Try and avoid picking your dog up if she is pregnant. If you have to, avoid supporting her belly. Support your dog's hind legs with one arm, and with the other arm support her chest in front of her front legs.
Dogs. It is generally safe for pregnant moms and newborn babies to be around dogs. If your pet dog is healthy and up-to-date on his vaccinations, caring for your dog should not cause any problems for you during your pregnancy.
When handling your pregnant dog, do not put pressure on her belly or abdominal area. You can pick up a pregnant dog by putting one arm around her chest and the other around her back legs under the tail area, so you can handle her when grooming.
Our touch during a pregnancy massage must be light and gentle. No pressure should be put on the belly or spine, yet your girl will likely love a very light belly rub. “Laying of hands” which is placing your hands on your dog's body without any pressure, will help to warm her muscles and stimulate circulation.
The safest way to pick up a puppy or kitten, Downing says, is the one most comfortable for them. “Slip one hand between the front legs from the front of the body, and slip the other hand between the rear legs from behind,” she recommends. “Then lift them as a unit with their spine relatively straight.”
At what age can puppies be separated from their mother? The minimum time a puppy must be with its mother is 6 weeks, a period of time after which the puppy begins to wean. However, this is the bare minimum. The ideal minimum time that the puppy should be able to separate from its mother is 8 weeks.
Start handling the puppies.
By about three weeks of age, you can—and should! —begin gently handling the puppies1 for short periods for reasons other than basic health care. Once the puppies have their eyes open, you can try carefully picking them up, holding them for a bit, and placing them back in the box.
Do not over-stimulate the pregnant dog, but also don't let her become lethargic. During the last three weeks of pregnancy in dogs, it is important that the pregnant dog be separated from other dogs and animals. Indoor exercise for pregnant dogs is preferable to outdoor walks during this time.
Try for three to five short walks a day, and always keep temperature and terrain in mind (i.e. no uphill hikes on a hot day). Avoid any rigorous activity, or even training/obedience schooling during your dog's pregnancy; this can be stressful, and bumps or knocks from other dogs could hurt her unborn pups.
Signs include: A belly that is unexpectedly swollen for her stage of pregnancy. A rock hard belly. Swelling of the limbs and vulva.
The best way to prevent infection is to isolate the mother dog completely during the 3 weeks prior to delivery and the 3 weeks after delivery. This means absolutely no contact with other dogs.
Get hold of your vet's out-of-hours phone number prior to your dog giving birth, as delivery often happens during the night. Let your vet know your dog's due date (if they don't know already), so they know when to be on stand-by.
Your dog won't normally need help during her labour, and although it's important to monitor her, it's best not to examine her or attempt to help her give birth – interfering too much can cause problems after birth. If you're worried your dog is having problems while whelping, it's best to contact your vet.
Some smaller breeds can go into sexual maturity at four months, while larger breeds may need to wait until they are two years old. The best age for a dog to get pregnant will depend on when she reaches sexual maturity.
The pregnant dog should be placed in a place where she can rest calmly, away from the crowd of dogs and other pets. It is also better to put her in a place where she cannot jump or climb stairs. It would be best to put the dog on soft bedding, but make sure that it can't move around too much.
Newborn pups need to be with their mother and the maternal instinct usually means a mother dog will want to stay with her litter most of the time. If your dog is lying or sitting away from the litter for long periods, it's likely she may have rejected them.
It is their way of showing how comfortable they feel around you and how much trust goes into your relationship. It could also be that the momma is extremely proud of her puppies and she simply wants to show them off.
Once a dog gives birth to her puppies, two different hormones contribute to her motherly instincts. The first is oxytocin, sometimes called the “love hormone.” It's what drives a mother dog to nuzzle her puppies or wrap around them to keep them warm while nursing.
It's generally not a good idea to leave newborn puppies alone with their mom at night. Puppies are vulnerable to many health problems and can easily become separated from their mother in the dark. If you must leave them alone, make sure they're in a safe, warm place where they can't fall or get stuck.
It's generally advised to keep the male away from the mother and litter entirely, from the last weeks of pregnancy and until the pups are at least four weeks old when the mother is starting to wean them—ideally for five to six weeks. By then, the father can be a part of the socialization process.
According to the American Kennel Club, puppies younger than 10 weeks cannot be left alone for more than an hour. From 3-6 months, they should not be left longer than their age in months (for example, 3-month-old puppies cannot be alone for longer than 3 hours).
Puppies' position.
If the puppy is sideways or bottom first, they become stuck. Developmental defects that result in enlargement of certain body parts can make birth difficult.