Build a box or some other enclosure that your dog can give birth inside. This will help them to feel more secure during the process. It will also help to contain the puppies so that they won't injure themselves. Leave the top open so that you can keep an eye on the delivery process.
Many owners ask if they can use a dog crate as a whelping box - the answer is yes, if your dog is already crate trained. This way, they may find security in using this as their whelping box too.
Place the nest in a quiet spot at room temperature, where they won't be disturbed and can stay cosy. Adding your dog's own bedding or toys to the nest (as long as they are clean) can encourage your pet to use it, and will make the soon-to-be mum feel at home before the birth.
Make sure you have plenty of clean newspapers and sheets or towels. Select where you would like her to have her puppies and put a suitable whelping box in that location. The whelping box should be large enough for her to move around freely, with low sides so that she can see out and easily move in and out.
She may want attention and affection, or might prefer that you leave her alone. Remain nearby but respect your dog's need for privacy, if that is what is indicated. If this will be your first time helping a dog give birth, read on for some answers to common questions about whelping (giving birth).
They're going to want a quiet, dark place. Some dogs will even give birth in a dark room in a closet. Providing them with that space where they're comfortable and they feel safe will be really important.
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.
An upside down ½ of a crate will work, a large box with a small walkway cut out, a baby pool or baby gating an area off so the puppies stay close to the mother. The mother needs to be able to easily leave the area to eliminate away from her puppies and stretch her legs as necessary.
The pups should be kept warm, free from drafts, away from other dogs, and the neighbors and their children. Healthy well-nourished pups should be quiet, eat and sleep (with some jerking during REM) 90% of the time, gain weight daily after the first 2 days, and show increasing strength and body tone.
The best way to determine if a dog still has puppies inside her is to x-ray her abdomen. Sometimes, it is possible to palpate and feel the presence of pups, but occasionally a pup may be within the birth canal and be missed using this method.
Newborn puppies sleep about 22 hours a day, so they're really not going to be experiencing much. They also cannot walk. They will try crawling around just a bit however they won't move far from mother at all. When not sleeping, a newborn will be eating.
Uterine inertia occurs when the uterus is no longer able to contract and push the puppies through the vaginal canal. It can occur at any stage of labor and may be associated with uterine exhaustion. The size of the pups. If the puppy is too large, it will not fit in the birth canal.
We recommend at least having them in your bedroom with you in the beginning in either a dog bed or crate. Having your puppy in your bedroom with you will make them feel more reassured. Then, you can gradually move them to where you would like them to sleep permanently.
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.
Delivery process can take anywhere between an hour to 24 hours. If labor lasts for four hours with no puppies or between puppies call your veterinarian. Traditionally, a pup is born within 45 to 60 minutes.
Around the end of the second week or the beginning of the third week, the puppies will open their eyes and become more active. Once they start to toddle about, you can move them to a larger pen with room to play, and bathroom cleanup will require more of your attention.
However, do not bathe your dog immediately after she has given birth to avoid the possibility of her pups coming in contact with soap residue. Instead, use a warm, damp cloth and clean her gently.
Position the box half-on half-off a heating pad (rather than placing the heating inside the box.) This way the puppy can crawl off the heat source should the pad grow too hot. Cover the floor with a towel, blanket or puppy pads.
After the birth, you should use a warm, damp cloth to clean the mother. Wipe all blood, tissue, and fluid from the mother's fur and skin, wiping back from the vulva. This helps prevent the growth of bacteria and reduces the risk of infection. The mother dog will pass fluid and tissue through the next few weeks.
Cut the Umbilical Cord
If the momma pup doesn't chew through each umbilical cord on her own, you will have to cut the cord. If you do, be sure to use sterilized scissors, cut about an inch from the pup's belly, and tie the cord off with the thread or dental floss 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the puppy's body.
Start with making a safe place for the mother dog and her pups to rest inside or outside your home. Moving her away from human and animal encroachment may be essential because mother dogs are often protective. Provide her with a kennel or a box with clean bedding.
In general, dogs and cats prefer to be in a small, quiet, dark room or closet that allows them privacy when they are ready to give birth. Mothers may prepare a nest prior to giving birth, using available paper, clothing, or other materials; this is a normal process.
If the pups are able to stay with the dams (the mother) for the first 12-16 weeks of their lives, it's likely they will remember their mum into adulthood, maybe even further than that. The longer they stay together, the better the odds of them recognising one another are.