What To Do When Your Protection Dog is Pregnant

Protection dogs that get selected for breeding should always be the pick of their litter, and the best of their bloodlines. However, even the strongest and sturdiest protection dog will need special attention during pregnancy. This article will offer tips on how to ease the process of pregnancy and prepare your canine for labor and whelping.

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After conception, the newborn puppies should arrive in about 54-72 days. The average is about 62 days, but you should always be prepared at least a week in advance. Unlike humans, the hormone levels do not change in a dog during pregnancy. Because of this, the only way to determine if your canine is pregnant is through an ultrasound. Puppies should be detectable through ultrasound after about 25 days from conception. After about 45 days, the skeletons of the pups should be visible through x-ray. While an x-ray it is not required, it can help to know the number and size of the pups beforehand in order to be better prepared for any problems during whelping.

During pregnancy, you should avoid giving your dog nutritional supplements. High quality dog food should be enough to give your dog and her pups the vitamins and calories they need. You should also start taking your dog's temperature. The average rectal temperature of a dog is between 100 to 102.5 degrees, Fahrenheit. Approximately 24 hours prior to whelping, your canine's temperature will drop by a couple degrees. This should be a good indicator that she is very close to giving birth.

About a week before whelping is expected, you should prepare a suitable area for the whelping to occur. Encourage the Dam to sleep in this area in order to allow her to get comfortable with it. It is important that this area be a safe, quiet place, away from activity and noise. The purpose of the whelping box is to help keep the puppies warm and safe. The box can be built out of plywood or cardboard. The sides of the whelping box should be high enough to protect the puppies from drafts, but leave the front open to allow the Dam to enter and leave the box comfortably. The box should be lined thickly with newspapers, or an old blanket if one is available. You should also gently wash the underside of the mother before whelping. As the puppies are born, you will want to put them in a warm place, kept in their mothers' sight. A basket with a heating pad or warm water bottle will work well.

Regardless of whether your dog is a Personal Protection Dog, Guard Dog or Executive Protection Dog, the above steps will help the pregnancy of your German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois or Dutch Shepherd go as smoothly and comfortably as possible.