit more if the bitch falls on her food ravenously. By week 7 I will divide the same quantity of food between 3 equal size meals through the day. By the beginning of week 8 they sometimes go off their food a bit as they are uncomfortable with wriggly puppies. Dont give extra calcium now, but get a calcium supplement from your vet and start giving it to her as soon as she whelps. Best of luck.

Hi

Ask two dog breeders and you'll get 3 opinions. Basically there are no hard and fast rules on feeding our girl is on 49 days and she is getting very hungry. Like westielover we give ours two meals a day now approx 1/3 morning 2/3 evening and we give a little more food... ramping up to about 150% of her normal amount in the last week.

On the temperature front use a rectal thermometer (digital or mercury in glass- what ever you feel at ease with) and dip it into ky jelly or similar to facilitate insertion. A dog's normal temperature fluctuates around 38 oC. 24 to 48 hours before whelping the temperature will drop to below 37 degrees. Start taking the temperature on the about the 58th day from the first mating. Take it once in the morning for several days, which tells the bitch’s normal temperature. When you think that the whelping date is closing in, take it two or three times a day. If you have to going shopping or something, take it often.

Best of luck with the next few weeks

Al

thank you all for your advice but a bit confused as i have never heard of heron a good quality puppy food though, can you buy that in a pet shop or do you have to order?

:D :D

(It's 'her on' not heron')!!!!!!!!

lol no wonder i am confused!!!! i didnt think i have ever heard of it!!!