How to Breed Dogs - Dealing With the Delivery

1. Prepare a whelping box. A whelping box is what will be used to deliver the puppies. This box should be about 6 inches (15.2 cm) longer than the female when she is lying prone, and a foot or so wider. It should have a rail to prevent her from laying on the pups after they are born.
- Place alternating layers of plastic sheeting and newspapers in the bottom of the box. This helps keep it cleaner when the bottom becomes soiled. You can just slide out a layer of paper and a sheet of plastic, leaving a clean one in its place. Include clean towels or other bedding that can be easily laundered.

2. Be alert. You need to be aware of when the time for delivery is near. Educate yourself on the stages of labor. Once she starts delivering puppies, monitor her for strong contractions longer than 30-45 minutes that do not produce a puppy. This may signal complications during the delivery.
- Having x-rays done at 45 days of gestation will allow your veterinarian to count how many fetal skeletons are present. This also shows if there are any abnormally large puppies inside that may cause problems delivering. This information will prepare you and your veterinarian for the possibility of a c-section and give you an idea of how many puppies to expect.

3. Keep the pups warm. When the puppies are born, you need to keep them warm. You also need to make sure they are all able to nurse. Examine them for birth defects like a cleft palate. The roof of a puppy’s mouth should be complete, with no evidence of a separation of the oral tissue. The dam will clean the pups and help the puppies get into position to nurse.
- If there is a cleft palate, milk will go from the mouth into the nasal passages. If it is a severe enough situation, the puppy should be euthanized because they will not survive.

4. Record the birth. Write down the birth date, total number of pups, and the number of each sex. If you are planning on registering the litter with organizations such as the AKC, you can do so online. You will need the registration numbers of the dam and sire when filling out the form.