How early has your bitch ever whelped and all been ok?  My bitch will be 8 weeks on Weds - from middle mating day and was blood tested etc.  She is huge and has been obviously in whelp since week 3!  I am a little concerned that she may whelp early - all prepared but there is a limit to what I can do if she's too early.  Didn't get her scanned as numbers not accurate and as it was so obvious didn't think it necessary.

A week early will be fine, earlier than that and chances of survival are small as the lungs are not up to it.  It is the pups that set off whelping when they start to become distressed, the poor bitches distress well

My girls normally go up to 4 or 5 days early, rarely had one go to 63 days, but they mate late in their cycle which will make it appear shorter, I always count from first mating, even if they have mated over up to four or five days.

One of my girls showed early especially for her secodn litter. 

For her first I was suprised to only get four live and one stillborn pup (slow labour), she had loads of water and they were born day 59.

Second litter she looked huge right from about 3 weeks and had 7 pups much faster, on day 61.

Third litter she looked average and had 7 4 days early.

Her daughter was very small even up to the end yet produced 8 pups (one died), very quickly on day 60.

I had one of my girls whelp on day 64 for her first litter, then her second litter (Same stud dog & same day of mating in her season) she whelped on day 60 carrying exactly the same amount of puppies (14)!

Oh I pray I never get a litter of 14 (has been known in my breed).  I had that many pups in the two litters I had close together, and boy was it hard work.

I seem to have had litters of four or 7 most, but prefer the four (as long as I get a good choice of girls), those extra pups make ti so much harder work, and you get to know the pups individually so much more in the smaller litters.

I would be so afraid to breed if large litters were the norm in my breed.  Sooner have the number spread out over two or three litters/years.

I do ask my girls for 6, 2 males & 4 females but they never listen...............................

I hope she hasn't got 14 too!  Its her first litter so unsure about what she will do etc regards dates.  Her appetite is still good although feeding smaller meals more reguarly - that is normally a good indicator for me, never had that much luck with taking temperatures.  How early do you start taking it?  I have previously had a litter of 10 but she looks bigger to me already.

The only time I've had a bitches temp taken (I don't take temps) was Miranda when she got to day 64 and I wondered if these pups were going to make an appearance so I asked my vet to take it.

> I do ask my girls for 6, 2 males & 4 females but they never listen

Now that is my idea of the perfect litter too.  Never had 6 pups yet, and the last two occasions I have kept a pup there were only two bitches, once it worked out that she was the best in the litter, the next not.

my girl has a week to go also..i was wondering the same about going early? but my question is if she did would the pups feed off mum as normal or would they need hand feeding?

my girl has 3 weeks to go and i am hoping she has the 3/4 the seen not 6 as the vets numbers seem to be 2 out from what is said on here then that means i only have to find homes for 2 or 3 pups as we are keeping one of them

normally.  it is like with humans where full term is from 37 weeks, even though your due date is taken as 40 weeks from last period, (so in reality it is two weeks less anyway).   in bitches up to  a week before the due date is still full term.

I do ask my girls for 6, 2 males & 4 females but they never listen...............................

Hi,
I have made a bitch whelp a week early and all were fine.

I always ask for "four pups and one to be a champion!"

Havent listened yet.

> Hi,
> I have made a bitch whelp a week early and all were fine.
>

How? Why?  Unless it was an elective 'C' section of course

Anyway if your going to ask for champions best have two or three in there :D

I do ask my girls for 6, 2 males & 4 females but they never listen...............................

Sorry,
I have had a bitch whelp a week early and all were fine.

I always ask for "four pups and one to be a champion!"

Havent listened yet.
Blonde and Dyslexic!!!!!!! Sorry ------ should have read like this, typing too fast

I just had visions of you having Stern words with your bitch, or carrying out some voodoo ritual to make her whelp early :D

> I just had visions of you having Stern words with your bitch, or carrying out some voodoo ritual to make her whelp early :D

The stern words are usually to get them not to whelp early

I often only do one mating and they often whelp at 58 / 60 days.
I am always ready one week early, just incase.

Ps, there is dog called voodoo that keeps beating me, maybe you've heard me chating at it Lol :D

thanks brainless now i understand

Three days early for two litters with absolutely no problems.

day 58 from 1st mating both times all ok

Thanks everyone - don't feel quite so concerned now.  Fingers crossed all goes well whenever she decides to have them.

One of my girls had her puppies 8 days early .Didn`t have much hair but they were little fighters and survived.I kept one of that litter.

Wow - thats early - was it a big litter and how hard work was it initially?

It is rare they go a week early. I have had it and all survived.  A little fragile for first few days and had to keep putting them on to feed rather than them getting on themselves after a little searching BUT all in all OK.

My most recent litter my bitch was so fat she kept falling over. I am not kidding an she is top end size for my breed.  She went 2 days before her first mating all big healthy pups.

They generally are good at holding out the pups. After all the start the onset.

Same here. 14 pups is 4 1/2 litters based on my average.  3-4 is a great litter to rear.  My most recent someone was looking down and gave me 4 bitches and a dog   unheard of as I am out number 85% all dogs generally.  Hope my luck had turned as it is nice to get a pick of girls.

I always count everytime I look in box for some reason it would take a bit longer counting to 14

Yes there was 9. I was scared for them but my girl was a great mum and fed them constantly ,the only hard work I had was filling my girl`s food bowl and by the time they were a week old they had their hair . I did find that their eyes opened later than normal .

> I always ask for "four pups and one to be a champion!"
>
>

Mine don't listen about the numbers but they do listen about the Champions!!!!! 

My bitch is now day 59 - she is still eating well and I have just started to take her temp - still around 37.5.  She is being fed more often but smaller meals due to a possible large litter and has had quite loose motions for several days but today is was very runny - should I be worried or is this normal for a bitch due so soon?  She appears to be very well and happy in herself.

If she is loose as opposed to just more frequent softer motions you may be over feeding her.  In my experience they continue to poo as normal, just more when given more food.  They may be a little looser after whelping if eating all the afterbirths.

I wouldn't really say she was being fed too much - but will cut back and see if that makes any difference.  Thanks.

generally she should only be getting about half as much as usual, but of a high quality food.

She has been quite fussy since about 6 weeks - was on RC HD42 then changed to RC puppy which she didn't like at all.  Then put her onto Arden Grange Prestige which she eats occasionally - I do normally feed AG but not the Prestige.  They all usually have dried in the morning and raw in the evening - she will still eat some of the raw.  I have been changing her food so at least she does eat something.  She's had a small tea but will leave out the supper tonight and see if it improves overnight.