Whelping is a stressful time. It’s important for breeders to remain calm and remember a midwife’s motto: The art of giving birth is knowing how to wait.

Normal Duration

The total duration of whelping can vary considerably—it depends on breed, litter size, and whether or not the dam has already given birth. In general, the entire whelping process takes four to eight hours, though it may last far longer if the litter is very large (it is not uncommon for the bitch to rest for a few hours after having delivered only some of her puppies), or if this is her first litter. The average time taken for each puppy to arrive is 20 to 30 minutes. This is only an average, however, and toward the end of parturition, the time taken tends to increase. In order to avoid problems, it is advisable to consult a veterinarian if the interval between two successive births is more than three or four hours, or if the bitch has no contractions. If she is having contractions but nothing is coming out, it is absolutely essential to consult a veterinarian without delay.

Birth of The Puppies

Labor begins gradually. At first, contractions are outwardly imperceptible. The future mother starts to pant and look worried. Appearance of the first amniotic sac. The first fluids (from the allantois) usually appear just before expulsion of the first puppy; the flow of liquid is not always seen, though this will probably be evident from the dampness of bedding.

Contractions and The Appearance of The Second Sac

In the minutes preceding expulsion, the bitch often becomes very agitated. She gets up, turns round and round, and whines. Sometimes, she will squat as though to defecate. Strong abdominal contractions are visible in salvos lasting between 30 and 60 seconds, accompanied by periods of calm. It is during a slightly stronger contraction that a greenish bubble will appear at the vulva—this is the amnion containing the puppy. If the pouch is broken, this is not serious. However, if the pouch is visible but nothing else happens over the next hour, it is necessary to consult a veterinarian. The puppy may be too big or wrongly positioned, or the bitch’s contractions may not be strong enough.

During a stronger contraction, the puppy is usually delivered in a single push. If this is not the case, the bitch must be made to stand up and the puppy pulled downward every time that the bitch pushes.

In fact, the umbilical cord is very short in carnivores and the puppy needs to breathe on its own immediately after it is born, as it no longer receives oxygen from its mother. If it remains inside the pouch, it will inhale the amniotic fluid instead of air.

The placenta usually is delivered within minutes following birth. Great care is required at this point, because if the placenta is retained inside the uterus, this may lead to problems after whelping. Stress and infection are the main risk factors for the correct progress of whelping and the subsequent survival rate of the puppies.

It is important for the bitch to be placed in quiet and familiar surroundings in order to get ready for whelping. That is why it is recommended that she be placed in the maternity quarters at least three weeks before the expected date of giving birth.

This will help to reduce stress, which can be a powerful inhibitor of uterine contractions, and will give her enough time to produce antibodies against any ambient infectious agents that she may not have encountered before. Since puppies receive nearly 85 percent of their immune protection through colostrums, this is vital for their survival.