New Mommy questions
 

:wavey:HI! I'm new here but I've been checking into the forum for the last few weeks, but I'm ready to introduce myself. I have a baby named, Izzy and she's the light of my life!!! She's just 2 yrs. old and this will be her, hopefully, only breeding; God willing she delivers everyone ok. Izzy has been bred by a breeder friend's dog and as of this week, I just found out she's carrying 4 puppies. I have so many questions and I'm sure they'll continue (that way I'm not constantly calling my breeder friend ;)) But I'll just start with a few.. 1: she is "leaking" a white substance out of her vulva area and she's not due until Oct. 31st, is that common or should I ask the vet about it? 2: what is a good diet to be feeding her? I'm feeding her cooked cut up chicken, peas, her dog food and a vitamin. Am I missing anything? Oh yeah, she gets cottage cheese too. I'm sure I'll have more, but it's late and I need to take my Izzy to bed. Thanks and it's great to be here. I look forward to sharing our occasion with experienced breeders and loving mommies such as myself

Pam :D, Izzy :aimeeyork and (4) puppies :animal-pa :animal-pa :animal-pa :animal-pa

Hi Pam and welcome to Yorkie Talk. A pre-congratulations on your upcoming litter. I am not an expert as I have had only one litter so far but I have read many, many, many articles on breeding, so I will try to answer your questions.

It is normal for the female to be having the discharge you described, so that is nothing to be concerned about. I'm not sure about the food you are feeding her, I have read and been told to have them on a high quality puppy food from the time you even suspect they are pregnant until after the puppies are weaned. Also, do not give her too much extra calcium (cottage cheese?) before she whelps as this will tell her body that it does not have to make it on its own possibly causing a greater chance for eclampsia (milk fever) in the female

It is great that you have your breeder friend for help and support! Keep in touch here and you will also find a multitude of help from experianced breeders and breeders like me who will try and help the best we know how. There will also be many just to pop in on your puppy thread should you continue updating us, just to offer their moral support.

I for one would love for you to stick around and would also love to see pics of Izzy and her pups when they arrive. Good luck to you!

BTW, here is my favorite website to go to for much helpful information on just about anything to do with breeding....
Canine Reproduction Video and Book on Breeding and Whelping dogs by Debbie Jensen for dog breeders and Whelping Supplies needed to deliver puppies.

Hey!
 

Hi Izzybella Mommy - I just wanted to say congratulations on your upcoming litter. This is a great place to be for info during a whelp. I have read many "Puppy Watches" and I actually hope to be starting a thread in just a little bit. I have a little girl that's due tomorrow, but she's confusing me a little, so I'm going to go ahead and start the thread.

Anyways, her discharge is normal like luckylady said. Actually everything that she said, I would have said the same. I'm not experienced either, that's why I need some help with my whelp too. I am getting into breeding and this is my and Peaches first litter. So we are both new! And neither of us knows what we are doing. I just found the same website that LuckyLady sent you the link to. It is an awesome web site. That's what I've been looking at all morning. I wish I had found it several weeks ago, now I might have to cram. But go on there and have a look, she has tons of information.

I was told in a thread also, can't remember by who, but I don't think it was luckylady, but I was giving just a tad of either yogurt or cottage cheese and chicken. They told me the same as LuckyLady told you. Cut the cottage cheese for the same reason.

I hope you post, maybe we'll be going through this together. I hope so that would be neat and the Puppy Watchers would love that! They make having puppies so exciting! Seriously, they do!

Good luck and hope to hear from you soon!

Thanks for the response!
 

WOW! Thank you for the website.:D I spent over an hour just reviewing and printing so I'm as prepared as I can be when the day comes. I really appreciate you responding and I look forward to staying on the forum! Thanks for all your advice, I've cut out the cottage cheese and have picked up a vitamin for her. She actually likes it, which is a first. I've made her a very picky eater;).

I look forward to talking more.

Pam :) Izzy :aimeeyork and babies :animal-pa :animal-pa :animal-pa :animal-pa