Whelping: A Guide To Help Your Dog Through Labor

Preparing for puppies is an exciting time.

Good preparation prior to labor—also called whelping—is important to help the process go as smoothly as possible. Knowing what is normal can minimize any stress for pet parents and the mother-to-be.

What Is Whelping?

Whelping is the process of giving birth.

In dogs, pregnancy lasts approximately 63 days, with birthing a little more than two months after breeding.

During pregnancy, the expectant mother’s body, hormones, and nutritional needs change. Most dogs give birth to their puppies independently and require no intervention from their pet parents.

How to Prepare Your Dog for Whelping

Take these steps to prepare for your dog’s whelping:

• Know your dog’s due date and how many puppies to expect. Count 45 days from the date she was bred and schedule an appointment with your veterinarian for X-rays. This will allow your vet to determine how many puppies your dog is carrying.

• Gradually switch your dog to a diet designed for growth. This is usually accomplished by switching to puppy food. You can choose a puppy food in the same brand or line that you normally feed your dog and simply switch to the puppy version instead of the adult diet.

  • Don’t supplement calcium, as this may increase your dog's risk of postpartum complications. A commercial diet labeled for growing puppies will fulfill all your dog’s nutritional needs.

• Set up a whelping box or space in an area where your dog feels safe and comfortable. You’ll want a confined area your dog can easily get in and out of, but one that will also keep the puppies corralled.

  • You can purchase a ready-made whelping box or prepare a whelping area using smooth, sanded wood or a plastic kiddie pool filled with soft bedding. You may find washable or disposable pee pads helpful for keeping the puppies clean and dry.

• Keep your dog away from other dogs by avoiding doggie daycare facilities, dog parks, and other locations where she can be exposed to contagious diseases. This is especially important during the last few weeks of pregnancy and through the nursing period, when the puppies have immature immune systems.

• Purchase a rectal thermometer and monitor your dog’s temperature daily as her due date approaches. A dog’s normal temperature is 101.5 F. When her temperature drops below 100 F, labor is likely within 24 hours.

Signs Your Dog Is Ready for Whelping

A drop in your dog’s body temperature will likely be the first sign of impending whelping. This decrease in temperature lasts only about eight hours, so it can be missed.

You may notice a clear vaginal discharge when whelping is about to start.

When labor begins, you may notice unusual behaviors, such as:

• Restlessness

• Panting

• Pacing

• Shivering

Stages of Whelping

The process of whelping can be divided into three stages.

Stage One: Uterine Contractions Begin

The first stage of labor begins once the uterus starts to contract, and the cervix dilates.

When this happens, dogs typically become restless. Your dog may experience the above signs, and/or aggressively nest by digging or shredding their bedding.

Occasionally, dogs will vomit. This stage can last up to 36 hours but usually lasts six to 12 hours before the puppies are born.

Stage Two: Puppies Are Born

The second stage of labor begins when the first puppy is born.

Puppies are born covered in membranes that your dog will chew away. It’s important that these membranes are removed quickly so the puppies don’t suffocate.

If your dog doesn’t clean the puppies, you can use a warm, clean towel to gently wipe the membranes away and rub the puppy to stimulate them.

After the first puppy, you can expect additional pups to be born every 30–60 minutes. A mother dog will typically push for about 10–30 minutes to deliver each puppy.

It’s also common for moms to take a break during labor.

If your dog strains for more than 30 minutes or takes a break longer than four hours between puppies, she may be having trouble and needs immediate veterinary attention.

Stage Three: Placenta Is Expelled

The third stage of labor occurs simultaneously with the second stage, as each puppy’s placenta is passed before the next pup comes along.

Your dog will likely try to eat the placenta. In nature, this helps to hide evidence of the puppies from predators. In your safe home, this isn’t necessary, and you should try to clean up the placenta before she consumes it.

Eating the placenta won’t hurt your dog, but it isn’t necessarily beneficial and may cause diarrhea.

Potential Issues During Whelping

While most dogs have puppies on their own without assistance, sometimes things don’t go as planned.

Puppies can become stuck in the birth canal, or the mother can become too weak to continue labor due to underlying mineral imbalances, dehydration, or birthing complications.

Situations that require veterinary assistance include:

• Active pushing and straining for more than 30 minutes without delivery of a puppy

• A pause in labor for more than four hours before all puppies are delivered

• Listless or unresponsive during or after labor

• Bad-smelling drainage from the vulva

It’s normal for a new mom to have dark red, green, or brown drainage following labor. The drainage shouldn’t have an odor and should gradually lessen over eight weeks.

Excessive drainage, especially if accompanied by an odor, should be checked out by a vet.