Minnie2015: If you've never had a pregnant bitch or whelped a litter before then it's best to have a mentor. I was fortunate to have a mentor for my first 2 litters and then she remained available to me for questions or whelping problems. She allowed me to watch her bitches whelp to have hands on experience. Anything can happen during a pregnancy or a deliver. You want to be sure that you are aware of what types of situations require an emergency response vs a situation where the bitch needs your help but it isn't an emergency. My answer to your question would be when everything goes smoothly, pregnancy and whelping can be a beautiful experience, but if it doesn't go smoothly you can be faced with a disaster. There's a bond that is created between you and the bitch because you want her to have the best during this special time. Care of the litter comes easy to me because of my mentor's training but I'm always nervous when labor starts. Assuming you have a cooperative, loving bitch, she will care for her litter. Your job is to make sure that she eats well, is producing milk and recovering from her delivery. I take mom and the litter to the vet on day 3 for a wellness check. There are so many things that you need to know, just in case! No 2 deliveries are the same. Don't try to do it without having a mentor or advisor to educate you prior to the pregnancy and whelping.
I'm glad I was able to have a mentor who taught me so much, from mating and ovulation to assisting with breach births. I'm so thankful for her!
My pups are 6 days old doing well and gaining weight. There's so much to learn! Find a mentor before you even think about mating, In the long run you'll appreciate waiting! |