my schnauzer mix is due within the next week for her first litter. we are all very anxious. any tips on what to do in preperation for the litter, after the litter is born, what to buy in preperation for the litter, and anyting else. thank you so much and please pray for the health of the litter and the expecting mom!
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awaiting newborns!!
- Thread starter eastside9008
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jenptcfan
My cup runneth over
Find a place where the dog can give birth that is out of the way (so she will be undisturbed). You can try to get her to have them in a cardboard box lined with old blankets and towels in the corner of a closet. If she doesn't like it, she'll have them somewhere else, but at least you can try to give her a little safe place.
A nursing mom and puppies are a lot of work. Be sure to have lots of food and water available for mom. She'll need to eat a lot while she's nursing.
A nursing mom and puppies are a lot of work. Be sure to have lots of food and water available for mom. She'll need to eat a lot while she's nursing.
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awashinlove
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eastside9008 said:
If your vet is any good he/she should be more than willing to walk you through everything, and even spend time with you on the phone or in person during the birth. If your vet won't, a kindly breeder should be willing. A birth isn't something to risk without someone thoroughly experienced around, there's too much that can happen.
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alwayz_remember_Calvery
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I agree with everyone else. Get a box made up for her and put it somewhere quite and out of the way and also warm. If you're around when she goes into labor try to keep an eye on her, but don't bug her. If you think anything might be wrong, contact your vet ASAP. Even better would be to call one now, before she goes into labor, and ask them what sort of things you should look for, what kind of problems can occur, and let them know that this is your dogs first litter and you guys don't have any experience with it so you might be calling alot in the next week or so. When the puppies are born, make sure momma is getting plenty of good quality food. A lot of people also reccommend putting momma on a puppy food while she's nursing. When the puppies are weaned, get her spayed. I'm sure you'll have a blast with the little puppies.
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chipmunk
burrow dwelling nut hunter
Talk to a vet. She should be looked at before and after ideally. Many things can go wrong with pregnancy and it's best to get her checked.
I've only dealt with two dog litters. Both times we bought a small kiddie pool. The plastic round ones they line up against the stores. Then we put some rags/blankets in there for her comfort. If you don't have rags/blankets and don't want to buy new ones (don't blame you there) then you can usually pick these things up at a thrift store. While this will get nasty during birth it will contain the mess without ruining the plastic pool or your living room floor. After the birth and it has been cleaned it is a perfect place for the new born pups to stay so they aren't free rolling everywhere. It also makes a nice bed for them--provided it has sufficient padding. And later on it makes a great doggie pool for them all to play in or get out of the heat in. Of course, it's getting colder here in the northern hemisphere so I wouldn't give them a pool right now.
I've only dealt with two dog litters. Both times we bought a small kiddie pool. The plastic round ones they line up against the stores. Then we put some rags/blankets in there for her comfort. If you don't have rags/blankets and don't want to buy new ones (don't blame you there) then you can usually pick these things up at a thrift store. While this will get nasty during birth it will contain the mess without ruining the plastic pool or your living room floor. After the birth and it has been cleaned it is a perfect place for the new born pups to stay so they aren't free rolling everywhere. It also makes a nice bed for them--provided it has sufficient padding. And later on it makes a great doggie pool for them all to play in or get out of the heat in. Of course, it's getting colder here in the northern hemisphere so I wouldn't give them a pool right now.
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LegacyOfLove
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Hi. Congratulations on your upcoming litter!
I have whelped 5 litters in the past couple of years (4 of our own and 1 with another breeder) and have really gotten a lot of hands-on experience in the whelping process as well as the problems you can run into (and there are a lot).
You need to have a whelping box for your expectant momma dog and her puppies. This should be large enough for the mother dog to lay down and stretch out comfortably and should also be large enough to accomodate her with her puppies in there. You will want to line this "box" with newspapers, towels and/or sheets - which you will have to change throughout her delivery and after the pups have all been delivered.
You will want to start taking her temperature every day once she is about 8 weeks into her pregnancy. You should check her temperature 2-3 times per day. Her normal temperature range should be between 100.5 - 101.5 or so. About 24 hours before she gives birth her temperature will drop to below 100 degrees - most likely into the 98 degree range. When it drops down, she will go into labor within 24 hours, so someone should stay with her at all times at that point. (You will also notice that her bottom will look swollen and soft/saggy-appearing. Her nipples will turn rosey pink and if squeezed, may excreet some colostrum.)
You should have a delivery kit on hand. This is something you can put together yourself and you want to have this ready ahead of time. Many dogs go through delivery without any problems and without needing any kind of assistance, but you should be prepared, because even experienced mother dogs can run into problems sometimes.
Your "delivery kit" should include: clean (sterilized) scissors (for cutting umbilical cords if momma is unable or unsure how to chew them), dental floss or string (for tying off umbilical cords), plenty of clean towels, alcohol or peroxide (to dip the ends of the cut umbilical cord in to help clean them), bulb syringe (for clearing out any fluid or mucous in the puppies nose and mouth), pen & notepad (you need to keep track of what time she delivers her 1st puppy and take notes - make sure that she passes the placenta, if she doesn't pass it right away, that's okay, but by keeping track on your notepad, you can be sure that she passes the same number of placentas as she does puppies).
If your dog does not pass all of her placentas, you will want to take her into your veterinarian to get a shot of Pitocin which will help her body to expel any retained placentas (these can cause a serious infection in the mother dog if they do not all pass).
The room where her whelping box is located should be warm, quiet and comfortable. Newborn puppies cannot maintain their own body heat for the 1st couple of weeks, so they need to be kept where they will be warm at all times.
Momma dog will need plenty of food, water and rest after giving birth to her babies. The day she goes into labor, she may refuse food - that is okay, she's just preparing to give birth. The day she has the puppies and even the following day or two her appetite may be decreased, that is also okay - just make sure that she does have plenty of food and water available to her at all times.
I would recommend that you do a search on the internet also to find websites by different breeders. There is a lot of useful information available.
You should also know what warning signs to look for in case your dog has any problems delivering her puppies. If she is pushing and pushing (hard labor) and not producing any pups after an hour or so - it's time to call the vet.
There are many ways she can have her puppy that are all within the normal range. Some pups can be born breech (tail/butt end first). Some may come out with the sac already opened. Some may have torn the umbilical cord before they came out. (For the ones with the torn umbilical cord, you need to get it tied off about 1 inch from the belly of the puppy - tie it in a double-knot, then trim off any excess umbilical cord and dip the end of it (that is still attached to puppy) in some alcohol or peroxide to sterilize it.)
If a pup has any difficulty breathing you can: A) wrap the puppy in a warm towel and vigorously rub the puppy to stimulate it to breathe. B) use the bulb syringe to suction out the puppies airway (remember to do this to both the nose and the mouth). C) If the pup still isn't breathing or you hear a lot of fluid sounds in their breathing - hold puppy upright with your hands firmly clasping the puppy in front and in back of pup - support its head. Hold puppy at your shoulder level with your arms bent upward, then move your arms in a downward sweeping motion so that puppy is now head-down. That will help to dislodge any fluid in their lungs.
I hope all of this information is useful. I didn't mean any of it to scare you. There really is a lot to know. Most people think that it is natural and easy - and usually it is. But to be a responsible breeder, you also have to be prepared for any possible problems or emergencies.
And above all, if your momma dog is showing you any signs of distress, do NOT wait to get her to the veterinarian....better safe than sorry, for momma dog and her puppies.
I have whelped 5 litters in the past couple of years (4 of our own and 1 with another breeder) and have really gotten a lot of hands-on experience in the whelping process as well as the problems you can run into (and there are a lot).
You need to have a whelping box for your expectant momma dog and her puppies. This should be large enough for the mother dog to lay down and stretch out comfortably and should also be large enough to accomodate her with her puppies in there. You will want to line this "box" with newspapers, towels and/or sheets - which you will have to change throughout her delivery and after the pups have all been delivered.
You will want to start taking her temperature every day once she is about 8 weeks into her pregnancy. You should check her temperature 2-3 times per day. Her normal temperature range should be between 100.5 - 101.5 or so. About 24 hours before she gives birth her temperature will drop to below 100 degrees - most likely into the 98 degree range. When it drops down, she will go into labor within 24 hours, so someone should stay with her at all times at that point. (You will also notice that her bottom will look swollen and soft/saggy-appearing. Her nipples will turn rosey pink and if squeezed, may excreet some colostrum.)
You should have a delivery kit on hand. This is something you can put together yourself and you want to have this ready ahead of time. Many dogs go through delivery without any problems and without needing any kind of assistance, but you should be prepared, because even experienced mother dogs can run into problems sometimes.
Your "delivery kit" should include: clean (sterilized) scissors (for cutting umbilical cords if momma is unable or unsure how to chew them), dental floss or string (for tying off umbilical cords), plenty of clean towels, alcohol or peroxide (to dip the ends of the cut umbilical cord in to help clean them), bulb syringe (for clearing out any fluid or mucous in the puppies nose and mouth), pen & notepad (you need to keep track of what time she delivers her 1st puppy and take notes - make sure that she passes the placenta, if she doesn't pass it right away, that's okay, but by keeping track on your notepad, you can be sure that she passes the same number of placentas as she does puppies).
If your dog does not pass all of her placentas, you will want to take her into your veterinarian to get a shot of Pitocin which will help her body to expel any retained placentas (these can cause a serious infection in the mother dog if they do not all pass).
The room where her whelping box is located should be warm, quiet and comfortable. Newborn puppies cannot maintain their own body heat for the 1st couple of weeks, so they need to be kept where they will be warm at all times.
Momma dog will need plenty of food, water and rest after giving birth to her babies. The day she goes into labor, she may refuse food - that is okay, she's just preparing to give birth. The day she has the puppies and even the following day or two her appetite may be decreased, that is also okay - just make sure that she does have plenty of food and water available to her at all times.
I would recommend that you do a search on the internet also to find websites by different breeders. There is a lot of useful information available.
You should also know what warning signs to look for in case your dog has any problems delivering her puppies. If she is pushing and pushing (hard labor) and not producing any pups after an hour or so - it's time to call the vet.
There are many ways she can have her puppy that are all within the normal range. Some pups can be born breech (tail/butt end first). Some may come out with the sac already opened. Some may have torn the umbilical cord before they came out. (For the ones with the torn umbilical cord, you need to get it tied off about 1 inch from the belly of the puppy - tie it in a double-knot, then trim off any excess umbilical cord and dip the end of it (that is still attached to puppy) in some alcohol or peroxide to sterilize it.)
If a pup has any difficulty breathing you can: A) wrap the puppy in a warm towel and vigorously rub the puppy to stimulate it to breathe. B) use the bulb syringe to suction out the puppies airway (remember to do this to both the nose and the mouth). C) If the pup still isn't breathing or you hear a lot of fluid sounds in their breathing - hold puppy upright with your hands firmly clasping the puppy in front and in back of pup - support its head. Hold puppy at your shoulder level with your arms bent upward, then move your arms in a downward sweeping motion so that puppy is now head-down. That will help to dislodge any fluid in their lungs.
I hope all of this information is useful. I didn't mean any of it to scare you. There really is a lot to know. Most people think that it is natural and easy - and usually it is. But to be a responsible breeder, you also have to be prepared for any possible problems or emergencies.
And above all, if your momma dog is showing you any signs of distress, do NOT wait to get her to the veterinarian....better safe than sorry, for momma dog and her puppies.
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Sabina41
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LegacyOfLove said:
With the numbers of beautiful, friendly animals in shelters today and every day...I'm not sure there is such a thing.
Don't breed or buy while animals die.
-Ashley
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alwayz_remember_Calvery
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Sabina41 said:With the numbers of beautiful, friendly animals in shelters today and every day...I'm not sure there is such a thing.
Don't breed or buy while animals die.
-Ashley
i totally disagree with this. I don't think people should be breeding mutts or mixes, but i also don't think you can go out there and tell people they shouldn't breed or buy animals.
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Sabina41
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I regret that we disagree but I have participated in and carried out more euthanasias of perfectly healthy and happy animals (and many sick and unhappy animals) than I can count. As long as people are going to be irresponsible and breed their animals and thus place this responsibility on my heart and conscience...I am going to reprimand them.
-Ashley
-Ashley
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alwayz_remember_Calvery
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i don't think people should be irresponsibly breeding either (i've met WAY to many people breeding Jack-A-poos, Labradoodles, goldendoodles, etc.) and i hate it when they do. I just don't think you should be telling people not to breed or buy without explaining a little. If someone who has a nearly perfect example of the breed and are only breeding one litter a year, i think that's great. These are the type of people that SHOULD be breeding. Or, if someone is looking at getting into showing AKC they're going to need a purebred dog and therefore they're going to have to buy one.
I think what you're talking about (and correct me if i'm wrong) are the people who don't spay/neuter their pets and let them run and breed to whatever they come across. If that's what you're talking about i agree with you 100%
I think what you're talking about (and correct me if i'm wrong) are the people who don't spay/neuter their pets and let them run and breed to whatever they come across. If that's what you're talking about i agree with you 100%
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Sabina41
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eastside9008 said:
THIS is what I'm talking about, and you're right it is primarily mixed breed dogs/cats. But a lot of people have "purebred" animals that they breed just because they're purebred. Not because they intend to show or anything, just that their dog/cat has papers so darn if they aren't getting their money's worth. It's not just letting their animals run around and breed. A lot of people make a very conscious decision to breed their dog/cat just because they feel like it, and not because their particular pet has any merits. I'm not a fan of breeding purebred dogs either because 25% of all animals in shelters are purebred and some come with papers as well. Every litter that is born takes away possible homes from those waiting in shelters. Even if a show breeder is only breeding their dog for showing purposes, how many of the pups in each litter will actually go on to show and do well? Very very few. What happens to the rest? They're sold, of course, to people who take them home and breed them because "well she's a purebred, her mother's a champion, she has papers...blah, blah, blah"
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alwayz_remember_Calvery
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i agree that mixes and mutts should never be bred. I worked at a vet clinic for a while and i've seen the 'crap' people will breed. Like i said before, though maybe not as well as i should have, people who are breeding for the purpose of improving the breed, are the only people who should be breeding. I understand that even when people do breedshow dogs only, many, many, many of them wind up as pets. I've seen breeders who will require you to spay or neuter your dog before they give you the papers to reg. it. When i worked at a vet clinic i worked with a lady who bred very nice shepherds. most of her dogs were working dogs (most of them were sent on to be trained in Schutzhund or however to spell that) but she had a few become show dogs. With her dogs that didn't cut it as working dogs or show dogs she required that the new owners spay or neuter them, or they had them spayed or neutered before they left her kennel.
When i first heard of breeders doing that i was really upset by it, i mean who can tell me that if i just payed X amount of money for an animal i have to still do what they say. As i got older and grew up some, i realized the reason for it and am glad that they do that.
Back to what i was saying, people who are in it to improve the breed are the only people who should be breeding their animals.
When i first heard of breeders doing that i was really upset by it, i mean who can tell me that if i just payed X amount of money for an animal i have to still do what they say. As i got older and grew up some, i realized the reason for it and am glad that they do that.
Back to what i was saying, people who are in it to improve the breed are the only people who should be breeding their animals.
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jenptcfan
My cup runneth over
**Mod Hat On**
Out of respect to the OP, let's try to keep this on topic. The topic is how to prepare for a new litter of puppies and all that goes with the birth and nursing and all of that. Some other great points have been brought up here about other topics, but it would be best if those points were discussed in new threads. Let's help out the OP by sticking to the topic of what she needs to do to care for her pregnant dog and soon-to-be puppies.
Thanks!
**Mod Hat Off**
Out of respect to the OP, let's try to keep this on topic. The topic is how to prepare for a new litter of puppies and all that goes with the birth and nursing and all of that. Some other great points have been brought up here about other topics, but it would be best if those points were discussed in new threads. Let's help out the OP by sticking to the topic of what she needs to do to care for her pregnant dog and soon-to-be puppies.
Thanks!
**Mod Hat Off**
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