When my dog delivers puppies.....*New Questions about Nursing*

[PunkinPeep]

My dog, Jelly, is pregnant, and i expect her to deliver in the next week or two.

I know nothing about dogs or whelping other than what i've read on the web.

I'm wondering if there are those here who can help me if i need advice when the time comes.

 

[Mahonri]

Just keep everyone updated on this thread. There are plenty of dog breeders on here.

 

[Skyesrocket]

There are some informative sites online that cover whelping. Google them ahead of time and print them out. You will feel more comfortable knowing what to expect ahead of time. Keep us updated!
In the meantime you will want to figure out where she will have them and get it set up with some old, but clean towels. And let her go in there so she is comfortable with it.
Much Luck!

 

[onthespot]

What kind of dog is she?

 

[annie3001]

hello there.
my mother breed shelties and its so awesome to experience this! what kind of dog is she?
i dont know if you want to see a video, but see if you can find a utube on it.
i would def be sure you have spoken and have good communication with a 24 hour vet, incase this go differently.
I can recall needing a welping area, large cardboard box in a corner area of the house, warm blankets.
She will start panting as a sign there are labor pains happeneing.
As i recall witenssing the act of dog birth, she will bite open the sack (to wich the puppy will emerge) and out a baby will come, as natural instints will occure, she will clean the mess (blood etc.) up by eating .
Sorry may sound gross,,, but dont freak out, your dog will know if your nervous or upset. She might get upset. stay calm.
lastly be sure she is not alone when the days draw nearer.
And yes there are many dog owners/breeders here on byc that can lend you a hand.
Having said that, being prepared is a great start, and thats what your doing.
good luck to you and your dog,,,, its truly a wonderful thing to witness!!!

 

[redhen]

Good luck! And we want puppy pics!

 

[BBK]

When my toy poodle had puppies...I was right there cheering her on...

I had a cup of sugar water by my side and after the first pup...I dipped my fingers in the water mixture and she licked it off a few times. She'll let you know when to stop. It gave her a burst of energy to help her along with delivering the other two pups...

good luck...

Also have some clean newspaper, b/c after she's done.... give her a few hours to get acclimated to being a mom, change out her bedding, i think this is when i put a towel in there, not while she was delivering....

Melinda

 

[PunkinPeep]

Thanks all for the support. I have done some reading on whelping. Google is my friend.

My husband is working on finding a box for her to deliver in.

I like the tip about the sugar water.

Jelly is a mutt, basically. She's a mix of collie, german shepherd, and lab. And she mated with a neighbor dog who is medium sized and solid red. (Anybody know what breed that could be?)

Here is Jelly. Sorry that pic is so big.

Here she is lying next to my cat if that gives you some idea of size.

Even though, i would not normally purposely BREED mutts, i am excited to have the experience with her. She surprised me by going into heat earlier than i thought she would (did i mention i know nothing about dogs?), so she got pregnant on her first heat. She's a very smart dog and may make some great puppies.

I guess i need to start collecting some newspaper.

 

[babymakes6]

Don't worry too much about it-most dogs have NO problems at all birthing puppies. She may need some help taking care of them until she catches on to what she is supposed to do, but often their instinct tells them everything they need to be doing. Just watch her closely and be prepared to step in if she isn't taking care of the puppies the way she should be.
A sink of warm water and a towel is very useful for reviving puppies that aren't breathing. Keep the head ABOVE water, but submerse the rest of the puppy in water for a few minutes. Then wrap it in a towel and rub briskly. This helps to know-hopefully you won't need to do it, though!
She is a pretty dog!

 

[onthespot]

large mix breed dogs like that rarely have any problems whelping and usually are fantastic moms. I wouldn't worry too much, just keep an eye on her and read up and be there in case she looks like she is having trouble. I would give her less than 1% chance of having trouble normally. She looks very healthy and "natural" for having puppies. I have never had a litter from a young dog like that though, so to be honest I don't know of any special risks there may be. You could talk to your vet ahead of time to make sure you are aware of any special needs/risks. Also, don't give her blankets to keep her puppies warm. They can get buried in them and lost in the folds and she may lie on them and accidently suffocate them. Make her a whelping box with a flat, skid proof flooring that the puppies can get traction on to nurse. Good luck and keep us posted!