When the mommy dog is ready to give birth (whelp), she usually acts uncomfortable and restless.
Most dogs manage whelping just fine on their own, but we are always on hand to comfort our mommy and ensure her needs are met! It’s important for us to be calm and collected so as not to create more stress in her. We keep an eye on how things are going and intervene only if necessary.
Whelping can take three or more hours, depending on the number of whelps. Stillborn puppies can happen, and there is often little that could have been done to prevent it.
Once the mommy has delivered the first whelp, she should tear open the fetal sack. First time mommies can be a little slow to do this, looking at the newborn as if it’s some sort of alien creature! If she doesn’t, we tear it to free the nose. Once she hears that first whimper her instincts kick in beautifully as she attends to cleaning it and cutting the umbilical cord.
It can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours for another whelp to follow. Oftentimes they are born in pairs about 10 minutes apart and then mommy takes a rest for an hour or two before more arrive.
Not all puppies are born head first – often they are back feet first – and that’s fine!
Our mothers always eat the placenta which is not only completely normal canine behavior but also gives her vital energy since leading up to whelping her appetite is usually much decreased. This nutrient-dense organ also serves as a stool softener which any new mom can appreciate the benefits of! We take note of each placenta delivered to ensure none are retained to cause potential problems.
We keep the whelping box very clean as it goes along. Most mommies do not want their newborns taken away so we just monitor to make sure they are clean, dry, and warm.
Recovery
As soon as we’re sure she is finished, all the soiled material is removed and replaced with clean. This is repeated frequently.
We also clean the mommy of blood and fluids with a warm, damp cloth or partial bath. She will usually continue to leak fluids for up to a couple of weeks after whelping.
The mommy dogs’ appetite returns a few days afterward and comes back in full force! She drinks a lot more water than normal too as her milk increases.
She and her newborn puppies do a lot of resting and snuggling. Since they are right in the center of our living space we are able to monitor them often.