Puppy Birth Information

This puppy birth information page will benefit those who may be looking for answers to questions concerning the female pregnant dog and her newborn puppies. Or, if you were just wandering around, and stumbled upon this page, then please read on, get enlightened, and thanks for the visit.

How Can I Tell If My Dog is Pregnant?

A dog's pregnancy will last about 2 months. During the first month it would be pretty hard to tell if your dog is pregnant, as she will show no signs of any physical changes.

You will start to notice though that she may be eating more than normal, and gaining weight at the start of the second month.

During these short 2 months, she will need to find a place to have her puppies, and will seek out a place that will be safe and secure. If, after the birth of her puppies, she finds that her puppies are being threatened, she may become aggressive.

Puppy Birth Information, What to Look For

When the time of birth approaches, you will notice some changes in your dog's behavior. She will become quieter, and be less interested in playing. She will also be spending more time in that place that she has chosen to have her puppies.

Your dog will stop eating 24 hours before she goes into labor, and you will notice that she will be restless, as labor nears.

Puppy Birth Information, The Blessed Event

Minor contractions will begin as she pushes the first water bag through the birth canal. You should notice a puddle a fluid or a wet spot if using a blanket or other material.

Your dog will start to have contractions that are stronger and be more regular in pattern.

Your dog's first newborn puppy should arrive within 2 hours.

Most newborn puppies are born head first, but don't be alarmed if one comes out tail first, it happens.

A newborn puppy will be covered in a membrane, which looks like a thin sheet like lining that the mother will lick off from the face and the body.

In doing this (licking) she is also urging her puppy to take it's first breath and breathe on it's own. As important as that may seem, she also licks them to reduce hypothermia, a dangerous matter concerning low body temperature.

After each delivery, the mother will usually eat the afterbirth or placenta, chewing off the umbilical cord from her puppy's body.

Within the next 30 minutes or so, labor starts again, and she is ready to deliver her next puppy, and repeat the process as with her first puppy until all of her puppies are delivered.

Mother nature will sometimes have her way, and it is sometimes typical to have one puppy out of a litter of seven to be born handicapped and die soon after birth.

Problems can arise during and after labor. Consult your veterinarian as soon as possible to overcome most problems.

Problems that can arise are:

1. Mother may not be in good health, and may not have enough strength to give birth.

2. The mother may not want to take care of her little ones. You will need to take care of the puppies on your own.

3. Some mothers may have too little milk or no milk at all. You need to step in, as she will not be able to feed her puppies.

Puppy Birth Information Continued "The Newborn Puppy"

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