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The bitch (female dog) can expect the joyful patter of tiny paws approximately 63 days from her first encounter with the prospective sire of her pups. Ideally she will be at least two years of age and in top physical condition before the mating takes place with her vaccinations, flea and worm treatments up to date. A fit and healthy bitch is more likely to enjoy a trouble free pregnancy and delivery. It is wise to assume the mating was successful even though any physical signs of impending motherhood may not be obvious for three or four weeks. Although the pregnant bitch is not an invalid she is carrying a precious cargo and deserves the best possible care and attention.

A visit to the vet 28 to 35 days after the mating will usually confirm the presence of puppies without an ultra sound scan. At this early stage any pups are generally palpable through physical examination alone. Until the fifth week of pregnancy the bitch can carry on as usual with her normal daily activities. Although physically she may look the same, emotionally she may become more affectionate than usual and even a little clingy. By five weeks gestation the physical changes in the bitch will become noticeable. Her mammary glands or teats will enlarge. She will begin to fill out in the flanks as her fast growing pups jostle for space causing her waistline to expand significantly.

By this stage the bitch will need her food intake tripled to satisfy her own needs and those of her developing pups. Three or four smaller meals a day will be more beneficial and easier to digest than one large feed. A good quality puppy food is ideal as a supplement to a normal balanced diet. Naturally fresh drinking water should always be readily available. During the last three weeks of her pregnancy her exercise should be limited as she will be starting to feel a little uncomfortable and somewhat encumbered by her ever increasing girth.

Now is the time to prepare the bitch and her maternity quarters in readiness for the birth. She will need a whelping box placed in a quiet and secure area in which to safely deliver her pups. This box needs to be easily cleaned and large enough for her to lie down fully extended with the sides high enough to keep the pups contained for as long as practically possible. One side should be height adjustable allowing the bitch easy access to and from the box. Line the box with plenty of newspaper which she will rip to shreds in order to make a nest. She should be introduced to her new maternity quarters at least two weeks before the delivery. A heat lamp suspended over one end of the box is recommended especially during the colder months as new born pups need to be kept very warm.

More than anything else, as her labour begins in earnest and the arrival of her pups is imminent she will need her human companion's constant comfort, reassurance and praise as she embarks on this wondrous but challenging new adventure.

Learn more about this author, Gabrielle Keen.
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