Adventures Outdoors'
IN WISCONSIN
Preparing for delivery
By Rick Spoerl
Now that you’ve confirmed the pregnancy through the ultrasound you have only a short time to prepare for the arrival of the pups. Certain equipment is needed along with some research. First you should get all the information you can from your vet. Next get a hold of a book or two on having puppies. There are books that concentrate just on breeding and having puppies that supply a wealth of information. After researching the literature from the vet and reading a breeding book or two, ask any questions you might have to your vet as well as breeders you might know.
You need to decide where you’re going to have the litter. An out of the mainstream type environment is best. I had my litters in a warm draft less part of my finished basement. It worked out great because I could block off areas little by little letting the pups explore more area as they grew. The female also liked the quietness of the area for nursing purposes.
I know of people that had litters in closets as well as out in the garage. I wouldn’t want my closet used in that capacity nor would I want the litter in a drafty garage. I did however visit a kennel with a pretty nice setup in a pole barn. It was a cozy whelping box that served the purpose well. Still it seemed a little out of the way as far as keeping an eye on them. Breeders usually have advanced setups as they have numerous litters.
The whelping box must be constructed next. I used four 4X8 sheets of plywood and some eight foot 2X2’s to build mine. I simply laid one sheet on the floor, set the side panels up parallel to the sheet on the floor and screwed the side panels to the floor panel using the 2X2’s. Then I cut the last 4X8 sheet in half and screwed one piece to the back of the box and hinged the other piece to the front of the box for the door. It was a nice large whelping box measuring 4 foot wide by eight foot long by 4 foot tall. It took me about a an hour to build it. I installed 4 foot pieces along the top to secure it. Than I cut four short 2X2 pieces six inches long and screwed them to the sides of the box in the inside and in the middle of it. Than I could slide a 1X6 board into it so the mother could get away from the pups for a rest now and then cutting the box in half. I could slide it out if I wanted the pups to access the whole whelping box. I could also keep a bowl of water for the mother in that area out of the way of the pups. I built it on top of strips of old carpet so the floor of the box wouldn’t be cold. A temperature of over 70 degrees inside the box is desired. You will notice if the pups get warm, they will be scattered about the box when normally they will sleep in a big pile to keep warm.
You’ll need heat lamps too. I used three heat lamps with the clamp on housing to maintain the desired temperature. I also taped a thermometer to the inside of the whelping box. Start saving newspaper well in advance of the arrival of the litter. Changing the paper frequently will keep the pups clean and usually a clean whelping box will make pups easier to house break later on. The new owners will appreciate it.
You’ll also need a few things for the delivery. Get a small box, preferably a wood box. Next put a heating pad in it along with a towel. Turn it on and place a thermometer in it. Read the temperature on the thermometer at the different power settings so you become familiar with it. You can put the individual puppies in it while the mom is delivering another pup. You can also use it to take the pups to the vet. The pups need to stay warm. A chilled pup can die quickly.
Have a scissors, string and iodine near the whelping box before delivery. If you have to cut an umbilical chord the mother didn’t nip off, you will need to tie it up and place a small amount of iodine on it. A syringe to suck out any mucous out of the pup’s mouth can also be useful.
Have an ample supply of paper towels and a few bath towels along with some warm water and wash clothes as the process gets quite messy. Keep the area clean and if the mother doesn’t lick the newborns dry you will have to gently dry them with a towel.
Later on you’ll also need a shallow large pan for food and of coarse the puppy food. Small puppy toys are a good idea as the puppies’ age.
Just because she is pregnant doesn’t mean you stop exercise. You should continue to exercise her regularly until the last two weeks of pregnancy. Of coarse you shouldn’t be hammering out the training. Just keep it reasonable. The last couple of weeks should be limited to walks.
You should continue to feed her the same high quality food you have been. You should start feeding her twice a day, than after about three weeks go to three times a day. This will improve digestion as her appetite should increase. At about halfway through the pregnancy you should start adding what ever puppy food you plan on feed them. Increase the amount until two times her normal intake is reached. So if you are giving her three cups of food prior to pregnancy, you should increase it to three cups of regular food and three cups of puppy food, for a total of six cups at a time of delivery.
At about two weeks prior to delivery bring her in the house (if she is a kennel dog) and keep her in the whelping box. If she is a house dog start feeding her in the whelping box to get her used to it. She should seek it out on her own when she gets close to delivery. After day fifty make her sleep in the whelping box. Keep a close eye on her. If you want to know more precisely when the pups are coming you can begin taking rectal temperatures twice daily beginning the 57th day. A sudden decrease of two degrees could mean delivery is within 24 hours.
These steps will prepare you so when the time comes the stress level will be substantially less than if you have to run around looking for these items during the delivery.
