PREPARING FOR PUPPIES - Check List

The most important thing you can do is to ensure the Dam is healthy and in good physical shape. She should be up to date on all her shots and free of worms, feas, ticks, etc. before being bred. Once you know she is in whelp, ensure regular exercise by walking her for 30 minutes daily.

Here is a checklist of things you need to have on hand before the puppies arrive. It is best to be ready at least a week before the due date in case the pups arrive early.

Thermometer - The normal temperature for your bitch is 101 degrees. When she begins to get ready to have the pups, the temperature will go down to about 99.0 degrees or less. When this drop occurs, you have up to 24 hours. After the pups are born, the temperature may be around 103.

A freshly painted whelping box. Be sure the paint is safe for pups (no lead).

Alcohol to keep your hands and tools clean.

Scissors

Cotton thread to tie off the puppies cord if necessary. Let the mother chew off the cord with the placenta. If she doesn't, don't cut the cord, shred it with your nails and then tie it with the thread to stop the bleeding.

A stack of clean towels for drying the pups.

Scales that measure in ounces. Mark each pup with colored yarn. Weigh the pups when they are born and record the weights with the yarn color. Then weigh the pups each morning and evening the first week to ensure that each pup is thriving. Record all weights.

Colored yarn to be used to tie a different color around each pups neck for identification.

Puppy milk formula and a baby bottle in case you need to feed a puppy.

Tube feeder in case you have an emergency and a puppy won't suck. Tube feeding is excellent for those of us who work and need to supplement the bitch's milk. Get your Vet to show you how ahead of time.

Gatorade (used at room temperature.) is excellent for puppies who are dehydrated. There are other products your Vet can supply. Give the dehydrated puppies Gatorade with the tube feeder (about 6 cc). These puppies may not be able to nurse and you want to be sure they get the fluid. If you pinch the puppies skin and it stands up instead of relaxing flat on the puppy, then the puppy is dehydrated and could die very quickly. Puppies can be born dehydrated and need help immediately.

Room heater or infrared light to keep the pups warm. You need to keep the puppies at about 80 degrees for the first week.

Put a room thermometer in the whelping box to ensure it stays nice and warm but not too hot.

A heating pad can be placed under the whelping box if the floor is cold, but do not put it inside the whelping box or let a puppy lie on the heating pad.

When you take Mom to the Vet after the pups are born, leave a hot water bottle or large plastic bottles full of hot water wrapped in towels in the whelping box to keep the pups company and warm until Mom returns.

A nice rug (preferable white) that just fits the whelping box for the pups and Mom to lay on. You will need several. The rug should be heavy enough to lie flat so a pup can't crawl under and get lost but soft and comfy. It needs to be light enough not to suffocate a pup.